Superior School District food service highlights local sourcing, staffing gaps and a pay adjustment to recruit managers

Jamie Wilson, the district's director of food service, presented the annual food-service report Monday and urged the board to view the department as a self-sustaining operation that depends on consistent participation and stable staffing.

Wilson said the program serves roughly 4,400 to 4,600 meals and snacks each school day (about 900,000 meals last year) and employs 36 staff, including nine full-time positions. He highlighted farm-to-school partnerships and local purchases—"2,800 pounds of Bayfield apples" and thousands of pounds of blueberries were cited as examples—that support scratch-cooking initiatives and menu improvements such as 100% beef patties.

The director also flagged a major staffing challenge: three full-time manager vacancies and the retirement of a long-serving manager after 38 years. Recruitment at current pay levels has been difficult, Wilson said, and the administration asked the board to approve an updated salary schedule for the school nutrition manager position so the district can attract candidates. The board approved the pay-schedule update by voice vote; administrators noted the food-service fund is separate from Fund 10 and the change would not affect the general Fund 10 budget.

Board members asked about student engagement and social-media outreach; Wilson described promotional events (including an "Orange Chicken Day") and routine menu testing with students to boost participation. The administration said it will continue seeking local partners and investments in equipment to improve efficiency and retain staff.