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Woodburn nutrition supervisor outlines meal program serving thousands daily, highlights Farm to School partnerships
Summary
Nutrition services supervisor Chelsea Allen told the board the district’s nutrition staff serves roughly 2,600 breakfasts and 4,300 lunches daily across 17 sites, described a Farm to School grant that funds local sourcing and culturally responsive menus, and flagged facility and equipment needs.
Chelsea Allen, the district’s nutrition services supervisor, told the Woodburn School District board that the department supports 17 sites with 41 nutrition professionals and serves about 2,600 breakfasts and 4,300 lunches a day districtwide. "We have 41 school nutrition professionals who work nearly all year round to provide not only lunch, but breakfast, snacks, dinner, spring break, summer," she said.
Allen described a two-year Farm to School grant the department uses to bring locally sourced and culturally appropriate foods into school meals, naming local partners on slides. She gave a line-item example from a tamale meal to illustrate how the grant buys higher-quality items: the slide listed a tamale at $2.17 and additional side items that together raised the per-meal food cost in the example.
The presentation covered the department’s goals for the coming year: boost breakfast participation, increase local food sourcing, make menus more culturally responsive to student preferences, and invest in staff professional development on food safety and cultural competency. Allen also explained the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and described the department’s menu-review practices to align with USDA nutrition guidance.
Board members asked about cafeteria space upgrades and staff capacity to support expanded community-based work. Allen said some funding is available for targeted upgrades and described plans to pilot more inclusive cafeteria designs and student-centered options. She acknowledged aging equipment at some sites as a key operational hurdle.
The board thanked Allen and the nutrition staff for their work and discussed potential next steps including signage for local farm partners and piloting composting and garden programs at selected schools. Allen invited board members to visit a school lunch service to see the work in person.
The presentation is part of routine departmental reporting; no board action was taken. The district and its partners continue to explore ways to reduce food waste and expand student engagement with school meals.
