Monticello unveils self‑operated school lunch program; early participation rises

The Monticello School Board received an update on Tuesday from new nutrition services director Laura Wacker Hansen on the district’s shift from contracted food service to a self‑operated program.

Hansen told the board the move required rebuilding procurement and operations: “We have all new vendors. We have all new ordering systems. We have all new recipes,” and a new nutrient‑software database that the district began populating on July 1. She described menu changes and service adjustments across grade levels, including a double entree line at the middle school, a daily build‑your‑own sub line at the high school and rotating weekly specials.

Early results: participation in school lunch rose districtwide in the month after launch, Hansen said, with Eastview up about 5% and Pinewood and Naturebase up roughly 4.28%. She added that participation increases of even 1% at the middle and high school level are meaningful.

Hansen flagged next steps and operational needs: assessing aging kitchen equipment, planning preventive maintenance, and evaluating which upgrades would enable more scratch cooking and local produce procurement. Tina Burkholder, director of business services, praised Hansen’s July–August work and said the district will form a wellness committee and seek community members to advise menu planning.

Board members asked about breakfast service; Hansen said the program was streamlined with one hot and one cold option daily and plans to add variety after students settle into routines.

The board welcomed the update and asked administration to return later in the year with financial comparisons to the prior contracted model.