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Food‑services director: co‑op buying and a small price increase helped offset $150,000 shortfall
Summary
Food‑services director Courtney Fitzsimmons told the board the department lost about $150,000 after federal supply‑assistance and entitlement changes, but membership in a statewide purchasing co‑op and a modest lunch price increase have improved the outlook; she highlighted farm partnerships, new menu items and staffing changes.
Courtney Fitzsimmons, the district’s food‑service director and dietitian, told the West Lafayette Community School Corporation board that the department remains self‑sustaining but faced a roughly $150,000 shortfall after federal supply‑chain assistance and some entitlement funds were discontinued.
"Last year, we lost a $150,000 due to multiple factors, the biggest one being the discontinuation of our supply chain assistance funds," Fitzsimmons said. She said the district is part of the K‑12 Leading Indiana co‑op (CLIC), which aggregates purchasing across many districts and helps reduce per‑unit costs.
Fitzsimmons described operational changes: a modest increase to student lunch prices, vendor procurement through the co‑op for the 2026–27 school year, and micro‑purchasing arrangements with local farms to supply produce. She highlighted student engagement initiatives such as the "taste bud traveler" visits and a Red Devil dining court ramen bowl that aim to boost participation.
The director said staffing changes included replacing an assistant director role with a kitchen manager at the junior/senior high school and promoted several internal hires. She called the program "a small but mighty powerhouse" and said she anticipates summer financial reconciliations before final fiscal-year results are posted.
Board members asked technical questions about pricing, federal entitlement ('brown box') allocations and whether co‑op contracts require separate local agreements; Fitzsimmons confirmed the district can make micro‑purchases with local vendors and expects to regain some commodity distributions next year.
The board did not take formal action on the food‑service report; Fitzsimmons provided contact details for follow‑up.
