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District nutrition director outlines staffing increases, scratch cooking and local sourcing plans
Summary
Jeanne Sheridan, director of School Nutrition, told the School Committee the district’s food-service staff has grown from 26 to 38 employees and outlined plans for more scratch cooking, locally sourced produce, grant-funded investments and repairs to dish machines at DeMello and Quinn schools. She said the district is "investing back into our program."
Jeanne Sheridan, Director of School Nutrition, presented a year-in-review of the Dartmouth Public Schools food-service program at the Jan. 6 meeting, reporting staffing has expanded from 26 to 38 employees and that the program has used grant funds to support menu, sustainability and infrastructure changes.
Sheridan described plans to increase "scratch" cooking and to source more locally grown food. She said the district is working to get dish machines operational at DeMello and Quinn schools and showed videos of dining-area renovations, saying the district is "investing back into our program." Sheridan also acknowledged operational challenges to composting and said she has discussed options; Mr. Kiely said Potter School has a community volunteer who could "champion" composting and that the town has been contacted about possible cooperation.
Why it matters: rising participation and program investments affect student nutrition and school operations, and infrastructure improvements (dish machines, kitchen equipment) are necessary to support cooking-from-scratch plans. Sheridan and Mr. Kiely said grant funding supports current work and that the district will continue to pursue funding and operational partners.
The committee asked questions about grants and composting logistics; Sheridan explained the grant process and highlighted staff recognition and recruitment as part of the program’s recent improvements.
