The common stereotype of school cafeteria food doesn’t set the bar very high: sloppy, unhealthy meals that aren’t fit for young learners. However, State High’s food service excels at providing meals for students.
The food court at State High certainly has extensive options for both students and staff. There are daily choices of pizza, pasta, nachos, and hot sandwiches. Along with fresh fruit, fruit juices, vegetables, and milk, students can have a balanced meal. Additionally, the snack bar outside of the hub is a popular destination for students to grab things ranging from a bag of chips to ice cream.
Junior Matt Morningstar explained his favorite area of the food court. “My favorite food probably has got to be anything in the chef’s line,” Morningstar said. “It’s really good, freshly made food. It’s the way to go.”
With thousands of students to serve, being in charge of this sizable unit holds a lot of responsibility ensuring meals are provided for every student. Megan Schaper, SCASD Director of Food Services, explained that her role means that even if she is not in the building, she’s helping out around the district.
“Not only am I in charge of the high school, [I am also] in charge of all of the school cafeteria so I oversee the elementary schools, [and] middle schools, and so I don’t do day to day operations here in the high school cafeteria,” Schaper said.
Many students acknowledge the difficulty in running a food service for a school, and are impressed with how State High’s service operates. “With a lot of people, like, about over 2000 students, and the amount [of food] that they have to give, they have a really extensive kitchen, and they do a great job for feeding all of us,” Morningstar said.
The aforementioned chef’s line is always packed with lines going way out of the food court. Some notable selections include Blackened Chicken Alfredo and Focaccia Sandwiches. However, those long lines and a large student population raise an issue for many students. They clog up the entrance to the food court, making it difficult for students to get in and grab their meals quickly, leading to their free time being spent waiting in line instead of enjoying a break from class.
“The only [problem] I could really think of is maybe getting people in [to the food court], because it kind of gets crowded at the very start of the line,” Morningstar said.
One solution to this problem would be moving the chef’s line to the back of the food court, where the nacho line is now. That way, students who don’t want something from the chef’s line can grab their meals quicker and easier.
Nevertheless, Schaper explained how her skilled staff helps solve problems like these and ensures the food services run smoothly.
“I’ve got a great staff. I mean, [kitchen supervisor] Theresa Ganow here at the high school is amazing,” Schaper said. “I just have good people who, you know, I put them in their place and put them where they need to be, and I make sure they have the people and the resources that they need, then they just do a great job running the program for me.”
Schaper hopes that students know that the food service is working hard to ensure students have the best tasting and nutritious food possible so that they can perform well in school. Overall, the food service staff does a fantastic job of providing for students and staff every day.
