Colchester Public Schools CREC FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM EVALUATION ACTION PLAN 9.4 Ken Jackson Dir. of Educational Operations 03/13/18 Due to concerns over the financial status of the Colchester Public Schools the Colchester Public Schools contracted with CREC to do a full evaluation of the operation. In December, 2017, CREC submitted a Food Service Program Evaluation report which an overview thereof was presented to the BOE on January 23,. The report contained thirty-five recommendations several of which included sub-recommendations. To facilitate implementation of the recommendations the following Action Plan was developed. T he recommendations and s ub-recommendations were grouped into various like categories for ease of tracking and administration. FINANCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS REC #1: Internal controls should be instituted by the Chief Officer and Accountant over the food service program to improve accountability, budgeting and staff supervision. A dotted line of direct reporting should be required between the person coordinating the food service program and the Town s chief financial officer. (Ref. REC #1): Send vendor invoices to Finance Department in a timely manner to realize prompt payment discounts. (Ref. REC #1): Keep accounting up to date by processing the bank transfer from the cafeteria fund to the general fund in a timely manner as determined by the CFO. (Ref. REC #1): Share the district s charging policy with the Finance Department and attempt to clear accounts prior to the end of the (Ref. REC #1): Provide monthly status reports to the Finance Department including explanations for deficits or fluctuations in revenue or expenses. (Ref. REC #1): Provide appropriate detail on employee time-sheets to fully explain time recorded. (Ref. REC #2): In coordination with the Chief Officer, the director should require preparation and monitoring of food service program budgets, monitoring inventory and student acceptance of meals, building menus based on budgets and student preferences, and maintaining equipment including annual preventative maintenance. Implement ASAP M. Cosgrove / M. Cosgrove / Implement ASAP Commence 04/ M. Cosgrove / / Commence 04/ Develop plan and procedures for implementation start of /2019
Page 2 of 7 FINANCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUED REC #1 Continued: (Ref. REC #2): Establish and adhere to a / schedule for reports and vendor invoices to be sent to the finance office. REC #15: Employee time should be more accurately reported. REC #21: CES / JJIS: Additional kitchen preparation time currently scheduled is not needed and should be discontinued. REC #23: WJJMS: Current staff levels can accommodate the new middle school cafeteria scheduled to open in September. REC #6: CREC recommends a larger emphasis on increasing sales to improve the financial status of the department rather than reducing assigned labor at each school. REC #7: An on-line payment system should be implemented in order to allow families to make payments on-line to student meal accounts. REC #16: Edit checks report should be entered through the POS system. This report can be printed through the POS system, saving significant time and assuring meal counts are accurate. (Ref. REC #2): Itemize all productive and non-productive labor hours on timesheets for kitchen staff and pre-approve all time worked outside of regularly scheduled hours. (Ref. REC #15): Develop and implement accurate time reporting system. (Ref. #21): Evaluate and consider elimination of additional preparation time. (Ref. #23): Maintain current staffing levels in new middle school cafeteria. (Ref. REC #6): Evaluate productivity and develop and implement a plan to increase sales and to generate Meals Per Labor Hour in line with state averages for similar sized districts. (Ref. REC #3): Develop creative and flexible menus. (Ref. REC #1): Explore and implement an online payment system for families to make payments to their student s meal account. (Ref. REC #3): Research and contract for online payment system. (Ref. REC #16): Implement Edit Check reporting system through the POS System. (Ref. REC #16): Train cafeteria managers in use of the POS system. Commence April Commence April / CES & JJIS Café Managers / / M. Conway / M. Cosgrove Commence April Evaluate April 08/ 08/ / /
Page 3 of 7 FINANCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUED REC #8: The POS system should be set up (Ref. REC #3): Implement POS online to accommodate a la carte purchases, so payment system. students have the option of using cash or their pre-paid account to buy snacks and other items in addition to their meals. Students in the three lower grade-level schools are currently required to pay cash for snacks and other a la carte purchases, which slow down the line and discourages students from making purchases. REC #13: Adjust borrowing (charging) policy at all schools. REC #22: WJJMS: The Café Manager should reconcile the snack station cash box with cash and tickets; move the snacks to the main serving line, and allow students to use their pre-paid accounts to purchase snacks. (Ref. REC #13): Implement POS online payment system incorporating recommendations. (Ref. REC #13): Develop an accurate system to account for the emergency lunch charges. (Ref. REC #22): Incorporate snack purchases in POS System. WJJMS Café Manager REC #10: The district should participate in the USDA processing program. This would allow staff to decrease purchases from brown box, and use commodity dollars to send product to processors for finished products that are more popular with students. This will decrease the purchase price for many entrees, and potentially increase student participation. REC #18: The use of Styrofoam trays should be discontinued. An adequate number of permanent trays should be available and a system should be in place to assure trays are dry and ready to use for each wave. (Ref. REC #10): Commence participation in the USDA processing program. (Ref. REC #3:) Participate in the commodity processing program. (Ref. REC #18): Provide adequate number of permanent trays. (Ref. REC #18): Discontinue Styrofoam tray use. Investigate /
Page 4 of 7 FINANCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUED REC #29: BA: The dishwashing machine needs immediate repair. (Ref. REC #29): Address dishwasher repairs. 02/ 02/ STAFF MANAGEMENT / TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS REC #2: A formal annual performance review process should be established between the Director of Educational Operations and the person responsible for coordinating the food service program. (Ref. REC #2): Establish and initiate an annual performance review process for the position of cafeteria supervisor. 04/ REC #14: Assign additional tasks to expand menu offerings. Re-train cafeteria employees to assure efficiency in daily routines. REC #5: at each of the Four Schools should receive additional training and participate in training sponsored by the State Department of Education Child Nutrition Unit and SNACT (School Nutrition Association of CT), which is a support organization for school food service directors. (Ref. REC #14): Expand menus. Cafe Managers (Ref. REC #14): Re-train cafeteria employees to assure efficiency in daily routines. (Ref. REC #5): Establish staff training plan. (Ref. REC #3): Provide formal training for kitchen staff. (Ref. REC #2): Conduct ongoing training during the school year for and staff, and include topics such as marketing school meals, food presentation, and working efficiently. Involve managers with developing monthly menus. (Ref. REC #14): Re-train cafeteria employees to assure efficiency in daily routines. (Ref. REC #3): Attend and become active in the EASTCONN Cooperative Food Bid meetings. (Ref. REC #3): Utilize resources of the School Nutrition Association of CT (SNACT). (Ref. REC #3): Develop creative and flexible menus. / / 2019 / 2019 /2019 School Year /
Page 5 of 7 STAFF MANAGEMENT / TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUED REC #17: should complete monthly inventory checklists on Excel (Ref. REC #17): Implement use of monthly inventory checklists on Excel spreadsheets. The use of Excel spreadsheets will eliminate the need for additional time and provide consistency. spreadsheets. (Ref. REC #17): Train cafeteria managers in the use of technology to complete inventory checklists. (Ref. REC #17): Eliminate 2 Hour / Month for for inventory process. MARKETING / IMPROVED SALES RECOMMENDATIONS REC #12: Marketing efforts should be (Ref. REC #14): Expand menus. increased at all grade levels through School PowerSchool, the Digital Backpack, student Administrators email at WJJMS and BA, and other social media outlets. REC #24: WJJMS: Align the middle school menu with the high school menu, and enhance it with more salad and deli sandwich options. REC #11: Leftover foods should be incorporated into menu choices within 5 days of that item being served, using judgment to maintain quality of product. Kitchen managers should have the discretion to add menu choices based on inventory on hand. REC #28: BA: Salad options should be expanded with improved quality and added variety of toppings. REC #30: BA: Additional Grab n Go meals, smoothies and a snack rack option should be implemented at BA. (Ref. REC #24): Align and enhance the middle school menu with the high school menu. (Ref. REC #24): Implement and expand salad bar and/or deli bar. (Ref. REC #11): Develop plan for leftover usage. (Ref. REC #13): Include fruit and vegetable choices in an emergency lunch. (Ref. REC #28): Develop and implement a plan for revising salad options. (Ref. REC #30): Develop and implement a plan for providing additional Grab n Go meals, smoothies and snack rack option. WJJMS Café Manager / WJJMS Café Manager / BA Café Staff / BA Café Staff Develop 04/ /
Page 6 of 7 MARKETING / IMPROVED SALES RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUED REC #25: BA: Students purchasing a second lunch should either receive a full meal or should be charged less for only the second entrée. (Ref. REC #25): Revise second lunch purchasing policy. BA Administrators REC #27: BA: Morning snack options should be expanded to meet student breakfast needs. There is the potential for sales with morning study halls in the cafeteria, either through extended hours in the service area or vending machine service. REC #9: Snacks should be set up on the main serving lines to make the process easier for students and encourage sales. A la carte snacks are set up in a separate area from the main serving lines at JJIS and WJJMS, requiring students to go through two separate lines to purchase a meal and a snack. REC #26: BA: The breakfast serving time should be increased on flex days. REC #20: The preschool program should be evaluated for participation in the school breakfast and/or lunch program at CES. REC #19: Dining tables need to be cleaned between lunch waves. A system should be put in place at JJIS and WJJMS to ensure that tables are clean when all students arrive. REC #31: Student Nutrition Advisory Councils should be established for the primary and secondary grade level schools to encourage involvement by students in the school lunch program. (Ref. REC #25): Develop Marketing Plan for student notification. (Ref. REC #27): Develop and implement a plan for revising morning snack options. (Ref. REC #9): Rearrange a la carte snack locations at JJIS and WJJMS. (Ref. REC #26): Revise breakfast serving time on flex days. (Ref. REC #15): Evaluate preschool program for inclusion in school breakfast and/or lunch program. (Ref. REC #19): Develop and implement table cleaning system. (Ref. REC #31): Establish Student Nutrition Advisory Councils (SNACs) at each school. BA Administrators JJIS & WJJMS / BA Administrators J. O Meara / C. Praisner / CES Café Manager Cafe Managers / School Administrators / Principals Possible implementation 2017 / TBD. Possible implementation 2017 / Investigate
Page 7 of 7 MARKETING / IMPROVED SALES RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUED REC #32: Student ideas for menu (Ref. REC #32): Implement student enhancement and improved meal service suggestions from SNACs to improve should be addressed by the newly created product and service and increase SNACs. participation in breakfast and lunch REC #33: The school cafeterias would benefit from modest improvements to enhance the appearance and attractiveness of the spaces. programs. (Ref. REC #33): Explore improvements to appearance of cafeteria (e.g. signage, paint color, art projects). BOE OPTIONS RECOMMENDATIONS Cafe Managers / /2019 School Year Develop Plans / Summer REC #3: Café Supv. position could be (Ref. REC #3): Evaluate the elimination Superintendent eliminated and the BOE could return to the of the Cafeteria Supervisor position. model used prior to the new food regulations (2010) of a combined Supervisor/Manager position; reassign duties to a Lead Coordinator and. REC #4: If # 3 implemented: A new job description titled Cafeteria Manager/Lead Nutrition Program Coordinator should be established, and responsibilities such as menu planning and state and federal statutory requirements should be redistributed back to the Cafeteria Managers. The district must ensure that the CT state requirements and duties are assigned and performed as required. REC #35: Consider exploring a Memorandum of Understanding for consulting services for menu planning and nutritional analysis. REC #34: The recommendations in the report should be implemented and monitored before pursuing a discussion on outside contracting with a food service management company. (Ref. REC #4): Develop job description for new position and revise current manager job description. (Ref. REC #4): Develop new organizational chart. (Ref. REC #35): Explore utilizing consulting services for menu planning and nutritional analysis. (Ref. REC #34): Implement and monitor suggestions in CREC report prior to exploring an outside vendor. / J. Shorts BOE /