After multiple years of financial losses in their food service operations, the Williamsburg School Board held a special meeting on July 29 aimed at resolving the issue.

As a result of the meeting, the board approved a partial reduction in force for nine cafeteria employees, therefore reducing the number of weekly hours for those employees to align with the number of meals being served.

“The district worked with the union representing our cafeteria employees (OAPSE Local 417) to determine the best way to structure this change” said Matt Earley, Superintendent of Williamsburg Schools. “Following a meeting between the union and the cafeteria employees, they requested the reduction in force instead of simply bidding for the revised hourly cook positions with fewer hours available for each food service employee”

According to financial records, Williamsburg Schools’ cafeteria operations have been losing money since fiscal year ending June 30, 2010. Ohio law requires cafeteria operations to be managed under a separate fund from the rest of the district. Prior to 2010 the cafeteria had been profitable so the cafeteria account had a positive balance.

Initially the losses were small and the Williamsburg cafeteria account balance absorbed the losses.

However, the losses accelerated in 2012 after the federal government enacted stricter nutrition requirements.

Yearly losses averaged over $30,000 the past five years.

As a result, the cafeteria account balance went negative and the district was forced to subsidize the cafeteria with general fund dollars in order to keep it solvent.

“We are so disappointed it came to this”, said Board President, Greg Wells. “We have a great staff, at every level, and the last thing you want to do is reduce hours or lay off employees. However, our first responsibility is our students. We cannot continue to pour education dollars into food service operations.”

“The impact on student health and learning is even more alarming”, Wells continued. “The federal nutrition standards make the food virtually tasteless so the kids won’t eat it. Many students, including those who are eligible for free and reduced meals, would rather pass up their free or reduced meal than eat tasteless food.”

“As a result meal counts have dropped dramatically. And the kids that do go through the lunch line often dump half of it in the trash before they even sit down to eat. That’s adding insult to injury because hungry students don’t learn as well.”

Before taking action, Williamsburg sought counsel from other Ohio school districts who were able to succeed in feeding students under the new regulations. One of those schools, Milford, was approved in June to manage the Williamsburg food service operations effective for the 2016-2017 school year.

“We sought advice from multiple experts on school cafeteria operations” said Earley. “All of them told us we had too many labor hours for the type of foods we prepare and the number of meals we serve. When our business partners made the same recommendation we knew what we had to do.”

“We are optimistic our new partnership with Milford Schools will result in more students eating nutritious meals, thereby optimizing their capacity for learning. When that happens everyone wins.”