MASBO May 18, 2011 Nutritionally & Financially Sound Needham Public Schools Food Service Program Ruth Griffin Food & Nutrition Services Director

Enrollment: Sales: $1.6 million Expenses: Labor: 45% Food: 45% Supplies & Svcs:10% Free & Reduced: <6% Lunch Participation: 61% Lunch price: Elem: $2.00 2ndry: $2.25, $2.75, $3.00 Needham Public Schools info:

Key Strategies Labor POS Focus on Nutrition & Choices Marketing & Customer Service Build the program Financial Details

Labor Efficient: (High MPLH) Needham district avg: MPLH Needham range: Industry standard: (for my size schools / type service) MPLH = Meals per Labor Hour: (A productivity index for school foodservice programs) Number of meals or Meal Equivalents Total number of paid labor hours

Labor, continued Have a GREAT staff + keep them HAPPY Hire people with potential, good attitude, & good work ethic (always as sub first) Competitive wages (on high end) Treat staff well Be involved in their work Encourage them to have fun at work

Have a POS system ** This makes a huge difference! - worth the inve$tment Makes it easy for students to spend $ Easy for parents to deposit money Parents trust it Communicate well about how it works, and balances, etc In 2004, 2 elem’s got POS:  58% Participation increased  60%while other elem’s stayed the same

The POS touch screen / register

Student account, picture, balance, & sales screen

Focus on nutrition & choices I am an RD and a mom I believe in Balance I believe kids should get healthy food at school.. that they’ll eat! Always have the best interest of the kids in mind Stay ahead of the curve –Mass Nutrition Law (competitive foods) –Proposed USDA food guidelines

Focus on fruits and veggies Needham minimum daily standard: 3 cut fruits 2-3 whole fruits 1 canned / commodity fruit Bag of mini carrots available every day - with lite ranch or hummus Menued salad or hot vegetable every day Allow unlimited fruits and vegetables Try new salad and veg recipes often

Focus on Fruits and Veggies

High School Fruit and Salad options

Focus on Fruits and Veggies

Focus on nutrition & choices- continued Have lots of entrée choices –Elem 7 –Middle –HS>25 Each year, make new healthier changes to the program- what we’ve done: –Limited ice cream sales to Fridays only –Eliminated sports drinks –Limit / eliminate snacks –A-List snacks only (meet MAFHK Guidelines) –Whole grains breads (we’re halfway there) –Gradual healthy changes do not hurt the program !

Salad Lover at Mitchell Elementary school

Focus on nutrition & choices- continued Be involved in school & community health initiatives –Eat Well Be Fit –SHAC –Ally with Wellness and Nursing –Cooperative Rapport with Administrators and teachers

Make opportunities to ‘talk up’ food service program –Letters on back of menus –School committee presentations –Local cable TV School Foodservice Program –Local paper- write articles National Nutrition Month Nutrition 101 –At meetings Marketing & Customer Service

Always work to increase participation % participation over the years ndry: YTD High School 37% 38% MM POS 43% new kitch/ café 49%54%55%54% Pollard MS 56% 60% MM POS 64%65% 60%62% High Rock New School 76%75% Elem: Consider KASE Broadmeadow 51% NK POS 58%53% MM POS 51%55% 54% 62% Eliot 48% NK POS 60%65% MM POS 63%66%67%66%65%67% Hillside 67% 64%63%60% MM POS 66%68%69%64%69% Mitchell 56% 54%55% MM POS 57% 54%62% Newman 46% 49%51%53% MM POS 55% 52%62% Total 52% 55% 56%59%60%62%59%62%

Marketing & Customer Service- continued Be NICE to kids Do taste tests Try very hard not to run out of choices –Care about the last kid in line FS staff should taste the food every day! Be good to Teachers / Administrators (They are PR for food services, too) –Nice food options –POS lunch accounts

Kindergarten Orientation They are our future customers One day in June –(Free) milk, fresh fruit, graham crackers Introduce ‘rising first graders’ to the lunch program –POS / PIN numbers –Going thru line –Lots of advanced communication Marketing & Customer Service- continued

All of the above with…. an eye on Financial Details Use bids and quotes Monitor inventory Review all invoices for proper pricing and credits due Prepare an annual budget Prepare and analyze financial reports

Needham Public Schools In summary: Hire good people + keep them happy and working efficiently Get POS Customer focus Stay ahead of the nutrition curve Make positive changes- keep it new Promote the program Watch bottom line, but spend for quality Pay attention to details Have fun at work!