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Food Services Advisory Group

Purpose: 

  • Recommend a progressive vision for Bellingham Public Schools’ Food Services program that delivers on The Bellingham Promise’s desired outcome of students who are healthy, active individuals.
  • The vision should reflect our community values, help define what “healthy” food means to our program, be based on best practices nationally in food service programs, and be sustainable.
  • The vision will be equally accessible to all students.
  • The vision will be used to guide the future food services program and the design of the central kitchen facility.

Basis for Establishment:

  • In November 2013, voters approved a bond that includes building a central kitchen for Bellingham Public Schools on the Sehome High School site. The rationale for a central kitchen was to move from a heat-and-serve food preparation model to a kitchen that prepares and cooks meals. Building this new facility provides an opportunity to design a kitchen that can support our vision for a food program and accommodate the desired ingredients, food preparation equipment, and storage needed to support this vision.

Decision-Making Process:

  • Work collaboratively and use consensus-building methods to prepare a written recommendation to Superintendent Greg Baker.

Plan of Work:

  • Use The Bellingham Promise and Farm-to-School Promise as discussed with the partner group on September 29, 2015, as springboards to start conversation on the district’s food program vision.
  • Research and review national best practices and participate, as feasible, through site visits and reviewing other material.
  • Receive feedback from focus groups held to solicit input from students, families, community and staff on the food program vision.
  • Draft a working vision for the food service program based on feedback from the site visit team and focus groups.
  • Share draft vision with Lunch Lessons thought partner and community in November for feedback.
  • By winter break in December: Submit recommended vision to Dr. Baker.

Responsibilities: 

  • Attend all meetings and work collaboratively.

Timeline:

Advisory Group:
Introductory Meeting. 3-5 p.m. Thursday, October 22, 2015 Central Services Room 205

Work meeting to develop working vision. 12-5 p.m. Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at the WECU Education Center 511 East Holly St. Receive input from the stakeholder meeting, site visit team, and focus groups

Review feedback and provide recommendation on food service vision. 3-5 p.m. Thursday, December 10, 2015 Central Services Room 205

Other components of process:

  • Current stakeholder meeting – September 29, 2015
  • Focus Group meetings – October 2015
  • Site visits – October 12-15, 2015

Budget Implications:

  • Cost of proposal:
    • Current stakeholder meeting and focus groups – staff time (communications and food services), possibly custodial time for sites.
    • Site visit cost – supported by the Whatcom Community Foundation.
    • Advisory group – staff time and some substitute or extra time for food services staff.
    • Forum in November – supported by Whatcom Community Foundation.
  • Cost of food service program will likely change as a result of the vision.

Other: 

  • This vision will feed into the food services assessment that will be done by Lunch Lessons, a thought partner with Bellingham Public Schools.
  • The vision and the assessment by Lunch Lessons will be used by the specifications team that develops the building design for the new central kitchen.

Meeting Notes & Docs

Members