Chartwells K12 Special Edition Magazine

SPECIAL EDITION 2017

Our Great People Page 2

Innovation Stories Page 15

Sustainability Solutions Page 17

Chartwells K12 Stars Contents 1

A Note From Rhonna 2

Award Winners 10

Milestone Anniversaries 11

New Accounts 13

Class Act Winners 14

Back to School Recipe 15

Feature Stories Fresh All Year Culinary Training

There’s a buzz in the air this time of year as we open our doors to new and returning students as well as welcome new team members and clients to the Chartwells K12 family. It’s also an exciting time as we celebrate our fellow associates and announce our national award winners and the many achievements from the previous school year.

I am proud to say for another consecutive year, 2017 represents a truly exceptional line-up of regional and national award winners and an impressive number of milestone anniversaries. This special edition of the Chartwells K12 magazine is geared to celebrate these associates and share a few of the many great achievements from the year.

First up in this edition are the Be-A-Star Award Winners which represent the best of the best regionally and nationally in four categories: Culinary Leader of the Year, Hourly Associate of the Year, Salaried Associate of the Year and Account of the Year. I’m thrilled to announce this year’s winners in the pages that follow and share more about all they’ve achieved.

In addition, we celebrate the Chartwells K12 CEO Award Winners which recognizes team members who have played a pivotal role in our key priorities including: Culinary Innovator, Impact Player, Resource Player, and Safety Leader. I applaud this group as well and all they’ve contributed.

The awards highlight just a few of the many, many great people and initiatives in our sector. This edition also celebrates innovative programs that support sustainability, top-notch culinary education for chefs and food education for students. You’ll read about great people, new programs and more.

Embarking on a new school year is an exciting time. It also represents a time of year when we should applaud, congratulate and appreciate all the great people who are a part of our teams.

Thank you for all you do each and every day!

Eat. Learn. Live. and Grow Imperfectly Delicious Produce

Best,

Food Trucks Mobile Teaching Kitchen Pilot Light Mobile Ordering Food Waste & Recovery

Rhonna Cass CEO Chartwells K12

O U R G R E AT P E O P L E

BeA Star

AWARDS

CULINARY LEADER OF THE YEAR

Camilla Bowman-Porter, Chef

Ann Arbor Public Schools, Great Lakes Region Chef Camilla’s passion for creating exciting, healthy meals and sharing them with Ann Arbor students and the community has made her an overwhelming star in the Great Lakes Region and within Chartwells K12. After joining the team in 2015, Camilla enthusiastically started building a strong culinary culture in Ann Arbor Public Schools through her great tasting recipes and exceptional food presentation. Chef Camilla goes a step further by engaging the culinary students in the program, dedicating her time to develop their overall skills and mentoring them as true leaders in their field. Chef Camilla shines as a true leader in the kitchen and beyond.

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O U R G R E AT P E O P L E

HOURLY ASSOCIATE OF THE YEAR

Ann Morgan, Kitchen Manager

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, South Region Celebrated as the Chartwells K12 April Class Act, Ann continues to share her enthusiasm for her food and students at Phillips Middle School with the school community. Ann engages her students at all levels of the menu development process from focus groups and surveys to recipe contests and taste tests. By empowering her students as tastemakers, Ann has achieved the highest meal participation of all middle schools in Chapel Hill, which is no small feat! Ann’s collaborative spirit extends to her team as well. She has created cross-training and hands on learning for new associates that sets them up for success on day one.

SALARIED ASSOCIATE OF THE YEAR

Marty Grasa, Director

Snohomish School District, West Region Driven by a passion for innovation, ensuring all students have access to healthy, great tasting meals and building a strong business, Marty has delivered a truly exceptional program for Snohomish students in just one year! Marty’s enthusiasm for delivering a studentdriven program shine through in the district’s FIRST Junior Chef Competition and the introduction of a new food truck exclusively for Snohomish students. In addition, Marty recognized the need for expanded programs to nourish children during the summer months and partnered with Parks & Recreation and the local Science Academy to open more summer meal sites for kids. Passionate about great food, Marty has grown the catering program in Snohomish creating additional opportunities for partnership with the District. His commitment to the Snohomish community has created a strong partnership benefiting the children in Snohomish schools every day.

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O U R G R E AT P E O P L E

ACCOUNT OF THE YEAR

Brockton Public Schools

Tom Burke, Director, Northeast Region The team at Brockton Public Schools has created a café program that nourishes students in and outside of school, thrives as a trusted partner to their district and supports the larger Brockton community wholeheartedly. Together the Brockton team has implemented Breakfast in the Classroom, Community Eligibility Provision sites, Blessings in a Backpack weekend meals for kids, and secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding to support the expansion of their program. Committed to community outreach, the Brockton team participated in the Parent’s Academy to tell the story of their delicious and nutritious café meals and options. A valued member of the District, Tom and the Brockton team are a go-to resource to support changes in the district and schools. Never settling to start a program and move on, Tom and team continually look for new ways to grow and expand their offerings. As a result, their partnership continues to thrive and grow exponentially.

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O U R G R E AT P E O P L E

Winne

r

Comp as Natio s Group nal Br o Award nze

COMPASS IN THE COMMUNITY

Cadillac Area Public Schools Genie Knapp, Director, Great Lakes Region

The Cadillac Area Public Schools team believes their commitment to their students extends well beyond the school cafĂŠ and long after graduation. It was this knowledge and feeling of community and responsibility that launched the Chartwells Scholarship Fund. The talented chefs and culinary leaders at Cadillac then joined forces with many community business leaders to host a Scholarship Dinner for local community members. Hundreds of people were inspired to donate gift baskets, purchase tickets and students created artwork and provided the musical entertainment for this culinary extravaganza. As a result, over $5,000 was raised and awarded to a Cadillac student, who will be following his dream to work in the culinary field.

Watch the Video Here 5 CHARTWELLS K12

O U R G R E AT P E O P L E

PRESIDENT’S 5 JEWEL AWARD

Team Indiana, North Central Region

Committed to taking the powerful messages and actions of the Chartwells DIAC and reaching their frontline associates, the K12 team in Indiana created a first of its kind Chartwells DIAC state chapter.

Designating representatives from each district in Indiana, the state chapter DIAC shared messages of inclusion through team meetings, pre-service talks and group community service opportunities.

Passionate about bringing the message to their students, team Indiana leveraged SnapChat and geofilters to create a truly unique Inclusion Week experience for kids. Their collaboration and dedication to driving the powerful message of inclusion to all associates is helping to build inclusion into the fabric of their everyday business.

Watch the Video Here

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REGIONAL WINNERS

Region

Culinary Leader of the Year

Great Lakes

Camilla Bowman-Porter

Mid-Atlantic & Duval

TJ Gaetano & Peter Myers

Hourly Associate of the Year

Salaried Associate of the Year

Account of the Year

Compass in the Community

5 Jewel Award

Lisa Saville

Brian Corbett

Grand Blanc Schools

Cadillac Area Public Schools

Hazel Park Schools

Felecia Tate & Katrina Swain

Christa Petersen

Edison District Schools

Union City Public Schools

Union City Public Schools

Norwich Free Academy

Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School

Northeast

Nizam Saad

Sharon Thomas

Tom Burke

Westport Public Schools

North Central

Alexandra Turnbull

Cindy Fritzen

Peggy Anderberg

Kimberly Area School District

South

Vanessa Evans-Floyd

Ann Morgan

Colette Stewart

Spartanburg School District 3

York School District 1

Burke County Schools

South Central

Joseph Elvin

Patricia Dufrenne

Sharee Osten

Hillsboro Independent School District

Poplar Bluff School District

DeSoto Independent School District

West

Carol Bus

Amy Curtis

Anthony Lopez

Snohomish School District

Winslow Unified School District

El Camino Real Charter School

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Team Indiana

CEO AWARDS

CULINARY INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

Chef Amanda Gingrich, Director Laramie County School District #2, West Region

Chef Amanda brings a passion for culinary and an enthusiasm for her students to each café in Laramie. An alumnus of Le Cordon Bleu with a background in fine dining and corporate dining, Chef Amanda delivers an exceptional culinary experience for her students in all she does. From edible flowers on Valentine’s Day through the Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Program to the mason jars of vegetable seeds she sent home with every student for Earth Day, Chef Amanda makes food FUN! To keep the students involved, Chef Amanda actively seeks feedback through surveys and focus groups, which has resulted in more salads and complete grab and go meals available daily. Dedicated to ensuring all Laramie students have access to healthy, delicious meals, Chef Amanda’s creativity resulted in two new grab and go areas in schools that previously had NO café, which has allowed her to feed even more students this year.

IMPACT PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Brian Corbett, Director

Harper Woods Schools, Great Lakes Region Brian embodies the Harper Woods mission to “do all we can for our great kids,” and lives the philosophy with his team and peers.

Believing deeply that the school café is a place to nourish children, Brian has expanded his program to include snack and supper programs as well as summer meal sites. In addition, Brian continually strives for excellence – from café refreshes to the details of food presentation which keep his students coming back for more. And as a result, more Harper Woods students are eating in the café – 5% more just at lunch alone! Committed to his team and with a safetyfirst mentality, Brian has delivered an accident-free district for four years in a row! Brian is a trusted resource and partner to his peers, a go-to person for his District Manager and an Impact Player for Chartwells K12!

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CEO AWARDS

RESOURCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Whitney Bateson

Director of Nutrition & Wellness, Resource Always willing to tackle an existing or new challenge, Whitney combines her nutrition expertise with a passion for nourishing children to create holistic solutions to some of the industry’s biggest challenges. Her knowledge and creativity have been at the forefront of wide ranging solution oriented initiatives including spearheading development and implementation of Webtrition, partnering with Share Our Strength on a comprehensive expansion of afterschool meals to nutrition education, school gardens and more. Most recently, Whitney is championing the Chartwells approach to supporting Free & Reduced Meal Applications including communication tools and resources to streamline the application process. Whitney’s expertise and enthusiasm shine through in each of her endeavors including her continued involvement as a leader in the Chartwells DIAC as well as industry speaking engagements.

SAFETY LEADER OF THE YEAR

Karen Cooper

Director of Compliance, Resource Karen’s commitment to building a safety culture is at the forefront of all her efforts from safety training to improving communications and resources to building incentives to keep targets top of mind. Karen has helped to position Chartwells K12 as a safety leader in Compass Group by championing corporate safety initiatives and being an early adopter of new program opportunities. Because of her efforts, Chartwells is the safety benchmark for all of Compass with best in class results including a 20% reduction in claims over prior year. That means MORE associates are working safely and returning home to their families at the end of the day. Karen’s passion and enthusiasm has helped Chartwells create a true safety culture.

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ANNIVERSARIES

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK

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NORTH CENTRAL Cheryl Bear Cheryl Brass Shelli Graham NORTHEAST Imri Allen Mary Dyer Maureen Kellett Vera Miller MID ATLANTIC

Marjorie Nakao

SOUTH

Karen Waitz

Adam Sawchak

Nyoka Burton

Elizabeth Zelenak

Maria Steins

Cheryl Cobb

Nicole Tate

Tamela Mcclintock

GREAT LAKES

Theresa Toth

Donna Pearson

Krysti Kidder

Suzanne Venuti

Tammy Poteat

Vicki Watson

WEST

SOUTH CENTRAL

Lynne Watson Nancy Weissman GREAT LAKES Chris Bolda Laura Call Melinda Chambers Mary Darnton

Nickie Ferguson John Maupin

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NORTHEAST Frances Amarante

Aurea Alvarado

Karen Hess

Joyce Baumbach

Nancy Jameson

Gloria Caluccio

Anita Johnson

Linda Starzec

Anthony Ceccarelli

Connie Johnston

RESOURCE

Maguy Chalet

Brenda Nelson

Peter Weber

Martha Franco

Stephanie Townsend MID ATLANTIC Joanna Trombley

Eric Friend Carla Gilbert Patricia Kurczweski Sonya Latorre Josephine Leight William Libertz Lisa Lutz Janice Mccue

Renee Deangelo

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MID ATLANTIC Joseph Daino Mary Mckinstry

SOUTH

Lisa Taddei

Nancy Sandlin

GREAT LAKES

WEST Pamela Chambers Lori Mesa

Phyllis Drinkwine WEST Debra Arionus

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NORTHEAST Emmanul Kouremetis RESOURCE

Debra Baringer

Kathy Clouse

Brenda Edelman

Joann High

Anita Ellebracht

Alyce Leitzel

GREAT LAKES

Barbara Flores

Denise Monaco

Louanne Warner

Kimberly Sadler

Diane Raughley

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Joyce Tettamble

Debra Thelen

Pamela Applegate

FALL 2017

Rena Norton

Shirley Derby

SOUTH CENTRAL

Elizabeth Varga

SOUTH CENTRAL

WELCOME

T O O U R N E W B U S I N E S S PA R T N E R S AR

IL

Pine Bluff School District Star City School District Sales Lead: Verdelle Bowie Regional Director: Jason King

Northwestern University Settlement Association Sales Lead: Tim Leary District Manager: Paul Kendall

CA

Career Academy Lafayette Catholic School System Nettle Creek Family of Schools Blue River Valley School Corporation Union School Corporation Shelby Eastern Schools Sales Lead: Molly Quirin District Manager: Paul Kendall

IN

Palisades Charter High School St. Clement Catholic School Sales Lead: Julie Veal District Manager: Annette Boussina & Vince O’Rouke

CT Holy Cross High School Lauraton Hall Academy Mercy High School Notre Dame High School Sacred Heart Academy Xavier High School Sales Lead: Ann Yeagle District Manager: Michael Edgar & Solange Morrissette

LA Thrive Baton Rouge Sales Lead: Verdelle Bowie District Manager: Paul Butler

MA Tantasqua Regional School District Sales Lead: Robert Nicklin District Manager: Scott Valentino

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NY

ME Maine School Administration District 35 Sales Lead: Robert Nicklin District Manager: Chris Callahan

Rye City School District Sales Lead: Barbara Stank District Manager: Helena McKenna

MI

OH

Baker College Michigan School for the Deaf Spring Lake Public Schools Sales Lead: Robert Schrenk District Manager: Ann Smith & Erik Neering

TX

Wynford Local Schools Sales Lead: Robert Schrenk District Manager: Michael Bruno

Liberty Eylau Independent School District Pleasant Grove Independent School District Brownsboro Independent School District Wichita Falls Independent School District Sales Lead: Joan Thorne District Manager: Jimmy Osowski Regional Director: Michael Leonard

MN Sibley East Public Schools Sales Lead: Tim Leary District Manager: Katy Bazzett

NJ Audubon School District Belleville School District Sales Lead: Barb Stank District Manager: James Gillespie & Pat Allegretto

WI Merton Community School District New Holstein School District Waupaca School District Sales Lead: Tim Leary District Manager: Jason Carrier

Thank you to all our operators and their culinary, nutrition, finance and marketing teams who have supported these wins and transition!

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2017 CLASS ACT WINNERS

JANUARY

MAY

Deb Vanderlaan, Food Service Worker Lowell Area Schools, Great Lakes

Tim O’Connell, Sous Chef Woodbridge Township Schools and Edison Schools, Mid-Atlantic

Shera Anderson, Food Service Worker Bridgewater-Raynham, Northeast Region

JUNE

FEBRUARY Lisa Carrero, Resident Dietitian Noble Network of Charter Schools, North Central

MARCH

Jamie James, Lead Cook Laramie County School District #2, West

JULY Rebecca (Becky) Chapman Williams, Head Cook Romulus School District, Great Lakes

Erin Chonko, Cashier Swanton Local School District, Great Lakes Duane Sorenson, Director of Dining Services Blaine County Schools, West

AUGUST Chris Hazelton, Marketing Specialist Lafayette School Corporation, North Central

APRIL Ann Morgan, Kitchen Manager Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, South

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BACK TO SCHOOL RECIPE

Fall Wheat Berry Salad Portion Size: 1 Cup Salad. Serves 6.

INGREDIENTS 9 oz

Fresh Sweet Potatoes, peeled

3 Tbsp

Canola Oil

2 tsp

Garlic Clove, peeled and chopped

3 cups

Swiss Chard, chopped

3 cups

Wheat Berries, cooked & drained

½ tsp

Black Pepper, ground

1 tsp

Kosher Salt

½ cup

Fresh Basil, chiffonade (cut into long strips)

1/2 cup

Fresh Parsley, chopped

1½ cups

Tomatoes, chopped

2 cups

Great Northern Beans (canned), drained & rinsed

¼ cup

Green Onions (Scallions), fresh

8 oz Italian Salad Dressing, preferably fat free

DIRECTIONS 1. Dice sweet potatoes to 1” cubes. Roast at 350 until fork tender (about 20 mins). Allow to cool completely.

2. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat and add oil to hot pan. Add garlic and Swiss chard. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until chard is wilted.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine wheat berries, pepper, salt, basil, parsley, tomatoes, beans and scallions, along with the sweet potato mix. Add dressing and stir to blend well.

4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the grain to absorb the dressing and for flavors to combine.

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2017

STORIES

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Fresh All Year Chartwells’ Flash Frozen program preserves local foods so they can be enjoyed all year long. We’ve spearheaded this project to help create a concept that would benefit not only the farmers, but the schools in which the fresh produce is served. By creating a collaborative that connects farmers to the students they serve, we are allowing for a deeper understanding of how our foods come to the table each and every day.

Our Flash Frozen locally grown products extend the growing season, giving us several more months to feature regionally grown produce on our menus. Because we are purchasing in season when produce is at its lowest price, as well as highest quality, the program has been cost-effective. Our 2017 offerings include peppers, carrots, potatoes, butternut squash, broccoli, blueberries and more.

Culinary Training Building a culinary culture involves a “pay it forward” philosophy that fosters food knowledge through sharing and teaching practical food skills in school cafés and communities. Associate creativity and innovation are inspired in the week-long Culinary Masterworks class presented annually by a team of culinary leaders in Chartwells’ Great Lakes Region. Led by Regional Executive Chef Jennifer Brower since 2001, the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) curriculum has launched over 500 graduates from partner school districts and Chartwells operations, marketing, nutrition and sales departments.

In mid 2016-17, the top five performing school districts in the region were led by Masterworks graduates.

Three Tips to Creating Culinary Culture in Your Operation: 1. Train your teams in working with fresh ingredients, batch cooking and beautiful food presentation 2. Engage with students, staff and community to talk about your culinary program at every opportunity in print, online or in person 3. Focus on the food – create menus that include as much scratch and speed scratch cooking as possible using fresh, in-season, local ingredients

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Eat. Learn.

Live. and Grow

Planting the seeds of health and wellness, the Eat. Learn. Live. and Grow partnership between Chartwells K12 and KidsGardening.org has created resources to support schools in implementing and growing more school gardens. From a comprehensive toolkit, to education, a webinar series and most recently a grant program, together we’re helping gardens expand their impact.

Out of nearly 500 applicants, 23 grants were awarded. Six months later we went back to the winners to see how their programs are flourishing: Total number of people impacted by awarded programs: 18,897

the beginning of the year, we had many students who were “ At reluctant to touch dirt, whether starting seeds in cups or planting or harvesting in the garden beds. By the end of the year this problem seemed to disappear as children picked, planted, and weeded enthusiastically. Over the course of the year students often confessed to never having planted a seed, dug in the dirt, or eaten any produce fresh off the vine (so to speak). Many, many students tried foods for the first time, often running to grab a friend to share their new discovery. - Jennifer Massengill, Hampton Roads Academy

”

students tended to the plants when they were only seeds. They “ The watched as the first little cherry tomatoes began to eagerly sprout.

They had built a relationship with the plants, so when it came time to plant them in the garden, they finally felt a part of this larger community. - Nancy Juarez, Westhill High School

”

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IDP

Imperfectly delicious produce IDP (Imperfectly Delicious Produce) is a program to rescue vast amounts of local produce that may otherwise go unharvested or left in the fields because they don’t meet the strict visual standards of large retailers. This is not only a huge opportunity to help local farmers but also the environment by using these delicious and nutritious foods.

Since the program’s inception, over 2 million pounds of produce have been rescued from waste and put to good use in our kitchens across the nation. Some of our pioneering chefs such as Josh Perkins, Regional Executive Chef in the North Central region, have worked with local produce distributors such as Bix and Midwest Foods, to feature items like baby kale and bell peppers in smoothies and tastings in Edina Public Schools in Minnesota. IDP lacinato kale is a consistent feature on the Extra Extra bar in the Chicago area in both Noble Network of Charter Schools and our Wheaton/ Warrenville Schools thanks to Windy City Harvest, an urban farm partnered with Chicago Botanical Gardens.

That’s just the start – keep your eyes open for IDP baby carrots and celery sticks to be introduced across the country and in your community.

PURCHASING & S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y SCORECARD

Our sustainability scorecard measures our commitment to serving food that’s “good for you, good for the planet” and we’re proud of the progress we’ve made in the past year to purchase more poultry, seafood, dairy, eggs and produce that is sustainably raised and sourced.

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Food Trucks In keeping with one of the hottest trends in the food industry, Chartwells continues to grow its fleet of mobile food trucks. These trucks are designed to serve a variety of uses, from growing participation through breakfast grab-and-go, snack breaks and lunch-and-learns to after school and community events, including athletic events, school fundraisers, catered events and emergency meal assistance during inclement and emergency situations.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION Chef Joseph Elvin of DeSoto Independent School District hosted multiple events with the Eagles’ Kitchen food truck, including a team track meet where they fed the coaches and athletes as well as a back to school fair that served a sampling of breakfast and lunch items while helping students complete Free and Reduced applications and sign up for a free iPad raffle.

NORTH CENTRAL REGION Pike School District in the North Central Region is putting their food trucks to good use this summer by taking it to the streets and feeding hundreds of kids in the community through our summer feeding program and partnership with Share Our Strength and the No Kids Hungry initiative.

For families who count on school breakfast and lunch, the summer months can be stressful and family food budgets have to be stretched even further. Having the opportunity to bring food trucks into the communities to help to alleviate that stress in partnership with our school districts is a win/win for all.

GREAT LA KES REGION Chef Austin Kuhn and DDS Cinde Gorbrandt of Hamilton City Schools in Hamilton, OH, featured special meal promotions that included Friday “Flips” highlighting a burger meal “flipped” off the food truck grill. Still to come this year is a farmer’s market where students will “shop” at the food truck and take home produce/ products at neighborhood school stops. Also planned is a Bookfest humanitarian meal fundraising event that will feature booths for crafts, food and beverages. Proceeds for both events will go to buy down money owed on student accounts.

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FREE & REDUCED LUNCH The Free & Reduced Meal Application Toolkit helps our district partners communicate and promote meal applications, and make it easier for families to apply. Through marketing materials, outreach ideas and communication resources, we help to positively promote meal applications, and lessen barriers that may prevent families from applying for free or reduced price meals.

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Mobile Teaching Kitchen This year, Chartwells K12 launched the latest and quite literally, largest, addition to our food education fleet. Meet Elly – a mobile kitchen classroom built to mimic an 8’ x 20’ container. Guided by our eat.learn.live philosophy, Elly is dedicated to feeding our students’ young minds with an interactive culinary experience that encourages lifelong healthy behaviors. In transforming the kitchen into a hands-on laboratory, Elly teaches students about where food comes from, why ingredients are good for you, and how to cook a wholesome meal.

Elly has started her tour along the east coast through the MidAtlantic and south regions and is heading west this fall.

Elly’s journey is just beginning, but she has already made a big impact. After just one lesson, students reported a 29% increase in their confidence about being able to cook from basic ingredients.

Elly is embarking on a nationwide tour, so keep an eye out for when she visits your district!

“ I learned about the nutritional benefits of different vegetables. It was fun to show everyone what I learned when I took the class! ” - Emily, 7th grader with Chartwells to bring the Mobile Teaching Kitchen “ Partnering and its innovative curriculum is a fun new way for our students to

learn for a few weeks, but the ultimate lesson it’s teaching to our community is long-lasting. - Brian McGrath, Principal

”

@ellythemtk

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Pilot Light Last year, Chartwells K12 partnered up with Pilot Light, a Chicagobased organization that pairs together chefs and educators to develop Standards-aligned food education curriculum. Pilot Light was founded in 2010 by celebrity chefs Paul Kahan, Matthias Merges and Jason Hammel with the mission of connecting the lessons students learn in their classroom to the foods they eat on their lunch tray, at home and in their communities. Our joint vision is to pair classroom curriculum with a healthy chef-designed lunch to feed our students’ minds and bodies.

Our Culinary and Nutrition teams have worked with Pilot Light to develop four lesson and lunch pairings centered on: a veg-forward taco, a flavor-filled stir fry, a pizza bianca and an Aztec grain bowl.

These pairings are being rolled out at Pritzker College Prep – a Chicago school with exceptional nutrition and culinary standards for their meal program and a strong commitment to educating students about healthy food choices. We recently held the first Chartwells and Pilot Light Institute for Food Education, where Pritzker teachers began developing plans to build the lessons into their classrooms.

The Pritzker students will have delicious meals and great lessons to look forward to this year, and we’re excited to continue expanding this innovative project into other districts around the nation!

MOBILE ORDERING It was a busy start of the school year at Buckeye School District! It started with a summer refresh project that led directly into a project teaming Chartwells with the School District and their healthcare provider to roll out a wellness program for teachers and district staff members focused on featuring healthier options. In addition to showcasing a monthly newsletter with ideas for living a healthier lifestyle, beginning September 1st, the district will roll out a mobile ordering solution via the Nutrislice app as part of the wellness program to offer teachers and staff a lunch delivery service that will feature the new lunch menu options.This new app will first be offered to administration and staff and eventually migrate to students as the app is analyzed for utilization and operations speed of service.

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Food Waste & Recovery Serving over 2 million meals every day to children across the country, Chartwells K12 has a big responsibility to both its customers and the environment to minimize waste. Production and post-consumer food waste are real concerns for restaurants and communities alike, and this year, Chartwells expanded its commitment to waste reduction by introducing its Food Waste Reduction & Recovery Program.

Regional Executive Chef Paul Sottile used Earth Month as an opportunity to spearhead several food waste reduction initiatives including that in Malvern School District in Texas where he worked with the team to introduce Waste Not, to track and measure waste with the immediate result of cutting waste by 10% in the first two weeks of the program.

In tandem with the Food Waste Reduction efforts, Chartwells teamed up with students to support food recovery programs that collect uneaten, packaged food items after service and send them to local hunger relief groups. The program is truly student-driven – kids tracked waste and educated each other about the impact excess food waste can have on the environment.

Edina Public Schools in Minnesota rescued over 14,000 items, which diverted 1,700 pounds of potential methane gas from our landfills and contributed nutritious foods to 2,800 meals for the community The impact of food waste and hunger are top of mind in communities across the country, and as a cornerstone of communities, schools play an important part in leading the discussion. Through the Food Waste Reduction & Recovery Program, Chartwells is educating and empowering its teams and students to take the lead in waste reduction – and we’re just getting started.

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1-844-753-6321 www.ChartwellsK12.com ChartwellsK12@compass-usa.com

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CHARTWELLS K12