While teachers "directed leave without pay" days are on non-instructional dates, UPW’s furloughs for support staff including cafeteria workers often will come when kids are present. One middle school is coping by cutting back on one meal.
Furlough or directed leave without pay days for UPW cafeteria workers mean on several day during the school year, at least one staff won’t be there to help with the herculean task of feeding hundreds of hungry kids.
"It affects our staffing, so we only have a manager, a cook, a baker and two half-time helpers," said Principal Michael Harano. "And if you take one out, then it’s hard to continue operations."
For Washington Middle School, that meant issuing a schedule of no breakfast for 10 dates this year and no "Wiki" or mid-morning meal for 20 dates.
"We talked about the least impact that we would have, and unfortunately it worked out where we did not serve breakfast last Friday, breakfast and Wiki. However, we did get substitute money so we could hire a substitute today, where today was planned to have no breakfast, we actually served breakfast today," Harano says.
As it will be throughout the rest of furlough days, but the later breakfast — the Wiki — still will be cut.
"The most important thing is that the students, the parents get the message, no Wiki, come early and you’ll have breakfast," said Glenna Owens of the School Food Services Branch.
The Wiki isn’t required by USDA or the DOE and not all schools offer one, though Washington Middle would prefer to be able to.
"In middle school, at this age, physically kids need to eat, so we do have kids who eat three meals right here," Harano says.
When the furlough issue arose, the DOE sent out a memo with suggestions for how schools could adjust to leave little to no impact on meals served.
"For instance, on a Wednesday when participation is usually less, and students get out earlier, they can maybe go to a less labor intensive menu," Owens said. " So far, surprising there has been very little negative response or phone calls to our office so that’s a good sign."
The DOE is even encouraging more students to sign up for free and reduced lunch. they say many eligible families are passing it up. Cashless, prepaid card system takes away any stigma of subsidized meals, no one knows whose on the USDA plan.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
