Celebrating National School Lunch Week 2021
October 11-15 was National School Lunch Week, and this year the School Nutrition Association went "WILD About School Lunch!"
CCSD students are wild for school meals and our dedicated food service professionals who prepare and serve them! Thank you to our school nutrition professionals who play a vital role in helping our students succeed in and out of the classroom.
For National School Lunch Week, we profiled some of our CCSD Food Services staff who we are just WILD about:
Kent Elementary School
It was a big ROAR of approval for school lunches and Kelli-Ann Castronuovo, cook manager at Kent Elementary School!
Kelli and has been with CCSD for almost 16 years, and she oversees the ordering of food, cooking, inventory, and making sure everything flows smoothly in the KES cafeteria during the day!
Favorite part of her job: "When the kiddies tell me I make the best pizza, toasted cheese, etc. It just makes my day!"
Favorite food: Pizza
If she could have one super power, she would choose: "Superhuman strength because every week I get multiple deliveries and it gets difficult to lift some of the cases/boxes."
Kent Primary School
We are WILD about school lunches and... Margaret Zahensky, cook manager at Kent Primary School!
Margaret runs the kitchen, while also overseeing inventory orders and, of course, cooking. Her main goal: making sure the students have balanced meals! She has been with CCSD for 14 years
If she could have one super power, she would choose: "Foreseeing the future, so the children get all the foods they like & need!"
Favorite part of her job: "Working with the children!"
Favorite food: Pizza
Matthew Paterson Elementary School
Meet the bear-y special Kathleen Pettit, Josephine Shepps & Judy Lopez from Matthew Paterson Elementary School:
Kathleen, Josephine & Judy work hard to prepare great meals for the students at MPES every day. As the cook manager, Kathleen notes that it is important for her and her team to not only have knowledge of nutrition but also its impact on the health of children... something that the MPES food service crew excels at!
Favorite part of the job: "The kids! The kids! The kids!"
George Fischer Middle School
We are WILD about school lunches and Eileen Perine, cook manager at George Fischer Middle School!
As the cook manager, Eileen oversees a staff of 7 who provides delicious nutritious breakfast and lunch to almost 1,200 students who attend the school. She has been with CCSD for 13 years!
Favorite part of her job: "When a child comes in and is super excited about school lunch and knowing that I had a part of creating that smile!"
Favorite food: "Mozzarella sticks, and it is by far the kids favorite."
If she could have one super power, she would choose: "Having more arms to do more at one time."
Carmel High School
Meet Siobhan Trippodo from Carmel High School!
Siobhan is a familiar face for our CHS students at the deli counter, helping ensure that they leave the cafeteria with full stomachs.
CHS Cook Manager Cathy Smith boasted that Siobahn has been her right-hand in the cafeteria for the last 10 years!