School Committee Votes to Bring Food Service In-House

With a 2-3 vote at last night's meeting, Burlington's School Committee opted to discontinue the contract with Whitsons, the food service company that has served Burlington Public Schools since January 2023.

Metrics presented to the School Committee were less-than-stellar, as participation in the lunch program has not increased significantly over the last 2.5 years of the contract as the district expected when first contracting with Whitsons. The increase in participation for breakfast was only 1.1%, and lunch participation increased by a negligible 0.5%.

It's difficult to compare participation and finances to the district's situation before Whitsons was contracted, as the state now reimburses meals for every student who participates – a policy that was only made permanent in summer 2023. The district was losing money before Whitsons came on and is no longer losing money, and participation minimums are still being met.

Still, said the school's liaison to Whitsons, Keri Noke, the district could do better with food quality, variety, and waste within the same budget – and improve and streamline management practices – by cutting out the food service provider and hiring a food service director in-house.

Management has been an ongoing concern, Superintendent Eric Conti pointed out, as there has been frequent turnover on the Whitsons side and Noke has frequently found herself training the Whitsons staff. The priorities among ordering have also been misaligned, with the company choosing to focus on high school meals and largely ignoring the potential of adding more interesting and high-quality options to the elementary and middle school lunch menus.

"I get that they have to say they're trying to budget and save money," Noke said, "but we have so much waste. We could could order more efficiently and get better quality [food]" by bring operations in-house.

Committee members voiced frustration that these results fell far short of Whitsons' initial promises. "It just doesn't come to what they had presented and promised," said Chrisine Monaco.

The discussion further revealed Whitsons receives about $180,000 in management fees, while the district gets approximately $1.6 million in federal and state reimbursements. Noke suggested redirecting the management fee toward better food and a Director of Food Services would improve the program.

Chair Melissa Massardo pointed out that the district would need to license an app so parents could see menus, understand allergen information, and plan their kids' school week.

Member Katherine Bond moved to terminate the contract at the meeting, saying, "I don't see any value in what they're doing."

Massardo, along with member Jeremy Brooks, said they wanted more financial details before deciding, but other members worried about timing since the contract requires 60 days' notice for termination without cause. In the end, the vote was three in favor of termination, two opposed.

Dr. Conti supported the decision based on staff discussions and expressed confidence in the district's ability to manage food service effectively. He promised to present a detailed financial plan at the next meeting, including costs for a director, necessary staff, and program management software.

Other notable tidbits from School Committee:

• Enrollment looks like it will stay steady next year, though temporary housing for migrants that has been in place for the last few years is ending and families are being placed in permanent housing – most outside Burlington.
• The district has two full-time sports medicine staff members who support student athletes with games, practices, and overall health and safety.

The School Committee meets next on June 24.