Florence 1 Schools: Cover Story

SERVING•UP• HAPPY•AND•HEALTHY

Mia Buck, Culinary Services Director for Florence 1, and Executive Chef Corey Green pose in the kitchen of the newly opened Southside Middle Schoool

Chartwells partners with Florence 1 Schools in the kitchen and in the classroom

Since 2019, Chartwells K12 has been ‘Serving Up Happy and Healthy’ in Florence 1 Schools. The food service provider does much more than just serve food though, it has become a partner for the district and its schools, providing new tastes and experiences for students and employees. Mia Buck, Culinary Service Director for Florence 1, said that using local and in-season produce is important to Chartwells and is a great way for them to introduce students to new flavors. One way that Chartwells introduces new items is through Discovery Kitchen, a program that rotates through the schools and features Executive Chef Corey Green. “We use local produce when we can because South Carolina has the best peaches and watermelons and we try to bring that in-season produce to our children at the school,” Green said. “With Discovery Kitchen, we bring in things like butternut squash or star fruit, fresh beets. We do these taste tests so that kids can taste it and see what it is. That's very important for them to be able to recognize the vegetable, know how to cook it, and appreciate the taste.” Buck said that with elementary and middle school students the key is introducing new items and allowing students the opportunity to taste them. High school students are the most engaged when they can have some input, she said, so Discovery Kitchen also features a voting component where students can help decide if an item makes it on their school menus or not. Briggs Elementary student Sarah Gause said that she loves school lunch and eats it almost every day, even trying a lot of new things she’s never had before. “The lunch ladies at Briggs are really kind and they always ask us if we want this vegetable or that vegetable,” Gause said. “I also like when we do Discovery Kitchen because I think it’s good for kids to try new stuff.” School gardens help provide an additional educational component and Chartwells works with schools to use what they grow in the meals they prepare. “We are partnering with the schools so that whatever they are growing, the kids get to see that in the lunchroom,” Buck said. “McLaurin used the sweet potatoes they grew in their garden for their Thanksgiving meal. We are working to get a garden near the cafeteria at the Child Development Center at Woods Road. Not only will the students be able to get out there and plant and pick their vegetables but the cafeteria staff will also be able to use the things that they are growing.”

John W. Moore Middle School Principal April Leroy said that her cafeteria staff plays a vital role in her school. “We are fortunate to have such dedicated and welcoming cafeteria staff, to not only provide nutritious meals but also lend a friendly smile and warm greeting each day,” Leroy said. “Our students have built relationships with these faculty members and they are an integral part of our team that continues to make us Lion Proud! Lion Strong!” Throughout the month of December, schools will feature apples. “We’ll do different things with apples based on the different grade levels,” Buck said. “We’ll have them do taste tests and see what they think the best kind of apple is and give them a few types of dipping sauces. We’ll cook a few different things with apples, especially at the middle schools.” While students have benefitted from the Chartwells partnership, the culinary staff has as well, getting opportunities to take their skills to the next level. “We have partnered with the State Department and 70 percent of our staff is now HAACP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) certified,” Buck said. “Out of that 70 percent, about 35 of them have qualified to become trainers for the state. We always concentrate on safety, students and staff, but we are also doing customer service training with our employees so they can serve better. We’re good but we always want to be better.”

Along with investments in staff development, Chartwells has also made investments in the kitchens across the district. “Over the past 3 years, we have added a mix of equipment,” Buck said. “In 2019, we equipped each of our high schools with Kiosk Food Centers to help elevate the volume of the serving lines allowing our students to Grab & Go. Recently, Hatco warming units were added at each of the middle schools, to provide a faster and more student-friendly option to our students. Elementary school kitchens have received upgrades and or replacements to older equipment that allows the staff to be more efficient when they are cooking. Being part of Florence 1 also means being part of the Florence community. Chartwells has participated in events like the Florence farmers market and a Community Day at North Vista Elementary, cooking up items such as okra for everyone to taste. “We’ve talked to some of our cafeteria managers and we are going to coordinate with our schools and whatever the food is that we’re highlighting for that month, we are going to get books about those things from the library and we are going to get in some reading time with the kids,” Buck said. “I think that, for us, it is not just about serving lunch and then leaving. It really is about partnering with the district and the community.”