The kids and staff are happy because their meals at school taste good and they get plenty to eat. South Barber Superintendent Dr. Mylo Miller is also happy because from a financial point of view – “looking at in on paper it's a huge win.”
For their previous food service provider, Dr. Miller said he had to transfer $15,000 annually from the General Fund to the Lunch program. When the South Barber Board of Education approved Oklahoma-based Keystone Food Service for the 2019-2020 school year the lunch fund already has a positive balance of $23,000 at the end of the first semester.
“As superintendent and the board, we have to be a good steward of taxpayers money,” Dr. Miller said. He now has 8 years experience working with Keystone from his days in education as an administrator in Oklahoma. Miller said he was having trouble with the school's provider and found Keystone.
Miller said Keystone started in Stillwater offering food service to Greek houses at OSU. “They cut out the middleman and started their trucking distribution from Shawnee, he said. Family-owned Keystone opened in 1993. Their philosophy is “simple: we provide food our customers love at a price they can afford. We do this by buying fresh foods in bulk and refusing to cut corners in our preparation.”
Dr. Miller said the Kansas Department of Education is scheduled to review Keystone's work at SB Jan. 21.
Referring to the new provider's popularity at South Barber, the superintendent said, “The salad bar is a great option.” He said this first year the provider is trying a variety of foods to see what is liked and not liked. Keystone has to meet FDA regulations.
An example of lunch items found on the South Barber website are:
• Philly Joe Sandwich, Italian salad, Ruffles, fruit, milk, salad bar
• Breakfast for lunch (biscuits and gravy, sausage patty, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, fruit, milk, salad bar)
• BBQ pork loin, BBQ baked beans, roasted carrots, dinner roll, fruit, milk, salad bar
• Nacho bar (beef, chips, queso, beans), salsa, fruit, milk, salad bar
• Popcorn chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, dinner roll, fruit, milk, salad bar
Evelyn Watson, head cook at the high school, described Keystone's food as “really good. It's different and it tastes good. Everybody likes it right now. On the pizza we make the crust and everyone really likes it.”
Watson listed menu items that are the most popular at the South Barber lunchroom: pizza, cheeseburger (made with locally grown beef), chicken fajitas and chicken spaghetti Alfredo.
“There's not much waste,” Watson said. “It's an overall good change.”
Lori Sahadi, head cook at the elementary and SB food service director, reportedly fell during the holidays and injured both ankles so was not at work to comment on the new food service.
Mary Lynn Meyers, elementary secretary who also helps with the school lunch program, said, “The salad bar has been a huge, awesome, thing for the adult staff. Kids who eat salad really do like it and eat it well. The meals are fantastic – they are quality, the menu varies daily, the food looks inviting and tastes good too.”
Superintendent Miller said of the school lunch program, “Our numbers are up even though enrollment is declined. Breakfast has tripled at the high school. (Principal) Shafer had the great idea of serving a second opportunity breakfast besides before school. It's served during family meeting time and is really popular.”
“We don't want any food to go to waste,” the superintendent said. “We will not charge for seconds if the food is still available.
“The Kiowa Locker has donated hundreds of pounds of beef for us (South Barber) to use and we're thankful for that.”
The afternoon snack bags (totally funded by a federal program) are “a huge success at elementary,” Dr. Miller said. They serve 100-120 snacks daily. Miller said the federal reimbursement check already paid for part-time cook Amanda Olson to become full time when preparing the snack. The snack bags at the high school aren't as popular as those older kids want to leave immediately, he said.
Local Groups Donating Beef to Schools
Late last fall, the Barber County Cattlemen’s Association (BCCA), Barber County Farm Bureau and the Kiowa Locker/Chieftain Brand Meats announced a partnership with USD 254 (Medicine Lodge) and USD 255 (South Barber) to source local beef into the schools in Barber County.
Local beef producers can donate live cattle to the school districts to be processed. The Kiowa Locker will give a processing discount. The BCCA will pay 10% of the processing fee and Farm Bureau pledged a donation to each school district to help with the processing fees as well. The research into this project has shown that the school districts will save approximately $1.50 to $2.50 per pound on ground beef and will provide students with more access to beef. Beef is an excellent source of protein and supplies 10 essential nutrients including B-vitamins, zinc and iron that support an active and healthy lifestyle. The nutrients in beef provide bodies with the strength to thrive throughout all stages of life.
To participate, producers need to contact Kiowa Locker at 620-825-4538. There are no restrictions to how the school districts may use the finished beef product. It could be used through school lunches, concession stands, other school related events, etc. The Kiowa Locker is a USDA inspected locker facility.
Goodno said the BCCA felt this is a well-rounded plan to serve a nutricious, delicious product from people you know. It gives producers an option and it helps schools to save on waste by serving good, quality beef.
Monetary donations are also accepted toward the beef. For questions about the beef initiative, contact Justin Goodno at the Barber County Extension Office at 620-886-3971 or jgoodno@ksu.edu.
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