Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Schools In Focus: Food Service During a Pandemic

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 09/08/20

Schools In Focus is a Spaces4Learning podcast dedicated to K-12 and higher ed design, planning, and management. Each episode will feature a conversation with industry experts, facility managers, architects, and thought leaders on topics related to educational facilities. Catch up on previous episodes here.

Today's episode is about K-12 food service during a pandemic.

Schools In Focus, Episode 6: School Lunch During a Pandemic

Schools In Focus podcast logo and Belinda Oakley, CEO of Chartwells K12, and Seth Ferriell, CEO of SSC Services for Education. 

Lunchtime is a bright spot in anyone’s day, especially for students. It’s a time for them to socialize and fuel up for the rest of their day. However during a pandemic, school lunch looks totally different. In this episode of Schools In Focus podcast, I speak to Belinda Oakley, CEO of Chartwells K12, and Seth Ferriell, CEO of SSC Services for Education, about school food service during a pandemic.

“There’s a number of ways to make sure school lunch is still a bright spot in a student’s day in this new environment but it’s really about having a flexible view of that and being prepared to pivot and change your plan as the situations continue to evolve,” Oakley says in the podcast.

We discuss various models of food service to accommodate social distancing such as lunch in classrooms and take-home meal kits; keeping cafeterias and classrooms clean; sustainable options to combat the increase of paper and plastic; and innovation in the K-12 food service industry.

Where to Listen

Schools In Focus is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher. Subscribe today, or listen below!

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Chicago District Completes Construction on New Elementary School

    North Chicago School District 187 in North Chicago, Ill., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Forrestal Elementary School, according to a news release. The new school marks a major investment in military-connected students and families at Naval Station Great Lakes.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • UTampa Breaks Ground on STEM Academic Facility

    The University of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., recently broke ground on one of its largest academic facilities ever, according to a news release. The Dickey Science Innovation Center will measure 153,000 square feet and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.