Letter from Farmington High School Principal Regarding Cafeteria Situation

Below is a letter from Bill Silva, principal of Farmington High School regarding reports of displeasure with the cafeteria.

Dear FHS Families,

On Thursday, October 30, I met with members of the Farmington Public Schools Administration, representatives of Chartwells, and five Farmington High School students to discuss concerns brought by the students regarding the school food service. This meeting was a follow-up to a meeting I had with the same students on Tuesday, October 28. We had a very productive dialogue, and we addressed all of the issues that the students brought to our attention. We agreed on the following steps to be taken:

1. A communication outlining the charge procedure in the cafeteria that was revised as a result of the October 30 meeting will be sent to all families

2. We will establish a Cafeteria Advisory Committee that includes students to ensure ongoing dialogue

3. Any complaints regarding the cafeteria will be immediately communicated to the Director of Dining Services for resolution

4. As in the past, local produce will continue to be delivered twice a week and fresh bread deliveries will continue to be made daily

5. The Farmington Valley Health District will continue regular inspections of the FHS cafeteria (see statement on next page*)

6. Chartwells will maintain its current standard of 100% of the FHS cafeteria workers trained and certified in food handling

7. Chartwells on-staff dietician will continue weekly visits to the Farmington Public Schools

8. Chartwells regional chef will visit Farmington High School in early November and every month thereafter for special demonstrations, training and in-service

Please know that we have had no confirmed incidents of food poisoning. This has been verified by the Farmington Valley Health District. To clarify, students who had unpaid lunch balances brought food to purchase at the register. They were offered a complimentary alternative meal. Unfortunately, the food that was brought to the register had been handled and in some cases partially eaten, thus per health code, the food was discarded.

Statement from the Farmington Valley Health District:

*As required by the CT Public Health Code, the food service operations located in the Farmington Public Schools are inspected by the Farmington Valley Health District. Unannounced inspections are conducted three times a school year. The most recent inspection was conducted on September 11, 2014. Routine inspections include assessment of wholesome and unadulterated food products, proper heating and cooling as well as food handling. The facility at the high school has consistently received satisfactory inspection results. The Farmington Valley Health District has not received any complaints regarding food safety nor has it received any confirmed reports of food-borne illness.

I want to assure all families that our Chartwells Director of Dining Services is highly skilled, with a degree in Culinary Arts and twenty years of experience in K-12 schools, colleges and universities. She is supported by an organization with an unparalleled reputation in K-12 food services. I am confident that going forward we will continue to meet the objective we all share – to provide appetizing and nutritious meals for our students.

I include below a statement from Chartwells, our food service partner. Chartwells works closely with the Farmington Public Schools’ administration to provide the highest quality food while adhering to state and federal nutritional guidelines. They work diligently each day in Farmington on behalf of our students.

Thank you,

Bill Silva

Principal, Farmington High School

Chartwells’ Statement

Chartwells is dedicated to the health and wellness of the students of Farmington. We have a good relationship with students and have remained open to discussions, including regular surveys and a forum today with the concerned students. Since the start of our partnership, we have worked with the district to bring a team of registered dietitians, culinary professionals and skilled operators to deliver a great food program while adhering to USDA requirements. We continue to enhance our options, including the recent introduction of a grab-n-go salad bar, yogurt and granola bar, hand-pressed turkey burgers and a once-weekly brunch, all the while expanding the use of fresh ingredients. As an example, we have sourced over $85,000 of produce from local farms. We are committed to an open and productive dialogue, and will continue to work with the Farmington school community to ensure the best quality meal program.​

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