Lunchroom Changes on Tap at Valley View Schools

• Photo: This fall, students at Bolingbrook High School and Humphrey Middle School will find new serving lines and food display cases similar to what these Jane Addams Middle School students experienced during the 2015-16 school year.

When the 2016-17 school year arrives, Valley View School District 365U middle school and high school students will be greeted with a variety of changes in their lunchtime serving lines.

For the first time ever, “Made For You” meal options will be available at all seven middle and high school cafeterias.

“When our customers (students) go out into the real world, they go to the Subways and the Chipotles where they tell the person behind the counter exactly what they want on their individualized custom-made food item,” said VVSD Nutrition Services Director Meghan Gibbons. “But there will still be some pre-wrapped grab ‘n go options because we need to be able to get them through the lines at lightning speed,”

In addition, VVSD is replacing old, outdated cafeteria equipment at both Humphrey Middle School and Bolingbrook High School with new serving lines and open-curtain vertically standing refrigerator display cases. Similar equipment was installed at Jane Addams and Martinez middle schools last summer.

“From where they pick up their trays to where the staff serves them behind the counter will change,” Gibbons said. “We’re going from a traditional serving line in cold wells to a modern convenience store look. Now our customers can grab their food and go. It’s a little more accommodating.”

The 38-year-old serving line at Humphrey will be replaced with energy efficient open air refrigerated display cases with LED lighting. An air curtain, complete with sneeze guards, will keep everything safe and chilled.

Similar refrigerated display cases with their own self-contained refrigeration systems will replace the six original units at Bolingbrook High School.

“It’s hard to believe we’re replacing equipment in a building that seems so new. But just as in a new house, things start breaking down after 10 years or so,” Gibbons said. “Plus high school students are not very easy on them.”

Refrigeration systems for the current units are located on the BHS roof making maintenance and repairs both challenging and time-consuming. Service and repair will be significantly easier since the new units will each have their own refrigeration system.

“Maintaining an efficient operation with a nice look is important because we need to keep our customers happy and make sure they have a good dining experience from start to finish,” Gibbons said.

Submitted by Valley View School District 365U