Middle School Cook Manager Honored as Key Ingredient to School Lunch Program Success

Gaudet Middle School's Cook Manager Colleen Santos was recently recognized as being a "key ingredient" to the success of Middletown's Public Schools lunch program.

Santos was recently honored as a Be-A-star Associate of the Year by Chartwells School Dining Services at the Northeast Region summer meeting in Providence, according to a company release.

Middletown Public Schools Dining Services Director Linda Benedetti recommended Santos for the award on the basis of business excellence, satisfied customers and happy associates.

"We were absolutely thrilled when we heard the news," said Benedetti. "Colleen is a team player and has built strong relationships with all levels of customers, clients and co-workers. This is truly the result of a team effort and I am so proud of the entire team here in Middletown."

Besides the Gaudet School, Santos also oversees the school lunch program for Middletown's Aquidneck and Forest Avenue elementary schools.

Chartwells officials said they give the award to top associates who excel in a number of areas such as community service, operational excellence, customer and client satisfaction, wellness, and diversity, according to a company press release. Each regional winner is recognized at the Chartwells' regional Be-a-Star banquet celebration.

The Chartwells Be-a-Star program recognizes hourly and salaried associates and entire districts for achieving business excellence. Be-A-star has been widely embraced throughout Chartwells to the point that it has become the company's primary recognition tool for promoting business excellence by providing great results everyday, according to the company's statement.

Chartwells, a division of the Charlotte, North Carolina-based Compass Group, provides dining services for over 500 public school districts and private schools, comprising over 4000 separate elementary, middle and high schools nationwide.  For more information about Chartwells School Dining Services, visit www.eatlearnlive.com.