Johnson City Schools



Demographics
Demographics: 8 elementary, 1 middle school, and 1 high school cafeteria are administered through a centralized system of menu planning, bidding, purchasing, and employee training.

Meals
4000 lunches and 1600 breakfasts are served daily by 50 full and part-time employees. The cost of breakfast is $.75 and lunch is $1.35, K-5 and $1.60 6-12. 40% of all meals are served at a free and/or reduced price rate.

Menu Planning
Central menus are planned using the Food Based option. Self-service lines allow students to select and serve tmenselves from a variety of choice menus including salad bars, fresh fruits, juices, 1% lowfat milk, and vegetarian items.



Equipment
Six of the facilities ae new and have state of the art preparation, holding, transporting, and bussing equipment. Combo ovens, energy distribution centers, pulpers, and self-bussing dish machines allow the cafeteria to be environmentally friendly while managing food and labor costs.

Technology
The food service operates a Point of Service computer system (LunchBox) that allows all students to have a unique bar-coded account that monitors status, money, and required State and Federal reporting. A back office program (B.O.S.S.) manages bidding, purchasing, inventory, USDA commodity allocation, personnel and payroll as well as asset management and depreciation schedules.

Awards
A USDA Best Practice award was received in 1993 for the implementatin of a Universal Breakfast Program. The program served breakfast at no cost to all sutdents in the Keystone Elementary classrooms as the first activity of the day. Studies showed an increase in test scores and attendance and decreases in tardiness and hunger related complaints. The Universal Breakfast program has been expanded to two other elementary schools in the district.

Woodland Elementary was awarded the Tennessee School Boards Association School Design of the Year in 1993. In 1995, the design was chosen to be exhibited at the ASFSA Annual Conference Architectural Design Display in Anaheim, CA.

Future Plans
Two schools are under construction utilizing scramble and self-service systems. One of the schools will become a central preparation center for the district's baking and entree preparation. An area-wide co-operative purchasing agreement is also being investigated to control food and distribution costs.

For more information, please contact: Karen J. McGahey, School Food Service Director, P.O. Box 1517, Johnson City, TN 37605. (423)434-5228.