5 things: Nutrition staff returns to work after walkout in North Carolina school district

In this edition of 5 Things, Food Management highlights five things you may have missed recently about developments affecting onsite dining.

Here’s your list for today:

 1.    Guilford County Schools nutrition staff back at work after walkout

Guilford County School (GCS) nutrition staff in North Carolina returned to work on Wednesday, Nov. 29., according to the district, after two-hour-long negotiations on Monday evening and a Town Hall Tuesday night. GCS leaders said they plan to keep the 4% pay increase for School Nutrition Assistants, and a 4-7% increase for nutrition managers, with managers who qualify receiving a quarterly bonus if they meat the threshold for meals served, which is separate from the initial pay increase.

Read more: Guilford County Schools nutrition staff to return to work Wednesday, district says

 2.    UMD revives student food preference voting boxes

University of Maryland (UMD) Dining Services is reviving a Residence Hall Association (RHA) initiative that allows students to share their food preferences through voting boxes present in the dining halls. The system, which was proposed by the Dining Services Advisory Board in the RHA, initially began last spring. After a short hiatus, the voting boxes returned to dining halls this semester.

Related:5 tech things: Compass pilots waste reduction technology at Canadian university

Read more: UMD reintroduces initiative that allows students to vote on dining hall foods

 3.    Food trailer eases strain on crowded high school cafeteria

Dozens of students at South Iredell High School in North Carolina are now picking up breakfast and lunch from a food trailer parked on campus. Iredell-Statesville Schools Nutrition Director Tina Wilson said the food trailer helps with overcrowding in the cafeteria and allows more students to have access to a nutritious meal.

Read more: South Iredell High School rolls out new food trailer

 4.    Disneyland planning $8M food hall

A new $8 million food hall-style concept offering Korean rice bowls, fried chicken sandwiches and Caribbean-inspired coffee with a second-story outdoor bar will occupy a new 11,000-sq.ft. building under construction at Downtown Disney in Southern California. Disneyland filed building permits valued at $8.2 million in October with the city of Anaheim for Downtown Disney construction, according to city records.

Read more: Disneyland files construction permits for $8 million food hall

 5.    Canisius University promotes eco-sustainable food options

Canisius University in Buffalo has partnered with its food service provider, Chartwells Higher Education, to implement new initiatives aimed at advancing an eco-sustainable campus environment. They include OZZI Box reusable and recyclable containers, Farmshelf indoor vertical farms and a partnership with minority- and women-owned sustainable food waste management company Goodr, which leverages technology to coordinate and facilitate the pickup and donation of excess food from campus.

Related:5 things: Ultraprocessed foods provide two-thirds of kids and teens calories, study finds

Read more: Canisius University Serves Up Eco-Sustainable Food Options

Bonus: Independent school power players

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]