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The 2022 K-12 Power Players deal with an ongoing pandemic

Food Management lists the 25 largest school districts in the country and how they are dealing with COVID and its variants.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

January 19, 2022

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While the initial COVID pandemic seemed to recede as vaccines became available and widely distributed, school districts looked to somewhat of a return to normal operation, though with restrictions such as minimizing crowding, such as in lunchrooms. Unfortunately, a new round of COVID variants is threatening to roll a lot of that back, meaning school meal programs have to continue to adjust even as they face challenges in finding adequate staffing and procuring product.

In this 2022 edition of FM’s K-12 Power Players feature, we highlight what’s going on in the 25 largest public school districts in the country, keeping in mind that this is a snapshot look at how things stood the start of 2022.

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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