Principal cooks up lesson on nutrition, culture

BROCKTON, Mass. — Angelo School Principal Marcia Andrade Serpa earned points this month when she donned a black chef coat and ladled out 550 servings of homemade soup to students and staff as part of a lesson on nutrition and heritage.

The principal, who originally hails from New Bedford, offered children a serving of Portuguese Kale Soup, made of potatoes, chourico, two types of beans and kale, an antioxident super food.

“It’s my mother’s recipe, and it was a staple of my diet growing up,” she said.

The special luncheon surprise was an opportunity to talk to students about the importance of the ingredients that make up a good diet, and making sure they are healthy and fresh.

“We also talked about how great it is to expand your palate and try things you might not have tried before,” she said.

Andrade Serpa isn’t the only principal who takes a turn in the school kitchen now and then.

South Middle School Principal Kevin Karo is known for cooking special Hungarian recipes for the entire Crescent Street student body, using his grandmother’s recipes.

Mike Dobrowolski is the Brockton Public School District’s executive chef through Chartwells, the district’s food service provider.

He said the company identifies a “food focus” each month and does nutrition outreach to encourage students to eat healthy.