HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson USD 308 Food Service Director Jennifer Tatro says that, with the extra volume of food and milk needed to handle the remote learning situation, she is requesting that SPARKS funds be used to purchase additional freezers and coolers to handle the extra food and milk.
The request will go before the USD 308 School Board on Monday. The request is for eight single-door freezers for elementary schools and one double-door fridge and one double-door freezer for HHS. Tatro says the extra equipment is needed at those locations to handle the additional volume of supplies needed at one time due to handing out several day hybrid or remote meal kits. Serving multiple day meal kits allows families to only have to pick up meals once per week instead of daily. The low bid is from Central Restaurant Supply at $29,985.25.
Tatro is also asking for 10 milk coolers to use at the eight elementary schools and one each at HMS-7 and at the high school to handle the additional volume of milk that is being distributed at one time to cover the multiple day meal kits. The cost is $35,450 and, once again, SPARKS funds will be used to make the purchase if approved by the board.
The matter will be taken up during the board's regular meeting Monday evening.