Chartwells Dining Services Comes To Newtown Schools

By Larissa Lytwyn

As Newtown’s school-age population has continued to climb over the past few years, increasingly long lines have begun to typify lunchtime at Newtown schools.

The long lines have become an even more stress-inducing issue within lunch periods as short as 25 minutes.

“When we acquired the Newtown schools account, the long lines issue was one of the administration’s top priorities, especially at the high school,” said Brian Reynolds, senior director of dining services at Chartwells.

Chartwells acquired the account July 1.

During the June 1 Board of Education meeting, member David Nanavaty, also a member of the board’s Food Committee, told his fellow board member that he had been “blown away” by Chartwells’ May 25 presentation.

The schools’ contract with Sodexho, which has served Newtown for ten years, was ended at the conclusion of the 2003-04 school year.

Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff said that Sodexho had been losing money, particularly from September 2003 to April 2004, when it lost $16,633.38.

In contrast, Chartwells guarantees a first-year surplus of $131,326 and a second year surplus of $68,043.

As for the long lines issue, Mr Reynolds said the company had a strong solution, instituting a food-courtlike atmosphere in which students could move through different stations strategically located to instill quick, easy passage.

“The most popular stations are likely going to be the Trattoria, which predominantly serves pizza, and the grill,” said Mr Reynolds.

The pizzas will be baked on site, he added.

In addition, Chartwells is implementing a “Garden Emporium” station exclusively serving vegetarian items.

There will also be a salad bar, “serving the basics,” said Mr Reynolds.

Also available are “outtakes,” premade sandwiches and salads that can be picked up easily.

This can especially benefit time-pressed older students whose schedules may not accommodate a full lunch period.

Chartwells is the educational-services subdivision of Compass Group, Inc, a corporation whose divisions serve a range of culinary needs, from catering to dining services for private businesses.

One of Chartwells’ premier innovations is its point-of-service (POS) system. POS has long been the keystone of Chartwells’ higher educational food programs, as well as its K–12 dining programs in other parts of the country.

POS allows students to purchase meals through a special, debit-like card on which money is preallocated. It also enables Chartwells to track which foods have been purchased on which days.

Much like many collegiate dining systems, families of K–12 students can choose from different meal plans with various numbers of meals, vending, and other options.

“In the beginning of the 2004-05 school year, we will have a cash-only system,” explained John Prunier, district manager of Chartwells. “In approximately 60 days from August 31, we will begin instituting the POS system at Newtown High School.”

The technological requirements for the program, he said, are currently being worked out by the schools’ Technology Department.

“Eventually, we will bring the POS system from the high schools down to the elementary schools,” said Mr Prunier.

While food is predominantly purchased through the card system, it will never be the only way students can purchase food, giving some leeway if students forget their cards.

In the elementary schools, however, cards are passed out and then collected at the end of each lunch period, said Mr Prunier.

At elementary schools, explained Mr Prunier, the freshest, most nutritious foods, including fruits and vegetables, are prominently displayed.

Foods are grouped according to its nutritional group under lovable cartoon dinosaurs led by “Pyramid Pete.”

“For example, we have a Dairydactal figure by the milk products,” said Mr Reynolds.

Nutrition, Mr Reynolds and Mr Prunier agreed, is an integral part of Chartwells’ program.

“Newtown schools will be the first school in the Northeast to have its own onsite nutritionist,” said Mr Prunier.

The nutritionist, a recent graduate of the University of Connecticut, will be a resource for students and faculty alike on healthy eating and exercise habits.

“The nutritionist will also be visiting the individual classrooms, teaching the students about nutrition,” said Mr Reynolds.

Chartwells is striving to integrate healthier choices in many of its offerings.

Vending machines, for example, will feature healthier snacks such as Nature Valley Granola bars.

Milk, grains, and produce will be provided by Marcus Fairy, Delmar, a breads company based in North Haven, and the Preferred Food Group (PFG) out of Springfield, Mass. 

Beverages containing 100 percent fruit juice will be featured from companies including Minutemaid. Soft drinks will be offered through Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola.

An ice cream vending station will provide students with a variety of treats.

Chartwells also offers a “Healthy Bodies, Hungry Minds” brochure exploring a different area of nutrition each month. September features “the real facts” on carbohydrates, addressing, for example, a “reality check” that high protein, low-carbohydrate diets do not increase fat burning ability — exercise does.

Mr Reynolds and Mr Prunier also said that any former Sodexho employee could keep the same position under Chartwells.

“There wasn’t any loss,” said Mr Prunier. “Everyone who wanted to were able maintain the exact same positions they had last year, at exactly the same salary. No one was hurt by the transition.”

Mr Prunier and Mr Reynolds said they are “upbeat” about the upcoming school year and eager to begin working with the schools’ food services staff. Training begins August 27.

For more information on Chartwells, visit the Compass Group website at www.cgnad.com or contact Mr Reynolds at 426-7637.