No lunch at Mid Valley High

Aug. 30, 2006

By Michael Rovito

Frontiersman

Students at Mid Valley High School in Houston will have to go without school-provided lunches until the district can find someone to fill the open spot in the school's kitchen - a job that apparently interests nobody.

Susan Pougher, the school's nutrition services supervisor, said the long process of searching for a substitute kitchen worker has not attracted any applicants.

Many students at the school are packing lunches, and Pougher said staff at Mid Valley are doing what they can to get food to students.

Last year, about 35 Mid Valley students relied on the school's kitchen for reduced-price lunches.

Yesterday, Mid Valley's kitchen was recertified by the Alaska Department of Conservation after three new compartment sinks and a hand-washing sink were installed. Pougher said the kitchen had certification during the last school year.

District officials now are scouring lay-off lists for leads on potential kitchen subs - someone to step in and get the kitchen up and running - but there have been no takers.

&#8220If we can find a sub, we could start (serving lunch) as early as the fifth of September,” Pougher said.

She added that subs do not need any special certification or qualifications, and will be trained for the job, which, she said, could be perfect for parents who drop kids off at school and have time to help run the kitchen.

Contact Michael Rovito at 352-2252 or michael.rovito@frontiersman.com.