Dist. 204 selects Chartwells as new food service provider
Indian Prairie Unit District 204 has signed on with a new food service provider, but the cost of lunches will remain the same next year.
The school board on Monday unanimously approved a one-year contract with Chartwells School Dining Services, a company under the umbrella of North Carolina-based Compass Group. The move ends the district's longtime partnership with Sodexo.
The switch was spurred by the contract with Sodexo expiring June 30, as well as the district's decision to join the National School Lunch Program in the fall. The program will save District 204 about $500,000, but also requires it to request bids from food service providers.
Chartwells was the lowest of three qualified bidders with a total estimated cost of about $5.94 million for the 2009-10 school year. Aramark came in second at nearly $6.2 million, and Sodexo was the highest of the three at about $6.25 million.
Chartwells' philosophy is "Eat, learn, live." Its parent company manages more than 575 school district food programs.
"With Chartwells, there will be no compromise in safety or quality of meals served," said Karla Zozulia, director of support services for the district. "The same attention will be given to students with food allergies as received now. Chartwells will be a strong partner to the district's wellness and green initiatives."
The cost of lunches will remain the same and students with money in their accounts when school ends can roll it over to next year.
One change middle and high school students will notice - because of participation in the national program, not a change of providers - is that their $2.30 will buy them an entree, two sides and a milk rather than choices from the current a la carte system.
Ending the district's partnership with Sodexo was a sad prospect for some board members who estimated the Maryland-based company has been the district's food service provider for at least 15 years. About a dozen employees in Sodexo shirts were in the audience Monday.
"Their service to us has been phenomenal," board member Jeannette Clark said. "They have changed with the times in order to accommodate our needs as we grew and as we expanded our services to our students."
Sodexo employees will have the option of moving over to Chartwells and continuing to work in District 204. Zozulia said they will be able to keep their same pay rate with a 3 percent increase and comparable benefits.