LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The new school year is underway and school districts across the state continue to face supply chain issues, especially in their cafeterias. 

What You Need To Know

  • Supply issues continue to cause issues for schools, especially in cafeterias

  • Many districts have learned lessons and made adjustments

  • A JCPS assistant director for nutrition operation said supply chain issues haven’t gotten better, but they've adjusted

  • He said they’re also facing a staffing shortage

 

But this time around, many districts have learned lessons and have made adjustments. 

The team at Bowen Elementary School in Louisville says the issues are less this year, compared to last school year and more manageable.

“In elementary you know all these little kids are starting now most of (them) never left mom before,” said Lisa Stevenson, a cafeteria manager. “And you tell a child you don’t have ketchup for their hot dogs, they have meltdowns, a lot of meltdowns.”

The Louisville mom makes sure those meltdowns don’t happen and the kids remain happy.

Supply chain issues caused a lot of disruptions last year, especially in paper goods.

“And it was very hard to serve breakfast some mornings because of the stuff that we have for breakfast. We would put everything in a bag. Well, you can’t put scrambled eggs in a bag in a container when you don’t have containers,” Stevenson said.

Dan Ellnor is the Assistant Director of Jefferson County Public Schools’ Nutrition Operation.

“So we’re really moving into year three of what the supply chain issues have been,” Ellnor said. 

He said that started in 2019 before the pandemic.

“So we started seeing truck cancellations and freight issues then,” Ellnor said. “What was different then as now, it was across the diaspora of all food so it wasn’t just one item, it wasn’t just one manufacturer that had a plant issue, it wasn’t just freight, it was everything.”

Ellnor said while the supply chain issues haven’t gotten better, they’ve become more experienced in dealing with them.

“We’re now working on several months into the school year,” Ellnor said. “We’re always working ahead. We’re a year out and bids. We’re six months out in supply and orders and so that’s really what we’re working on right now.”

So Ellnor is asking parents and students to be a little patient, especially if the menu changes.

He said they’re also facing staffing shortages and working to fill 52 positions for anyone interested. 

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