September 29, 2023
Dear Richmond School Family,
We hope this message finds you well and settling into your back-to-school routine. As we mark the end of the first month of school, I wanted to take a moment to recognize the outstanding efforts of some of our most dedicated and unsung heroes: Our food service and transportation staff members.
Food Service Team: Feeding Minds and Bodies
Our food service team plays a vital role in our school community, ensuring that our students receive nutritious and tasty meals every day. They work tirelessly behind the scenes to provide balanced meals that support the growth and development of our learners.
From preparing breakfasts and lunches to being mindful of dietary restrictions and allergies, our staff goes above and beyond to be certain every child feels nurtured and cared for while in school. Their dedication to quality and safety means that our students can focus on learning with full stomachs.
To lend context to the work of our food service team, I’d like to share a few statistics from previous school years:
-- Our staff has coordinated the requirements of five different state and federal programs since 2020.
-- The number of meals served increased by more than 50 percent from 2020 to 2022.
--More than 3,000 meals were served in the 2023 summer program.
Transportation Team: Keeping Our Students Safe
Our transportation team is responsible for safely getting our students to and from school each day. Our drivers and attendants are the first friendly faces to greet our students as they begin their school day, and they are often the last to say goodbye at the end of the school day. The entire transportation team, which also includes bus mechanics and dispatch, work diligently to provide a safe, comfortable, reliable experience for our students.
Through all sorts of weather, they navigate challenging conditions to ensure our young people arrive at school and return home safely. Their commitment to the well-being of our students is unwavering and we are truly grateful for their dedication.
Once again for context:
-- In the most recent fiscal year, our buses traveled more than 120,000 miles; that’s approximately 387 round trips to Cedar Point.
-- Our buses used more than 21,900 gallons of fuel to transport our students.
Please join me in expressing sincere thanks to our food service and transportation staff members. They may not always be in the spotlight, but their contributions are significant.
Sincerely,
Brian J. Walmsley
Superintendent