New walk-in cooler installed

To support and expand Custer School District’s ability to serve healthy and delicious meals to its students, a new walk-in cooler/freezer was installed outside Custer Elementary School in late January.
The new 8x20 trailer unit will provide much needed space to meet district needs while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, and also in the future as the district experiences anticipated growth, said superintendent Mark Naugle.
District food service staff in Custer and Hermosa prepare approximately 2,200 meals each weekend to send home with students. The sack meals contain nutritional options for both breakfast and lunch to last all weekend.
In addition, the unit will provide ample cold storage to accommodate the breakfast in the classroom program established in each K-6 classroom at Custer schools. Previously, storage for sack meals was a “sliding puzzle” where pieces had to be slid around to make room for everything on a daily basis, said district food service director Tamara Adam.
“Our team is very excited to have more capacity to support the work they are doing in our kitchens every day,” Adam said.
For the past 15 years, Custer School District’s food service program has been operated by Lunchtime Solutions Inc., a K-12 food service management company based out of Dakota Dunes. The district renewed its food service contract with Lunchtime for the fourth time last year.