PSS hires more food monitors

The Public School System Food and Nutrition Service Program has added more food monitors to serve three high schools in the CNMI.

PSS FNS acting administrator Dorin Salas told the Saipan Tribune the program hired more food monitors in order to monitor healthier and safer food for local public high school students.

Salas said two are full-time employees while three are for temporary employment only. All food monitors were hired in April.

“They will all be stationed in the three high schools,” said Salas, adding that there are now eight food monitors for the entire school system.

Among the responsibilities of food monitors is to monitor the temperature of the meals that are delivered everyday to schools. Salas said the meals should comply with the CNMI standard, which is 140 degrees Fahrenheit, or 5 degrees higher than the U.S. Department of Agriculture standard.

“The food monitors will also have to ensure the cleanliness of the school cafeteria,” said Salas.

Food monitors would also be examples in wearing proper clothing while at work and “wearing the friendliest smiles.”

In related news, the PSS FNS still has to release the bid bulletin for the upgrade of its high school cafeteria equipment and operation data system to align them with the school system’s primary goal of healthy and nutritious meals for public schoolchildren in the CNMI.

Salas said the Central Office would release a Request for Proposal by end of May for the school system’s upgrade of its kitchen warmers and holding cabinets. These new acquisitions would help maintain the right temperature for the meals being served the students.

PSS FNS registered dietician Tina Goodwin earlier said that, since the meals served in school cafeterias come from “satellite kitchens” that are based at the respective suppliers’ company kitchens, the delivery and transportation of the food affects the temperature of the meals being served.

Salas said that PSS is also acquiring a new automated system that would allow the FNS group to assess the amount or the number of the meals being purchased.

Funding for the new equipment and system will come from the High School Food Court Program Income.

Salas said the new system would take into account the number of meals purchased by the students and adults per meal period.

The Central Office distributes over 12,000 meals everyday both to private and public schools, said Goodwin.