Preparations for the new school year have begun and teachers are already getting lessons and classrooms ready. One vital group, though, tends to go unnoticed, yet they are responsible for the nutritional needs of kids on a daily basis.

Cafeteria workers begin working before school starts, and according to Wylie ISD director of student nutrition Dawn Lin, preparations for the new school year begin as far back as February.

The main staff of the student nutrition department work year-round to ensure that the district’s cafeterias run smoothly.

“One main responsibility is making sure our department is financially healthy,” Lin said. “We pay for everything – employees, benefits, food, everything. My main goal is to facilitate relationships from the kitchen to the rest of the school. One way to be financially feasible is to find exciting ways to grow the department.”

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By Morgan Howard • [email protected]