Jeffco Schools food and nutrition director receives award after coordination with students and faculty amid school closures - Jeffco Transcript (2024)

Executive Director of Food and Nutrition Services for Jefferson County Public Schools Beth Wallace was named the 2024 Mountain Plains Region Director of the Year by the School Nutrition Association. The award was well-deserved in the aftermath of the school closures that rocked the 2023-24 school year.

“We tried to be very positive from the beginning,” Wallace explained. “And immediately when the closures were announced, we went out and talked to all of the people that were affected, and just let them express their concerns and their thoughts.”

Wallace shared the words of encouragement that she gave the displaced workers as they prepared to close the schools in 2023.

“I just reassured them that we felt like we were going to have a position for all of them,” Wallace recalled. “I know, change is difficult. And we talked about that.”

Wallace and her administrative team held periodic meetings throughout the 2023-24 school year.

“We just kept checking in with them. We had central meetings just so that that group could come in and talk about all the openings we knew about. That they would have first priority of those jobs.”

Wallace said that the displaced employees were asked for their second and third choices in job placement. Wallace then stayed in touch until everyone who wanted it secured a new position.

During the entire process, the employees needed emotional support too, according to Wallace. Food services workers especially spent their days supporting and feeding students who were bracing for closures emotionally. Someone needed to be there for the employees in those closing schools. Wallace said that was a role that she and her team took very seriously.

Wallace explained that increased participation in the school lunch program was important for feeding Jeffco kids. In the midst of the school closures, Wallace was still focused on fighting food insecurity through the school lunch program. This included securing in-cost meals and making sure the summer lunch program stayed in place.

“One of the things that was great about this year in particular was that we implemented meals at no cost for all students,” Wallace said. “We knew our participation was going to go up after the closures. And so, therefore, it was almost like an ideal time for the program.”

Wallace went on to explain that access to school nutrition during the summer was a priority during the closure process.

“We are a district that is considered low, free and reduced,” she said. “We only have about 32% of our families qualify for free and reduced meals. We felt it was important to just keep the summer lunch program going. And you know, it’s taken people a long time to recover from COVID and all of those things and the results of that and so making sure that kids have access to meals is really what we’re all about.”

Through the stress of the past year, Wallace said she sought peace and stress relief in her own family.

Wallace shared her belief in the importance of nutrition moving forward for Jeffco schools.

“The cornerstone to education is having kids who are well said before they embark on their learning, and wherever that takes them in their future, we want to be sure that all kids are set up for success,” she said. “And I think that starts with a healthy breakfast and a healthy lunch.”

Wallace said that ultimately the focus of her job is on the kids.

“What our job is is to make sure that we’re feeding quality meals to kids, no matter what happens with the district.”

For more information on Jefferson County School’s Food Services Programs, go to JeffcoPublicSchools.org.

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