MANSFIELD, Ohio—When weather forces the closing of school most kids greet the news by pulling up the covers, rolling over and going back to sleep.
It’s a much different reaction within the food service department of Mansfield City Schools. Snow and subzero temperatures play havoc with a carefully orchestrated schedule of food deliveries, available freezer space and menus planned a month in advance.
“Closing schools, particularly several days in a row, presents challenges for us,” said Jane Fortman, the district’s food service manager. “We have to cancel deliveries when we can. If we do get a delivery on a closed day, we often must find room in our freezers.”