In the public eye: Director of School Nutrition positively impacts student health and lives

Editor’s Note: This is another in an ongoing series of Windham and Raymond town employee profiles.

By Ed Pierce

It’s no secret that good nutrition creates improved health in all areas of our existence and all parts are interconnected. It’s a philosophy that Jeanne Reilly has taken to heart.

Director of School Nutrition Jeanne Reilly
has been a full-time employee of RSU 14
since 2012 and oversees schools kitchens 
in Windham and Raymond which serve
65,000 breakfasts and 78,000 lunches
every month. SUBMITTED PHOTO   

Reilly serves as RSU 14’s Director of School Nutrition and her duties are crucial to student success and well-being.

She plans school breakfast and lunch menus in compliance with all state and federal regulations for RSU 14 and provides oversight over all aspects of the district’s school nutrition program. Reilly ensures compliance, manages RSU 14’s procurement of food and supplies, staffs school kitchens, trains kitchen staff, manages the district’s school nutrition budget and markets the school meals program.

“The best part of the job is ensuring that all children in RSU 14 have access to healthy and delicious breakfast and lunch every school day,” Reilly said. “Hungry kids can't learn, but because Maine has Healthy School Meals for All legislation, we have the opportunity to fuel every child for success. We love that we are not only feeding students breakfast and lunch but that we also have opportunities to use the ‘Cafeteria as a Classroom’ teaching kids lessons about cooking, healthy eating, farm to school and nutrition.”

Starting her job during the 2009 school year, Reilly’s position was originally shared between Westbrook and Windham, but in 2012, she became a full-time employee of RSU 14.

According to Reilly, the most challenging part of her duties is to keep RSU 14 school kitchens fully staffed at all times.

In looking at her work, Reilly said she thinks the biggest misconception people may have about her role is that school meals haven't changed over the years.

“In fact, we are preparing nearly 70 percent of our menu items from scratch, offering students choices, fresh fruits and vegetables and Maine milk,” she said. “We are focused on partnering with local farmers and producers to bring local food to school meals, and we have a full-time chef on staff to support our team in creating fresh and delicious menu options that are in compliance with federal school nutrition guidelines.”

The other thing that has changed in the last few years is that all students can get breakfast and lunch at school at no cost,” Reilly said.

“This has greatly reduced the stigma previously associated with school meals,” she said. “Now, it is not uncommon for almost every child in the school to be eating a school lunch. And in today's economy, why not? School meals can save families time and money.”

Growing up in New Jersey, Reilly moved to Maine when she was in middle school. She earned a degree in Dietetics from Southern Maine Community College and then another in Food Systems Management from the University of New Hampshire. She’s been working in the food service industry for her entire life, serving with the Women Infants and Children program, hospital dietetics departments, and in long-term care as a Director of Food and Nutrition. She began her career working for schools in Westbrook and her passion for nutrition expanded in her job with RSU 14.

One thing that the public may not know about her job as RSU 14 Director of School Nutrition is that the school district serves between 65,000 and 78,000 meals, total breakfasts and lunches, each month depending on how many school days they are in session.

It’s difficult for Reilly to pinpoint one moment that stands out from all the rest in her career with RSU 14.

“The best moments are when I hear from students and families about how the school meals that we serve have positively impacted their lives,” she said. “Parents often ask us for the recipes that we make because their child loves the _________ (fill in the blank) that we serve at school, and they would like to recreate the same menu item at home. Often, parents comment that their child tried something for the first time as part of school lunch and now they love it. I recently had the pleasure of meeting with a young professional who is a Food Corp Member working in Westbrook. This young woman attended Windham Primary School the first few years we celebrated National Nutrition Month by Eating Our Way Through The Alphabet – Fruits and Vegetables A - Z. She remembered trying both kiwi and jicama for the very first time and loving them. Hearing her reminisce on how it impacted her life really helped our team feel that all of the hard work is worthwhile.” <