June 13, 2013

Dear Parents & Guardians of the O’Shea Complex:

As I look back over the year I am amazed at the road we have traveled.  School Foods began the year attempting to keep WITS out of the kitchen and this Monday we shared a lunch with them, the cooks and managers to recognize the partnerships we are creating. This is progress. 

After many a revolving door in the kitchen, Mrs. Edwards has been our new manager for three months and the improvement is evident on many levels. And other personnel changes are being made in the kitchen to make it more functional and to improve the production. It has been a long road but I am optimistic that we are making genuine progress. 

Outside the kitchen, we have shared the WITS Labs at both Anderson and 452 with workshops featuring apples, potatoes, hummus and salads to enthusiastic response. I have  had the more informal WITS BITS creating custom salad dressings for both schools and shared  rollicking Café Days where all three schools joined in the fun of trying new foods.

I joined the parents’ collective effort in May for Kid Fit and was given exemplary help by 8^th grade volunteers from the Computer School and Anderson. The girls went out of their way to make my work easy and more effective.

But this work is mostly about the people I deal with every week. I am fortunate to have great principals. Jodi Hyde is always there to give me the support for everything I try and it has been rewarding to watch Scott Parker usher his new school along. Who knew K – 2 could be so mature? And Mr. Z, well, you have to love a guy who eats in the cafeteria every day.

The support I have received from all the schools, the parents and the teachers has been so energizing for me.  A special thanks to Jennifer Unter (Anderson) and Debra Vail (Computer School) who come to the meetings, my events and have my back. A special thanks to Nicole Revere (452) who has gone the distance with me for two years. Good luck in returning to the West Coast. You will be missed.

I wish you and your families a wonderful summer.   I will be back in the Fall for more Wellness in the Schools. This year has been a big leap forward!  

Thank you.

Anne Williams (aka Chef Annie)

Goals for Cook for Kids: