Kelly credits food service staff for making the job easier

     Panther Professionals is a weekly series highlighting educators, administrators, staff and aides who are dedicated to the future of the Monticello Community School District.

     Pat Kelly will tell you right away that his job as the MCSD food service director would not be as smooth as it without the dedication of the dozens of food service ladies.

     “They share in the chaos,” he joked.

     Kelly has been working for the MCSD in his current role for 14 years now; however, he has spent many years in the food service industry.

     When Kelly took on the food service director role, he was still working at Hardee’s in Monticello, and he and his life, Linda, had just opened Kelly’s Country Oven in town.

     “A lot fell on Linda, but we had good help,” he said of the restaurant.

     Prior to his career in Monticello, Kelly cooked at and managed the kitchen at the University of Dubuque for several years. He also owned a few restaurants in downtown Dubuque.

     “That was an eye-opener,” he said.

     Overall, Kelly has 30-plus years of food service experience, which lends itself to the tasks upon him working for the MCSD. In addition to his time in Monticello, Kelly also serves in the same role for the North Linn School District, something he took on eight years ago.

     “North Linn approached our district because of their need for a (food service) director,” explained Kelly. “It’s convenient for someone who knows the program, especially with the law changes.”

     When you ask Kelly what his job involves, he replies, “A lot.” And that about sums it up.

     First and foremost, there is a lot of training, not only for him, but the staff as well. There is also a lot of reporting to the state.

     Kelly handles all of the free/reduced lunch applications. He has to order the food for both school districts and the needed supplies. He hires and manages the staff as well.

     To make his job a bit easier, Kelly has kitchen managers in each building throughout the MCSD: Gwen Guilford at the high school, Shirley Stadtmueller at the middle school, Marsha Kraus at Shannon, and Linda Kelly at Carpenter.

     Kelly said there is a designated amount of training and continuing education required each year, depending on the role of the staff. For Kelly, it’s 12 hours a year. Some of that training for everyone involves Civil Rights training and food safety training.

     “The training requirements have increased over the years,” said Kelly, “but I always suggest more.”

     Kelly also is tasked with attending conferences and meetings in Des Moines with his cohorts from across the state.

     There is so much to keep track of when it comes to the breakfast and lunch menus for the MCSD student population. Many students have special diets they have to stick with, others have certain food allergies.

     “Those are big challenges,” Kelly said, though, again, he said the staff is always on top of it all.

     Some foods have to be prepared differently or separately from the rest, especially for those with celiac disease or gluten-free diets. Those also require the use of separate food utensils and pans as well.

     There are also some students who are intolerant to milk or red dye in food.

     “The amount of food allergies and special diets has definitely increased since I started,” Kelly shared.

     There are also specific items Kelly has to account for on the daily menus: sodium, fat, grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables, etc.

     “Each student has to take a fruit and vegetable to be considered a meal,” explained Kelly. He said he sees more and more kids eating everything on their plates as they get older.

     And that’s something Kelly has enjoyed about his job, watching the kids grow and transition on from kindergarten through graduation.

     He serves between 1,150 and 1,200 students through the MCSD. Kelly said his job is a bit easier at North Linn with 600 to 650 students.

     And just because Kelly prepares the menu for the MCSD doesn’t mean it can be copied over for North Linn. “The kids don’t all like the same thing,” he said.

     However, the same set of food standards apply.

     “Both districts have great administrations to work for,” praised Kelly. “That’s what it takes.”

     Over the years, Kelly has lent his food expertise to managing the 4-H food stand at the Jones County Fair. He continues to serve a free lunch over the summer for all children ages 0-18. This program is in its fifth year, and runs five days a week.

     During the 2009-10 school year, Kelly started the Backpack Program, in partnership with HACAP and the Monticello Food Pantry. Food sacks are sent home with the students who qualify to help the families on the weekends or when school is not in session.

     “We send food home with 50 to 60 kids a week,” Kelly said.

     Kelly’s experience has taught him a lot over the years, but one thing he’s maintained all the years: Lead by example. “I always try to find more effective and efficient ways of doing things based on experience,” he said.

     As if life isn’t busy enough for Pat and Linda Kelly… But, they do find time to go camping and spend time with their five grandkids.