South Fulton students keep minds, stomachs filled during at-home learning

The past several weeks have been a challenge for teachers turned technology experts, and likewise parents turned teachers, as Non-Traditional Instruction, or NTI days replaced face to face sessions in the classrooms of area school systems.

No doubt schedules have become a whirlwind of coming and going, as some parents considered essential have continued to work during the Covid-19 pandemic, while others have remained at home with school aged children, as a result of layoffs or business shut downs.

For those moms, dads and guardians who have continued to work outside the home, classroom instruction for their children could take place at an entirely different time of day, far removed from the early morning to mid afternoon hours of a school day.

Teachers have utilized electronic contact methods, to maintain connections with their students, and children and teens have been held accountable to complete assignments made prior to dismissal.

So many changes.

However, a small but mighty group of grade school gourmets, kitchen connoisseurs, maestros of the mixer, experts of eats, breakfast bosses and mid-day meal masters have made sure these displaced students could still enjoy a familiar taste of their lunch room favorites.

“It was actually March 13, Friday the 13th, when Cafeteria Managers at all seven campuses in the Obion County School System, met with Mr. Watkins, the Superintendent and the Food Service Manager for the school system,” said Mary Ann Cross, Cafeteria Manager for South Fulton Middle/High School.

She recalled at first, it seemed the possibility of closing schools would be determined by if, or when someone in Obion County tested positive for the Coronavirus. While a positive test did not occur until several weeks later, March 16, classes were dismissed.

Cross and her hard working crew consisting of Lisa Wade, Gena Frields, Diane Boyd, Katherine Bye and Lori Pinion had little time to prepare, but with years of experience, a little time was all they needed.

“Lori (Pinion) and I usually get here about 5:15 a.m. That’s when the milkman usually makes the deliveries,” Cross said, adding that the system in place, at least until the original date set for the closing day of school, will continue, with South Fulton Elementary School cafeteria staff preparing breakfast meals and the SFMS/SFHS staff preparing lunches for 210, on an average, each week.

Breakfast and lunch meals are prepared, packaged and delivered to the vehicles which line up in the bus lanes on the middle school/high school campus at South Fulton.

Another crew packs boxes and bags into one of the staff member’s vehicle, to transport food items to Southside Manor apartment complex.

“The food is free, for anyone, ages 18 and under,” Cross said.

Three days of breakfast foods, and three days of lunch meals, two hot and one cold, are prepared and provided to students each Monday and Thursday, between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

On Monday of this week, baked ham and all the trimmings, including vegetables and desserts, turkey sandwiches and other goodies were stacked neatly on wheeled carts, waiting at the front door of the school, with boxes loaded to take to Southside Manor.

At the apartment complex, it didn’t take long for children and their parents to make their way to the curbside distribution center, created by lowering a pickup truck tailgate.

South Fulton Elementary School Principal Laura Pitts has also accompanied the ladies to the apartment complex, to help with the food drop off, as well as provide instructional material packets for students to complete while away from the classroom.

Pitts expressed her appreciation to the cafeteria staff members, for their dedication, working hand in hand with the teachers, during the implementation of social distancing and ultimately the order by Tennessee’s Governor to remain safe at home.

“They have done such a great job and worked so hard. They have prepared these wonderful meals for the kids, and we know these families are grateful for what they have done,” Pitts said.

Classrooms will be empty until August, following the decision coming last week to close Obion County Schools for the remainder of the school year.

But because of the commitment of teachers and cafeteria staff at South Fulton’s Schools, young minds, and stomachs will be continue to be filled.