UPDATE: Our Concerns Have Reached the District — Now We Need to Keep the Momentum Going

We have an important update to share. Our petition and community survey have now gathered 334 signatures, and the concerns raised by RIHS students and families have made their way to the Banta Unified School District Board. One of our parent committee members attended the recent board meeting, where the issue of student lunch options and access was discussed. During the discussion, the Superintendent asked questions about how many serving lines are available, whether Grab-and-Go options are available around campus, and how the school is handling the large number of students being served during the lunch period. These are exactly the kinds of questions we believe need to be addressed. We also learned that the expanded September menu announced by Nutrition Services has been affected by kitchen/storage and equipment issues. We were told that some of the food needed for the new menu has not yet arrived, meaning the full expanded menu may take additional time to implement. We appreciate the progress — but we're not done. The district has announced more choices for September, and we genuinely appreciate Nutrition Services listening to students and families and taking steps to improve the menu. However, our concerns go beyond the number of items printed on a menu. Students have reported spending a significant portion of their single lunch period waiting in line, sometimes reaching the front only to find that an item has already run out. A larger menu does not fully solve the problem if students cannot reasonably access those choices within the time they have. Our goal is now to gather objective information about what students are actually experiencing once the new menu is implemented. We will be looking at: Actual wait times Which menu items are available Which items run out How much of the lunch period students spend waiting How many serving lines/stations are available Student preferences and satisfaction The variety offered by comparable local high schools We will also be researching realistic solutions, including additional serving stations, Grab-and-Go options, rotating food stations, and other approaches that could increase both variety and access. This is where we need your help. We are building a parent and student advocacy committee and are looking for people willing to help with research, student feedback, data collection, and developing practical recommendations. Please join our a Facebook group for more detailed updates and information. https://www.facebook.com/groups/27671520975844573/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT We are not looking to attack Nutrition Services, school staff, or individual employees. We want to work collaboratively with Banta Unified to answer a simple question: How can we provide RIHS students with enough variety, enough food, and enough time to actually eat their lunch? Thank you to everyone who has signed, shared, spoken up, and joined this effort. The district has heard us! Now let's make sure we continue the conversation and help turn that attention into meaningful, lasting improvements. 334 signatures and counting. ❤️