A last-minute repair at Hornsby K-8 has kept sixth- through eighth-grade pupils without a hot lunch for a week, and it will be another week before the cold sandwiches are exchanged for hot plates.
Just days before school began Aug. 7, the Richmond County fire marshal determined the exhaust hood in the kitchen of the school's second building, which houses about 311 pupils, needed to be replaced, leaving the kitchen unusable for cooking, said Joe Bradenburg, the school nutrition coordinator.
The situation is the first in recent history for the school system and has left some parents concerned.
"We've served these sorts of lunches for field trips, but we've never had to confront this for an extended period," Mr. Bradenburg said.
For most of the summer, the second building of Hornsby, which was East Augusta Middle School until this year, was under renovation, Mr. Bradenburg said. Crews were removing asbestos, painting and repairing restrooms in the cafeteria, but once the fire marshal declared the exhaust hood a hazard, all work was halted.
"Now we have replaced the hood, but we have to complete the other work that must be done," Mr. Bradenburg said.
The repairs are to be finished by Aug. 24, but if not the students will begin eating lunch in the first building, where pupils in pre-K through fifth grade are housed, Mr. Bradenburg said. The pupils haven't been eating in the first building because of remaining construction work.
"The building has no coverage or walkway to the first building, and clearly that would have been an issue with the weather we've had this week," Mr. Bradenburg said. "These are things that will be resolved soon."
Dorothy Law said she isn't satisfied with that reasoning. Her twin great-nieces are in seventh grade at Hornsby.
"They haven't been eating their lunches all week," she said Thursday. "At least they could have been eating in the other building. This is not something they should slack on."
Assistant Principal Charles Givens said the lunches are temporary and are still satisfying the pupils' nutritional needs.
"We're using high-quality lunches that have sandwiches and vegetables," he said. "There are just a couple of minor issues that have to be resolved before hot meals can be served."
Reach Stephanie Toone at (706) 823-3215 or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.
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I doubt that these kids had hot lunches while at home all summer. Pack your own lunch and quit complaining!
I wonder how many of the complaints come from people who get free lunch. My kids eat sandwiches all week long... that I pay for.
heaven forbid the kids can't have hot lunch--they're probably not paying for it anyway! since when do we HAVE to give them a HOT lunch??? gimme gimme gimme. when will it end?
Some kids, especially bus riders, leave home very early and arrive very late making having a hot lunch during the day even more important. What these kids get at home is not relevant to the failure for the school system to provide a hot meal. Other arraignments should be made to provide a nutritional hot lunch for the kids. Why take your anger out on kids? In most cases, they have very little control over their environments.
Fred1217, as I am paying for these lunches, It is very relevant to me, what their MAMA'S are and aren't doing. BTW the control over their environment should be those same MAMA's , but apparently some of them aren't doing a very good job are they. The problem as I see it is the MAMA's are probably not at home because they are getting their nails or hair done. BTW you aren't going to believe this but even in the military, we were exoected to eat sandwiches from time to time.
I don't remember reading that the kids were making the complaints. Hold on I will read it again...
Ok. The story says the parents are "concerned". Nobody is blaming the kids. If they leave early to catch the bus, then maybe the parents should get up earlier and make them a hot beakfast. I guess it is just easier to give them a pop tart and send them on their way and then, be concerned if they have to eat a sandwich for lunch.
disssman, when I read about the Department of Defense failing to provide enough armored vehicles, or protective body armor, or safe showers free from electrocution hazards, I didn't see people complaining what the troops MAMA's didn't provide them at home. They blamed the DOD and rightfully so. The concern voiced by parents is the failure of the local Government to provide hot meals to students DURING school hours. Meals before school and after school is the parent's responsibility and not the subject of this issue. Read the article people, the service provider here is the RCBOE not the parents. If you're eating sandwiches in the military it's because you ...volunteered. Students are required by law to attend school...there's a slight difference.
Dorothy Law, if children get hungry enough, they eat. Your great nieces are spoiled brats. Why don't you bring them a hot meal that their royal highnesses will eat, since you're so concerned?