By Taylor J. Hale

MMC Staff Writer

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Mead Elementary School is getting a new freezer and kitchen layout this summer. District leaders noted that the school’s kitchen has remained mostly untouched for over 20 years and that the redesigns will bring school staff more space to serve students over the coming years.

“There really hasn’t been any work done to the kitchen in years,” said Elizabeth Messerli, district director of food services. “Staff just thought it was time to expand.”

School leaders are working with Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP, on the floor plan. District administrators will allocate roughly $17,000 for designs. The freezer and construction costs are estimated at around $80,000 in total.

Funding for the project comes from Fund 50, a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction program geared to assist schools with foodservice needs. Fund 50 schools must participate in federal school nutrition programs.

Messerli noted that the new freezer and layout would not look drastically different than the current floor plan, but the changes would offer staff the capability to serve more students at once. Work on the redesign will begin this summer. The project is expected to be completed sometime before Aug. 1.