Marblehead school lunch sales up

MARBLEHEAD – More students are eating school lunches this year – and Food Service Director Richard Kelleher is getting some credit for “arresting the skid.”That?s how Kelleher described his efforts in a two-page report on the first year of his second stint in charge of school cafeterias. Kelleher, the town?s third food service director in three years, served as service director in Marblehead until 2004 and Gloucester from 2004-2010, then returned to town last summer.Food service is one area where surpluses and losses can be measured. Marblehead?s program has suffered losses in recent years and school officials were hopeful that Kelleher could increase participation. Last year the School Committee transferred $85,000 into the food service program to protect against another deficit. So far the program is showing a $15,000 surplus.Service figures showed sharp growth from 2008 to 2009, then a decline in 2010 and a rebound in 2011.The average number of lunches served in April started at 867.6 in 2008, rose to 880.5 in 2009, dipped to 846.9 in 2010 and rose to 866.6 in 2011. Lunches are 75 percent purchased and 25 percent free or subsidized.April breakfasts, which are 80 percent free or subsidized, began at 66.7 in 2008, 101.6 in 2009, 74.4 in 2010 and 104.2 this year.?We have recovered from last year?s performance, participation-wise, and are exceeding the averages from the previous three years,” Kelleher said.He has started a Foodservice Advisory Committee and said he is continuing to identify and respond to areas where improvements are needed, and he rated his feedback from school and community so far as “excellent.”?I can?t say enough good things about the work that Richard does,” Acting Superintendent of Schools Brian Salzer told the School Committee last week. “He has a good business mind and good personnel management skills. Our total lunches are in a good place and our revenues are up.”