Child Nutrition Services Worker

About the role

This recruitment is to establish an eligibility list for the position of Child Nutrition Services Worker in order to fill current and future vacancies. The eligibility list will be valid for 6 months or until exhausted (whichever comes first). Vacancies typically range from 3-4 hours per day, 206 working days per year.

Responsibilities

• Assists in preparing meals using both convenience and scratch cooking methods incorporating fresh, whole ingredients; assists with ingredient preparation and cooking; follow instructions from recipes, ensuring consistency in taste and presentation.
• Assists in the preparation and service of food items to students and school personnel at an assigned school site; prepares fruits and vegetables; assembles various ingredients as assigned; heats, packages, and wraps food items according to established procedures and portion control standards; serves meals on serving lines; sets out prepared foods.
• Assists with inventory of food, condiments and supplies to ensure items are available for projected menu requirements; inspects food items and supplies to verify quantities, quality and specifications of orders and ensures orders comply with mandated health standards.
• Assists with performing the functions of other nutritional services positions as needed.
• Checks and ensures proper temperatures according to established procedures; records kitchen and food-related data including food temperatures, milk and food counts; assists with recording inventory information as assigned; maintains routine records and reports related to assigned duties.
• Collections payments for meals and ensures appropriate payments are collected at the time of purchase; assists with balancing cash drawer at the end of the day as assigned; ensures reconciliation between meal counts and payments according to established procedures.
• Communicates with internal and external contacts as assigned to exchange information and resolve issues or concerns.
• Maintains food service equipment and utensils in a clean and sanitary condition; operates dishwashers and washes serving equipment; sweeps and cleans floors as assigned to assure a safe and sanitary work environment; maintains equipment and storage, cafeteria, food preparation and serving areas in a sanitary condition in compliance with current health standards.
• Operates standard food service equipment including, but not limited to slicers, ovens, steam tables, dishwashers, can openers, food carts, and warmers; operates a computer and assigned software as required; reports equipment malfunctions to appropriate personnel.
• Plans and prepares food items and beverages for the onsite and offsite school kitchens as assigned, including for the subsequent days’ menu.
• Prepares salads and packaged foods for distribution; mixes, slices, grates, and chops food items; opens cans; replenishes containers as necessary.
• Stocks condiments, food items, and related supplies as assigned; assists in the storage and rotation of supplies in storage areas; unloads food, materials, and supplies from delivery trucks as assigned.
• Supports the District’s recycling program for organic waste and food recovery.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: Any combination equivalent to: six months of professional experience in the preparation, cooking, and serving of food, experience with scratch cooking preferred.
• Licenses Required: Valid and appropriate Food Handler Card.
• Certifications and Testing Required: Pass the District’s applicable proficiency exam for the job class with a satisfactory score.
• After offer of employment, obtain: Criminal Justice and FBI Fingerprint Clearance, Negative TB test result plus periodic post-employment retest as required (currently every four years), Pre-employment physical exam through District’s provider at District’s expense.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge: Basic cooking techniques, basic math and cashiering skills, basic record-keeping techniques, health and safety regulations, interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy, oral and written communication skills, quantity food preparation, understanding and following oral and written directions, operating standard kitchen equipment safely and efficiently, preparing and assembling food items and ingredients, preparing and serving hot and cold menu items to students and staff at an assigned school site, understanding and following oral and written directions.
• Skills: To communicate in both oral and written form, establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others, follow health and sanitation requirements, learn and perform scratch cooking techniques, maintain food service facilities, equipment, and utensils in a clean and sanitary condition, maintain routine records, meet schedules and timelines, operate a cash register and make change accurately, operate standard kitchen equipment safely and efficiently, prepare and assemble food items and ingredients, prepare and serve hot and cold menu items to students and staff at an assigned school site, understand and follow oral and written directions, work around knives, slicers, or other sharp objects, bend at the waist, kneel, or crouch, dexterity of hands and fingers to operate food service equipment, hear and speak to exchange information, lift, carry, push, or pull moderately heavy objects as assigned by position, reach overhead, above shoulders, and horizontally, see to monitor food quality and quantity, stand for extended periods of time.

Physical Demands

• Exposure to cleaning chemicals and fumes, exposure to very hot foods, equipment, and metal objects, food service (may not be climate controlled) environment, subject to heat from food service equipment and cold from walk-in refrigerators and freezers, working around knives, slicers, or other sharp objects, bending at the waist, kneeling, or crouching, dexterity of hands and fingers to operate food service equipment, hearing and speaking to exchange information, lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling moderately heavy objects as assigned by position, reaching overhead, above shoulders, and horizontally, seeing to monitor food quality and quantity, standing for extended periods of time.

Benefits

The District provides excellent benefits for permanent employees who work 20 or more hours per week, including:

• Medical: Choice of VEBA (Kaiser or United Health Care)
• Dental: Delta Dental or Delta Care HMO (District-paid for employee only)
• Life: Life ($50,000) and Accidental Death & Dismemberment ($50,000).
• Also includes MEDEX Travel Assistance (for medical care situations 100 miles from home or international trips up to 90 days; with some exclusions)
• Vacation: (10+); Sick (9.50+ days per year) - vacation/sick accumulation days increase with years of service
• Employee Assistance Program: (at no cost to employee): through San Diego County EAP
• VEBA Optum Health: Employee assistance program
• Dependent life insurance coverage
• Disability plans through American Fidelity
• Vision: VSP Vision Care $10.20/monthly paid by employee
• 403(b) Retirement
• MetLaw prepaid legal through Hyatt Legal Plans
• Bargaining unit eligible employees may elect to become a CSEA member.
• Employees working 20 hours per week or more are enrolled into the CalPERS retirement system.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The La Mesa-Spring Valley School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Board Policy 4030 prohibits unlawful discrimination and/or harassment of district employees and job applicants based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital or parental status, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. Board Policy 4119.11 prohibits sexual harassment of district employees and job applicants. Complaints alleging unlawful discrimination or sexual harassment may be filed with the Coordinator for Nondiscrimination in Employment, the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. Reasonable accommodations are provided in the recruitment process for disabled persons. Advance notice is required. Call 619-668-5700 Ext. 6412 for arrangements. Have you read the above anti-discriminatory statement? YesNo 02

Application Procedure

A completed application for employment must be received in Personnel Commission by 4:30 p.m. on the closing date. Please note: If having issues with Internet Explorer, try Firefox. Faxed materials are not acceptable. The examination process may include one or more of the following: scoring of application and resume, written examination, scoring of supplemental questions, performance and/or technical oral examination. Written Merit Exam: TBA All testing will take place at La Mesa – Spring Valley School District's Education Service Center, 4750 Date Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942 (Phone: 619-668-5700) unless notified otherwise. Test starts promptly at the scheduled time. Latecomers will not be admitted. Candidates will be required to present valid photo identification prior to sign-in.

Other Information

• Completion of the following supplemental questions is required. Do not reference application or resume in lieu of completion. Do you understand this requirement? YesNo 04
• Hiring managers are required to check references prior to making a job offer. You will not be added to the eligibility list if you have not included at least one professional reference on your application. Did you include references on your application? YesNo 05
• Do you possess six months of professional experience in the preparation, cooking, and serving of food? YesNo 06
• Please detail your professional experience in the preparation, cooking, and serving of food. Include type of organization and time spent at each position. 07
• Do you possess professional work experience in scratch cooking? YesNo 08
• Please detail your professional work experience in scratch cooking. Include type of organization and time spent at each position. 07