Every day at school you get lunch or breakfast. Have you ever wanted to dive deeper into the routine of a cafeteria worker? Lunch server Janet Brocious describes what it is like to work at the Clearfield Area Junior Senior High School. The dress code, the daily preparation, and the unheard-of behind the scenes were all described throughout the interview questionnaire.  

Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself? 

Brocious: I have four grandchildren I love, and I like to do crafts a lot. 

Q: What is the dress code? 

Brocious: Black bottoms and assigned red shirts. Hair has to be pulled back with a hat or a hair net on.  

Q: Do you get to pick what station you work? 

Brocious: There are specific ladies that work on the lines, but everyone really moves all around helping each other. There is a substitute worker if you are not there. No one really misses though.  

Q: Do you like working together or alone? 

Brocious: I like collaborating with people. 

Q: How long have you been in the food service? 

Brocious: 22 years this year and I would like to keep going. 

Q: What are your hours like? 

Brocious: I work 9-1, which I like. The job has great hours. 

Q: How is the food prepared? 

Brocious: Depending on what main meal we are having it varies. There’s a lady that does all the chef salads. We help the cooks get all the food handed out for the main meal. There are specific ladies that do specific tasks. 

Q: Do you eat the lunches you serve? 

Brocious: Yes, for our break we always eat what is served for the school. 

Q: Do you serve some foods not as much as others? 

Brocious: Chicken nuggets and General Tso’s are the two biggest meals, and we always make sure to get a larger supply of those. We keep a record of what we give out, so we know how much we usually need. However, with the cheesy breadsticks we will most likely not be able to get them back. During the pandemic we had a hard time getting them. 

Q: What happens to the extra food? 

Brocious: Extra food needs counted and totaled at the end with the computer. If there are leftovers, we will count it and have it the next day, or we will freeze it and wait for a day we know it will go. We can only reheat it one time, but this year we have very few leftovers.  

Q: What is the worst part of your job? 

Brocious: There really is no bad part. If there is at all, it’s when a kid acts up or is having a bad day. They will end up getting in trouble. I always feel bad. Overall, it’s a really nice job to have. 

Q: What is the best part of your job? 

Brocious: The best part is seeing all the kids grow up. You get to watch them when they first get here to a senior. I like watching them graduate and succeed in life. 

Q: What is an average day like?
Brocious: I get here at 9:00 and I do all the muffins for breakfast, and I get breakfast stuff ready for the next day. Also, I help set up the line or help people in between. The kids come and we serve them. Then we count stuff and cleanup to later go home.