There won't be any more cafeteria food at the high schools in Dresden or Blenheim for the foreseeable future.
Lambton-Kent District School Board Superintendent of Business Brian McKay says the company that was providing the service, Chartwells, is shutting down its operations at those schools at the end of Semester 1. He says Chartwells is citing lower profits from a decreasing customer base and an increase in the minimum wage.
"We have found that due to the decreased usage of the cafeteria by students, [students] are already finding other options," says McKay. "We're definitely disappointed, but working with Chartwells, we understand their business analysis of it on their end -- they're not making money at those two cafeterias."
Letters were sent home with students from Lambton Kent Composite School (LKCS) and Blenheim District High School, letting them and their parents know about the changes. McKay says if any students have any questions or concerns, they should contact the school for more information on alternative nutritional programs that may be available.
McKay says at this point, they are not expecting any other cafeterias to shut down in LKDSB schools in Chatham-Kent. The letter that went home with students at LKCS says school officials are "actively investigating possibilities with community vendors and agencies."