By James P. Gannon Special to the Rappahannock News

By James P. Gannon Special to the Rappahannock News

Fbod service operations at Rappahannock County public schools racked up a net loss of $78,395 in the past school year, according to final 2007-2008 budget figures approved by the School Board.

This was the lurgest operating loss by the school cafeterias in recent years-possibly ever-and was up from the $69,799 loss recorded in the prior year. A nearly $20,000 increase in the cost of food purchased deepened the loss, while cash receipts from students declined.

The public schools’ food service has been a chronic money-loser in recent years and has been subsidized by the School Board by transferring funds from other parts of the budget to cover losses. At a meeting last Friday, the board authorized transferring $107,693 from the classroom instruction category to the school food account.

The fbod service operations were sharply criticized in the School Efficiency Review report made public last February by MGT of America, Inc., the educational consulting firm that reviewed all operations of the Rappahannock Schools. MGT cited poor management, inadequate employee training, low student participation and overstaffing in recommending steps to cut the annual losses.

In reviewing six years of results, MGT found that fbod service operations showed small profits in school years ending in 2002 and 2003, but losses of $38,595 in 2004, $47,029 in 2005. und $22,771 in 2006. The losses deepened to $69,799 in 2006-2007, and $78,395 in the year just ended.

Superintendent Robert Chappell recently announced* cutbacks in cafeteria staffing, changes in fbod procurement, and changes in foods offered in an effort to cut losses and increase student use of the food services.

MGT found that student meal participation is low at Rappahannock schools. It also reported that in a survey of teachers, only 28 percent agreed with the statement