In-House Pizza is Coming to Dexter High School

Dexter High School will be getting a unique update in its food program that should give students a delicious food option during their days of study and work.

To get this new option underway, the Dexter Community Schools Board of Education approved at their March 9 meeting the purchase of fresh personal pizza equipment from Smart Mouth for a total cost of $16,530. This pizza program should allow for school staff to make restaurant style personal size pizzas in-house fresh for the students.

In putting forth the idea and request, Jennifer Mattison, DCS Food & Nutrition Director, said in her report to the school board, “As part of the Excess Fund Balance Plan, Dexter Community Schools targeted the enhancement of our high school pizza program through new equipment, ingredients, marketing, and training. We have seen significant interest in personal size pizzas in the past but the product we were using at the time has not been available for several years.”

The Excess Fund Balance Plan is a mandatory requirement for school nutrition program sponsors whose food service accounts have accumulated more cash than federal regulations allow. Sponsors must reinvest these surplus funds directly back into their food service programs to benefit students rather than letting them accumulate indefinitely

DCS sought bids for this and got back proposals from two companies, Smart Mouth Pizza and Chef B’s Catering.

“Although both bidders presented all required documents and earnest proposals. After review of the proposals, it was determined that Smart Mouth Pizza presented an option that requires significantly less up front and on-going costs,” Mattison said.

So Smart Mouth Pizza was picked as the most suitable solution to implement at Dexter High School.

Mattison said this program will have an initial investment of $16,530 to add a new tiered warmer for pizza service, pans, as well as a pan rack for preparation. The project is entirely funded through the Food Service Fund as approved by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) under the Excess Fund Balance Plan.

Photo: A pepperoni personal pizza from the SmartMouth Food webpage.