Food Service Assistant

Position Type:
Support Staff/Cafeteria Worker

Date Posted:
6/1/2025

Location:
Shawnee Public Schools
Job Description

SHAWNEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Job Title: Food Service Assistant

Reports To: Food Service Manager

Site: Shawnee Public Schools - various locations



Qualifications:

Credentials: Motor Vehicle Operator's (DMV) License or ability to provide own transportation.

Education: High school diploma, GED or equivalent experience is required in lieu of high school degree.



Training or Experience Required : Experience working as a lunch or food service assistant, preferably in a school district or with children.



Job Summary: Performs semi-skilled to skilled level food service duties under general supervision of a Manager to prepare and serve nutritious meals and clean up. The goal is to prepare a well-balanced meal with a high quality of taste and appearance.



Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

1. Must be skilled in cooking/baking and serving/clean up but must also enjoy working around children.
2. Must be able to work at a quick pace to serve students in an orderly efficient manner.
3. Must be knowledgeable about health and safety concerns within a cafeteria.
4. Communication Skills (oral, written, or business): Basic communication skills to exchange information, give/receive simple instructions and respond to inquiries. Includes filling out forms.
5. Performs non-complex data recording/record keeping operations requiring logging, filing or posting single entry items either manually or by computer.
6. Mathematical Skills: Performs routine computations requiring a knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division using whole numbers, fractions, decimals and/or percentages.
7. Must be able to adapt recipes to the number of portions to prepare.
8. Reading and Interpreting: Must be able to read and understand simple instructions. Read and understand recipes and other manuals.
9. Uses tools or equipment in a manner requiring competence and must meet certain performance standards which normally would be gained by on the job exposure or training.
10. Equipment/operation includes steamers, tilt skillet, slicers, mixers, dish machines, ovens, fryers, etc.
11. Has regular contact with members of own staff and with students. Some interpersonal interaction or communication is required to work with staff and students.

Essential Job Functions/Performance Responsibilities:

1. Assists in the preparation of hot foods (meats, vegetables, etc.) baked goods (rolls, cakes, cookies, pastries, etc.), salads/condiments, etc. as part of the daily lunchroom.
2. Prepares and serves breakfast and lunch.
3. Assists in the serving and selling of foods and other foodstuffs in the cafeteria.
4. Performs cleaning immediately after using all equipment, utensils, and areas used in the preparation of foods.
5. Cleans the kitchen and serving areas after breakfast and lunch and whenever there is a spill.
6. Assists in maintaining accurate inventory by returning all unused supplies and food to the storage room in their proper location.
7. Prepares meals so as not to have unnecessary waste and reuses food the next day that can by policy be reused.
8. May assist in picking up food orders or loading/unloading groceries and stocking shelves.
9. Performs general house cleaning such as cleaning refrigerators, cleans ovens and equipment when time permits.
10. May assist with cashiering and other recordkeeping functions.
11. Performs other duties as assigned by Manager.

Other Performance Measures:

1. Requires people skills to work with students, teachers, and fellow employees.
2. Requires following safety guidelines and policies to avoid accident and injury, inclusive of the District Exposure Control Plan for Bloodborne Pathogens.
3. Requires following school dress standards, proper attendance or leave policies, and other work-habits concerns.
4. Uses initiative and self-discipline to get the work done.
5. Cooperates with other staff members and have a positive attitude towards staff, students, and the public to enhance educational goals.

Supervision exercised: Employee does not supervise other employees.


Complies with Shawnee's Mission Statement in which students are to be provided with skills, knowledge and attitudes to become lifelong learners, complex thinkers, and responsible citizens in an ever-changing global society.



Physical/Mental Requirements and Working Conditions:

1. Walking/standing is required 4 to 6 hours a day with 3-4 hours without relief. Frequent bending/stooping and squatting/crouching; occasional crawling/kneeling, and climbing (5 ft. ladder to clean filters); must reach above shoulders and push/pull occasionally on the job.
2. Must be able to lift up to 35 pounds on a frequent basis and 50 pounds occasionally.
3. Must possess the visual requirements to be aware of surroundings especially relative to work output and safety concerns.
4. Must have the ability to communicate with employees, patrons, and students in person.
5. Requires working around noise of machines and equipment; in fluctuating temperatures and in humid environments, around some hazardous equipment (mixers, slicers, steamers), boiling liquids and very hot ovens, stoves, dishwashers, and oven cleaners, fumes, gases etc.
6. Must be able to work around spills/slick floors and other impediments on occasion but must observe safe working conditions and watch for others safety and health.

Terms of Employment: Length of the work year and hours of employment shall be those established by the District. (remaining days of 180 day contract)

Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Shawnee Board Policy on evaluation of personnel.



FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Revised: June 10, 2024