Parents concerned about lunch at new Soledad middle school

You can find out what is on the lunch menu at Main Street Middle School by simply driving by. Thursday, the Soledad school’s entrance sign said the cafeteria served chicken nuggets, spaghetti, and taco salad, but parents are worried their child may not get the chance to eat at all.

“My daughter let me know that the lines were very long. The wait to grab lunch was even longer. She didn’t have much time to eat,” said parent, Alanie Gutierrez.

Main Street Middle School opened its doors to 793 students for the first time Monday. The new facility serves lunch once-a-day for 40 minutes.

Parents told KION that backed up lines and a small cafeteria prevent their kids from eating a balanced meal. “The cafeteria does not look that big to me. I don’t know how they fit that many kids in there,” said parent, Kimberly Hernandez.

“There wasn’t much space to sit. My husband and I decided to pack her lunch for today.” said Gutierrez.

Soledad Unified School District addressed parent concern on social media. “Lunch on Monday was backed up. The principal extended the 40-minute lunch by an additional five minutes to allow every kid a chance to get through the line and get something to eat,” said Soledad Unified School District’s Chief Business Officer, Elizabeth Wilson.

Wilson said school staff made changes to several lunch lines by Tuesday. She said they now offer choices of pre-prepared salads and sandwiches that they can hand out at a faster rate. “We still have our ‘hot line’ where we offer three entrees. It is a new facility, so how kids navigate it, and how we respond to their needs is something we will oversee over the next two weeks until we get the system down,” said Wilson.

Wilson said the district has also ordered new picnic tables and benches to provide more seating in and around the cafeteria.

Parents who have questions about their child’s lunch period are encouraged to reach out to their school’s principal.