The Student Nutrition Services department is responsible for providing breakfast, lunch and snacks to the students of CFBISD. The staff works to ensure that students have access to well-rounded, nutritious and tasty reimbursable meals each school day.

“In the Student Nutrition department, every staff member, regardless of their role, works tirelessly to feed all of our CFB students the nutritious meals they need to thrive,” said Heidy Then-Cortes, Student Nutrition Personnel Coordinator. “Nourishing students to aid in their academic success is what we do at our core.”

Student nutrition is critical to a child’s overall health and well-being. School meals ensure that students have the nutrients they need to be successful. The meals include milk, fruit, vegetables, protein and whole grains. Students need well-balanced meals so that they may grow, develop and focus on what they are learning.

“Our meals promote healthy eating habits,” said Kristen Hess, Student Nutrition Director. “They are an integral part of a child’s education.” 

The department is currently on track to serve more than 680,000 breakfast meals, 2.3-million lunch meals and 120,000 snacks this school year. This means that on an average school day, the staff serves more than 3,900 breakfast meals, 13,000 lunch meals and 700 snacks to CFBISD students. To facilitate such a large foodservice operation, the department utilizes more than 200 employees in 34 kitchens on a daily basis.

The department’s leadership team consists of 15 members that office at the CFBISD service center:

• Kristen Hess — Director

• Wendy Hall — Nutrition Coordinator

• Heidy Then-Cores — Personnel Coordinator

• Martha Reyna, Supervisor

• Kate Taylor — Supervisor

• Esperanza Macias, Supervisor

• Marinda Gutierrez — Zone Manager

• Betty Cruz — Zone Manager

• Shmelia Hicks — Zone Manager

• Ace Rojas Gonzalez — Culinary Assistant

• Martin Benavides — Training Specialist

• Janet Elliot — Technology Specialist

• Michael Hall — Equipment Specialist

• Patrice Brenner — Personnel Clerk

• Emma Hernandez — Meal Benefits Clerk 

Interesting Facts:

There are nine CFBISD graduates in the Student Nutrition department:

• Janet Elliott — R. L. Turner High School, Class of 1978

• Maria Del Carmen Perez Esparza — R. L. Turner High School, Class of 1988

• Marinda Gutierrez — R. L. Turner High School, Class of 1999

• Rebecca Rivera — Newman Smith High School, Class of 2007

• Jennifer Ford — Newman Smith High School, Class of 2008

• Maria Rodriguez — R. L. Turner High School, Class of 2008

• Erika Villaneda — Newman Smith High School, Class of 2009

• Aura Rodriguez Bernal — Creekview High School, Class of 2016

• Lizeth Guevara — Creekview High School, Class of 2018

“We know that CFB students are our future, and we want to ensure they have the healthy fuel they need to learn, grow and thrive,” Then-Cortes said. “Feeding students is our love language.” 

To learn more about the Student Nutrition Services department, please visit their website.