RPS News Details

Dear RPS Family,

I remember that afternoon as if it were yesterday. Jay, a student in my seventh grade math class in Washington, DC, asked if he could talk with me after class. He was typically very quiet so I was excited for the chance to connect. But all he wanted to ask was, “Could you take me home after school?” This was a surprising question because I knew he lived just up the hill behind the school. I learned that he was now living with his grandmother across town because his mother — who had been struggling with addiction — had finally taken the courageous step of checking into a rehab clinic.

I was happy to take Jay home, and then pick him up in the morning. We did this for a couple of weeks until we could find a long-term solution. One afternoon, on our way home, Jay turned to me and said, “Mr. Kamras, you look hungry.” Of course, that’s a seventh grader’s way of saying, “I’m hungry.” So we stopped at McDonald’s to grab a quick bite.

I remember that afternoon because I had to get across town to drop Jay off and then back to school for a faculty meeting. After about 15 minutes, Jay still wasn’t finished with his hamburger and I asked him if everything was OK. He said it was. But then followed up with, “I just wanted to have something for my grandmother and me to eat tonight.”

It’s been almost thirty years since that afternoon but food insecurity continues to plague the lives of so many children and families in our country. This issue hits close to home in RPS where nearly two-thirds of our students are considered economically disadvantaged. In honor of National School Lunch Week and Farm to School Month, I’d like to tell you a little bit about our meal program.

This year, we’ve already served about one MILLION meals: 411,593 breakfasts, 556,045 lunches, and 30,685 after-school suppers! Behind this massive effort is a team of 225 dedicated and caring food service professionals. Please take a moment to send them some shout-outs this week.

But our efforts to meet the nutritional needs of our students don’t end with our cafeterias. We also work with many partners to combat food deserts — areas in the city where families don’t have easy access to healthy food and produce. For example, since starting our partnership with Lulu’s in 2023 (which will be featured in this week’s “Love at the Center”), we’ve distributed more than 20,000 pounds of produce – that’s the weight of five SUVs. Our schools partner with many other agencies, nonprofits, and local businesses to ensure families have easy access to healthy and nutritional food. We’re grateful for the village that makes this possible!

Unsurprisingly, kids care a lot about how their food tastes, and we also want to be mindful of their dietary restrictions, religious needs, and food cultures. This year, I’m pleased to announce that my Student Advisory Council will be diving deep into our meal program, ultimately making recommendations to me on how to improve the breakfast and lunch offerings at RPS. I’d like to take this opportunity to shout them out:

• Armstrong:

  • Jah’kei Chavis

  • Amaria Martin

  • Kellice Banks

  • Kahlen Cohill

  • Mariah Hopins

• Community

  • Herbert Bullock

  • Shelby Sykes

  • Ian Bain

  • Davion Washington

  • Max Boehm

• FMA

  • Aries Franklie

  • Kobe Deguzman

  • Angela Romero-Rivera

  • Alyhia Anderson

• Huguenot

  • Shaniyah Richardson

  • Terriel Williams-Ford

  • Chloe Carmon-Hill

• Open

  • Chloe Charlton

  • Eastan Weber

  • Miles Page

• RHSA

  • Elder Garcia-Lemus

  • Jamesha Hicks

  • Ramon Rivera

At RPS, we tell our students that “We love you here!” One way we show our love is by providing healthy and delicious meals each and every day. Please join me in thanking our School Nutrition Services team once again – they are unsung heroes who deserve our deepest gratitude.

With appreciation,

Jason