As you line up for a school lunch, you might be handed a tray by a surprising and familiar face: your own dean! In the past few months, the 22 Tappan deans have begun working in the lunchroom, alongside their fellow cafeteria staff.
According to 22 Tappan’s Cafeteria Manager Emerald Henderson, deans have been helping at the cafeteria’s register since she began working at the new building. She said that while the transition complicates staff roles, it also displays unity and gratitude within the cafeteria walls.
The deans made a switch to serving behind the counters in the past few months, as the number of students eating school lunch increased. In comparison to the 2023-24 school year, the number of students eating school lunch has risen by 50-60 students, at times totaling more than 400 students per day. Henderson cited a variety of reasons for the increase, from the food to the environment of the cafeteria.
Henderson believes that the talk about how great the food is, the customer service and the welcoming atmosphere are factors for the increase. Students come to learn the names of each other and the staff, Henderson said. Additionally, having the time to sit, eat and relax before class helps bring students in.
“Our goal is to try to feed every child here,” said Henderson, “So we try to make the food look more appetizing, ask the kids, ‘What do you like to eat?’ so that we can have more kids come and enjoy our meals.”
Dean of Student Support Brian Poon is one of the deans now serving. He said the cafeteria staff take pride in their jobs. Poon acknowledged Henderson and her team’s care for the students and their dedication to cooking quality food.
“We have people from different backgrounds who bring where they’re from [and] their recipes, to the students,” Poon said. “And it’s made with love. It’s so great.”
Last year, Poon was responsible for managing checkout and cafeteria communication. With the loss of staffing, his cafeteria operations have expanded to working alongside cafeteria staff by setting up register computers, posting daily menus and bringing out food to get the doors open on time.
“When they lost a staff person, not only did they have a harder time prepping, but then they had a harder time setting up,” Poon said. “And so it became evident that the whole team needed to do more.”
According to Dean of Students Summer Williams, who is also serving in the cafeteria, the meals served at 22 Tappan are beautiful, of excellent quality and sometimes come in many parts that take time to assemble. However, without sufficient staff, managing lunches becomes challenging. She said the only immediate solution she saw was to “just jump in, put on some gloves and get it done.”
“Sometimes it’s hard because that’s a really good time to call a parent or make another sensitive phone call I couldn’t make while I’m sitting out in the cafeteria with other folks around,” Williams said.
Guidance counselor Clifton Jones spends time in the 22 Tappan building and shared a similar perspective on how bringing deans into cafeteria serving is not always ideal.
“If I have lunch duty, I walk around to talk to kids and that’s how you build relationships,” Jones said. “If you’re a dean helping out [and] you’re at the register, you’re not looking at what’s going on, your attention is on that kid in line, versus just hanging out.”
There is always someone that is looking out and paying attention to students, according to Williams.
“That’s a beautiful relationship. I would hope that students gain a new appreciation for all the things that many people are doing all the time to support them,” Williams said. “And that maybe they give somebody a high five or dap them up and say, ‘You know, the chicken is bomb today, thank you,’ because that goes a long way.”
