Here’s how the Cedar Rapids school bond would fund improvements to Kennedy’s cafeteria

The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Kitchen managers Dana Visek and Kelly Schmidt are the first and second people to arrive at Kennedy High School at 6 a.m. to begin preparation for the almost 1,000 meals served daily.

Students at Kennedy get to choose from eight meal options daily. On Wednesday, the main entree was orange chicken with fried rice, which Visek said is one of the students’ favorites.

At Kennedy, the kitchen is a “maze,” Visek said. More preparation space is needed. Meals are served on single-use plates because the high school does not have a dishwasher. All dishes used for cooking and serving are washed by hand in a three hole sink.

The cafeteria is inadequate for the 1,700-student body. Students