SOUTH PASADENA, Calif. (APRIL 25, 2022) – South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) has hired Jenifer Smith to serve as the new Director of Food Services.

     Since December 2021, Smith has served as the SPUSD Nutrition Clerk, supporting the current director in all aspects of food and nutrition programming including free/reduced meal applications, menu planning, and financial reconciliation. Before coming to SPUSD, Smith worked as the cafeteria manager at Covina High School. In this role, she supervised the operations of high school, elementary, and early childhood programs serving more than 3,500 meals per day. During her time at Covina High School, she also completed a summer dietetic internship in which she helped program new software to track menus and student allergens and created menus and nutritional analysis for students. Smith learned the fundamentals of nutrition management in her role as a food services employee for Upland School District. She began her career in food services working as the senior general manager of The Old Spaghetti Factory and as a general manager assigned to menu testing and development for Islands restaurants.

 

     Smith studied nutrition and dietetics at Mt. San Antonio College and is attending online classes at Boise State University to earn a bachelor’s degree in public health. She looks forward to starting her new role with SPUSD on May 2, 2022. 

 

     Smith will fill the SPUSD Director of Food Services position held by Michelle Curry for the past 15 years. While working for SPUSD, Curry proudly revamped the District’s nutrition program to meet critical student needs including more menu variety, improved eating environments, decreased wait time, and better communication with parents. Throughout the pandemic, Curry and the food and nutrition staff filed waivers, created menus, and developed production plans to ensure that South Pasadena families and students received hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals. Curry will be retiring in June 2022. SPUSD wishes her all the best in her future endeavors.

 

About South Pasadena Unified School District
Established in 1886, the South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) serves approximately 4,800 students within five schools including three elementary schools, one middle school and one comprehensive high school in South Pasadena, California.  Nestled in the West San Gabriel Valley, SPUSD has earned a reputation for providing high quality public education, attracting families who value challenging academic programs and outstanding teachers. Consistently recognized for superior performance, SPUSD students earn honors at the local, state and national level.  The District draws vital support from parents and community members through the South Pasadena Educational Foundation, local PTAs and booster clubs.