KIPP Texas Public Schools is a network of 59 public charter, open-enrollment, pre-k-12 schools educating nearly 34,000 students across Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Together with families and communities, our mission is to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose —college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

Founded in Houston in 1994, and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in our classrooms, in our offices, and in the communities we serve is unwavering. We are looking to hire a diverse team of dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join our Team and Family and champion equity, chase excellence, persist with purpose, bring joy, and help us rise together.

KIPP Texas is part of the national KIPP network of 255 college-preparatory public charter schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, KIPP students complete four-year college at a rate of 36 percent, comparable to the national average for all students and approximately three times higher than the average of students from low-income communities.

You can see all our job opportunities at https://kipptexas.org/join-our-team/.

The Opportunity

The Child Nutrition Associate works as a part of the KIPP Texas Public Schools Cafeteria Team. The Child Nutrition Associate would help to create a warm and friendly atmosphere to enhance the student’s meal time experience during Acceleration Academies Saturday services. This position would efficiently handle the sale of food, and to prepare an accurate, balanced tabulation sheet for Food Service accounting purposes. The Child Nutrition Associate would work effectively in the cafeteria/kitchen or where designated by the Front of House Supervisor. This position will include server, cashier, prep-cook, and dishwashing duties. This position will abide by the strictest standards of physical and food safety, freshness and sanitation.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Front of House Supervisor in cafeteria functions.
• During service confirm that each tray is reimbursable (as defined the Standard Operating Procedure) and that the number keyed in matches the student.
• Complete daily work station duties with the goal of keeping a safe and clean working environment.
• Conduct cashiering duties as set within the Standards of Operation (SOP).
• Set up meal service and clean up service lines.
• Comply with Health Department Code for food service.
• Prepare the student reimbursable snack and ensure complete products are met.
• Maintains proper signage for the Food Service Program on the serving line and serving areas.
• Set up meal service and clean up at appropriate campus or campuses.
• Routinely act on day to day situations, working closely with and assisting school personnel and parents to ensure smooth operation of the free and reduced lunch function of the Office of Child Nutrition.
• Effectively record all meal counts on a daily basis.
• Work as a prep-cook and assist in the preparation for meal portions which may involve cooking and baking using various utensils and appliances; may perform specialized duties (baking and cooking).
• Serve the students, teachers, and guests. Use safety precautions relative to working with food service equipment and materials and report all injuries or unsafe conditions to the supervisor on duty.
• Keep dispensing and related equipment full and operating. This includes milk and other self-selection food options (Offer vs. Serve).
• Maintain the cleanliness of the kitchen and cafeteria area; clear counters, sweep and mop floors; clean freezers, coolers, and storage areas; clean kitchen appliances; clean and maintain the garbage collection area as needed.
• Store stock in an efficient and safe manner.
• Support all efforts to recycle and compost.

• Fundamental understanding of sanitation and cleanliness.
• Requires moderate physical effort. Standing, carrying, bending, stretching, stooping, pulling, pushing, lifting of weights up to 50 lbs.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with the team.
• Must be self-motivated and able to problem solve effectively.
• Food Handlers card required.
• Multi-faceted, multi-skilled, resourceful, and willing to do whatever it takes to feed healthy food to our students.
• Possess an entrepreneurial spirit, is proactive and flexible, and is willing and able to play different roles in the kitchen in order to meet the varied and constant needs of the students at KIPP Texas Austin.
• Model positive and healthy character traits and habits, such as being organized, consistent and understanding.
• Unquestioned integrity and commitment to the KIPP Texas Austin community.
• Exposure to temperature variations and wet conditions.
• May walk and work on uneven and slick surfaces.
• Requires reaching above and below shoulder height.
• Some exposure to dust, gas, fumes and chemicals
• Exposure to blood borne pathogens: Level III
• May need to use a ladder or stool to reach product or supplies.
• Frequent repetitive hand motion.
• Frequent excessive standing during assigned work day.
• Frequent requirement to lift, carry, push, pull, sit, stand, walk, reach, crouch, climb, balance, kneel and stoop.

Preferred Education/Experience:

• Three (3) years of professional work experience in a high volume food and hospitality related role
• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Experience in school-based Child Nutrition a strong plus
• Experience in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and fast-growing organization a strong plus

Compensation and Benefits:

In addition to a competitive salary scale, a part of KIPP Texas’ competitive benefits options, KIPP offers all employees an $0 HMO plan for the employee only. In addition to our $0 plan, KIPP provides a $600 employer contribution towards a Health Savings Account and a variety of other supplemental benefits such as Dental, Vision, Short and Long-Term Disability, Pet Insurance, Life, etc.