PSS secures $650K for SVES cafeteria

Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos recently announced that her request for $650,000 in federal funds to construct a new state-of-the-art cafeteria for San Vicente Elementary School has been approved.

Inos said she was extremely pleased that Janet Allen, Region IX director of Special Nutrition Services Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, responded within a week to the proposal from the Public School System for the $650,000 funding.

The commissioner said the new cafeteria, which will also serve as a multi-purpose building that can host large meetings of up to 500 persons, will use the Kagman Elementary School Cafeteria/Multipurpose Building design, which will be site-adapted to San Vicente.

Inos said that using an existing design is not only cost-effective but will fast-track the completion of the project.

She explained that PSS wants to be able to issue the “invitation to bid” before the end of this calendar year and have construction begin in January—during the dry season—and finish construction before the opening of school on Aug. 2, 2005.

Inos said the new San Vicente Elementary School cafeteria will be a 5,600 square foot building with central air conditioning, with an elevated stage, 3,500 square foot dining area, a scullery, food preparation and warming area, office, bathrooms, electrical room, and lots of storage areas. The commissioner noted that this will most probably be the very last construction project at San Vicente Elementary School as there is no other space for buildings unless the baseball field is sacrificed for future classroom expansion.

Inos added that she was touched by what she described as “the very gracious letter” from director Allen, which states: “USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is committed to improving the health of all persons touched by the programs we fund. Significant events like the opening of a new cafeteria built using funds obtained from FNS provide an ideal forum for us and our partner agencies to educate the public and draw attention to our products and services.”

Inos explained that Allen offered additional support and assistance to the PSS, including nutrition and health-related activities that can coincide with the opening of this new cafeteria.

“This approval of a grant of $650,000 for a new cafeteria/multipurpose building for San Vicente Elementary School is great news for the PSS, for the students attending San Vicente Elementary School, for the residents of San Vicente and for the entire CNMI community,” Inos said.