Dear SDJA community members,
We’re pleased to announce that after a two year hiatus of food services on campus, we are partnering with SAGE Dining Services® to provide all SDJA students with a daily all-you-care-to-eat community-inclusive lunch program. The pilot launch of this new program (K-12 students only) will begin on April 25th, following Passover Break, and run through the end of the school year.
The pilot program will be at no additional cost to SDJA families. For the 2022-23 school year, the cost of the new kosher dining program will be included as part of K-12 tuition.
We are also developing a Sage program for our ECC students, which will be announced as we get closer to the 2022-23 school year.
SAGE is the leading food service provider for independent schools and private colleges throughout North America. One of SAGE’s biggest strengths is attention to safety, which has become increasingly important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. SAGE also focuses on quality service, community, nutrition, education, sustainability, and delicious food made from scratch using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. Within their portfolio of expertise, Sage has experience in meeting the dining needs of Jewish schools such as ours.
Features of the new lunch program will include:
- All-you-care-to-eat community-inclusive program with top quality, variety, and service.
- A freshly made kosher menu including a nourishing main dish with a variety of starches and fresh vegetables as sides; salad, deli, and soup options; creative, food truck-style fare; authentic Latin and Asian dishes; and expanded vegetarian options including produce from Levana’s Garden.
- Touch of SAGE® Mobile App to view daily food offerings.
- Food service at three locations, including a soon-to-be-created pop-up Middle School Garden Cafe.
- Expertise in food allergy management featuring strict food-prep practices, daily offerings clearly and prominently labeled with any of the 12 main allergens, and a specially designed app with allergen-identifying filters to facilitate safe meal planning.
- The SAGE Spotlight Program® which provides nutritional guidance through a color-coded system that will help students build a balanced plate with nourishing, tasty, and enjoyable foods.
- Performance Spotlight® will help our athletes get the fuel they need for training and game days, drawing upon guidelines from the U.S. Olympic Committee, the NCAA, and other sports associations.
- Kosher standards will be maintained and supervised by a local kashrut authority, with alternating dairy and meat-based menus.
SAGE is now working with SDJA’s HR department to recruit a Food Services Director who will oversee the lunch program and catering services to be offered on campus. The SAGE Dining team and program will be ramping up throughout the semester and as noted above, will open operations after Passover Break. Menus will be available online starting the first week of April.
We will be using the upcoming planning and pilot period to also engage students, parents and employees in designing a program that fits our unique needs and culture here at SDJA. We will be utilizing tastings, surveys and other feedback mechanisms to inform the first full-year launch of the program for the 2022-23 school year.
Please take a look at the attached brochure and this video, which can answer questions you may have about SAGE’s community-inclusive dining program. If you have any questions, and/or are interested in being a part of the planning and implementation of this new program that will serve our community, please email Ariela Berkstein at ABerkstein@SDJA.com.
Sincerely,
Zvi Weiss
Head of School
Elliot Scott
President, Board of Trustees
