1/31/08

Great lunches, job training served up at School House Café

by Beckye Randall

Carol Davis is passionate about career and technical education for Marysville students. “It offers a pathway to college for some,” said the district’s program coordinator, “and practical work experience for others.”

Students enrolled in Career and Tech Ed are offered a number of choices to learn relevant, employable skills. One of the more unique programs is the district’s Culinary Arts curriculum.

With a morning program that focuses on food preparation and an afternoon session filled with restaurant operations work, students are exposed to all facets of the food service industry. They refine their skills by cooking and serving lunch to real clients from the community.

The School House Café, located across from Totem Middle School on 7th Street, is open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The menu features delicious sandwiches, salads and “blue plate specials,” priced from $5. With attentive service and food quality that rivals any restaurant, the café is an affordable, relaxing alternative for lunch.

“We hope to cover our food costs,” said Davis, “but our first goal for the café is instructional, not to make money.”

Jeff Delma, a professional chef who is new to the teaching world, leads the program. Delma’s education at the Seattle Arts Institute and his practical experience, earned in award-winning Seattle kitchens that include Le Gourmand and Tulio Ristorante, add to his effectiveness within the culinary arts program.

Managing a class of up to 20 novice restaurateurs was a challenge for the chef. “The first month, I was shell-shocked,” he admitted, “but now we’re on the right track.”

Every high school in the Marysville district offers one to three classes in the Career-Tech Ed program, regardless of the Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs) in which students are enrolled. Any Marysville student in grades 10 through 12 can choose to participate in Career-Tech Ed training.

“Our classes are considered tech prep courses, which provide dual credit for high school and college simultaneously,” said Davis.

In addition to the Culinary Arts program, the career education curriculum includes the Bio-Med Academy, video production courses, and several classes at the Arts & Technology High School among others.

The program is overseen by an advisory committee made up of 17 community members. The committee volunteers are the overall guiding body, helping to identify local business needs and suggesting curriculum to meet those needs.

“The curriculum is a collaboration between academics and vocational training,” said Davis. “For example, culinary arts instruction involves a good deal of science, as do the bio-med classes.”

According to published studies, career and technical education has been shown to help reduce the number of high school dropouts, particularly when schools emphasize both academic and technical learning.

The Culinary Arts program functions on the school’s semester-based schedule, with new classes just beginning. After new students have settled into the program, the School House Café will be open to the public once again on February 5.

Diners are encouraged to call (360) 653-0639 for details on the café’s daily specials and operating hours, or to get information about catering or group reservations.

Photo caption: (from left to right) Dylan Allen, Kevin Anglin, Matt Lowe, Chef Jeff Delma, Keyana Welch, Jan Laquian, Andrew Eddleman