District 161 to Overhaul Food Service with New Management Contract

Summit Hill School District 161 Meeting | December 17, 2025

Article Summary: The Summit Hill School District 161 Board has approved the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new food service management company, aiming for a district-wide program launch in the 2026-2027 school year.

Food Service Key Points:

• District-Wide Scope: The board moved away from a small “pilot” program in favor of a full rollout at all buildings.

• Centralized Kitchen: Plans include utilizing the Summit Hill Junior High kitchen to satellite food to other schools.

• Modernized Systems: The RFP will require updated menus and “point of sale” systems like RevTrak.

• Timeline: The new program is slated to begin in August 2026.

Following several weeks of research and tours of neighboring districts, the Summit Hill School District 161 Board on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2025, voted to move forward with a formal RFP for food service management.

Superintendent Dr. Paul McDermott told the board that after meeting with several companies, the administration believes it is feasible to implement a new lunch program across all buildings simultaneously.

“Each of the companies that we have met with thus far think it is possible to do food service differently at all buildings next year rather than in a small pilot,” McDermott said.

The planned program would likely center on the kitchen at Summit Hill Junior High, which would serve as a hub for preparing and shipping meals to other schools. The transition will require significant updates to equipment and digital payment systems.

McDermott noted that the 2026 start date provides “ample time to inform our community, parents, and staff, and most importantly our students, of these changes and get them excited about it.”

The board will review drafts of the RFP in the coming months before it is officially sent to vendors.