Norwich ― Norwich Public Schools plans to outsource its food services program to a corporate provider beginning July 1 despite strong objections by current staff and supporters.

The school district advertised in April for a contracted food services company to replace the in-house program and selected Chartwells, school Business Administrator Robert Sirpenski said last week. A contract is being written and must be approved by the state, Sirpenski said, so details of the cost and terms were not available.

The school food program is entirely federally funded, with no costs borne by Norwich taxpayers. All students receive free meals without parents needing to apply for free or reduced-priced meals. That will remain unchanged, Sirpenski said.

More than 100 letters by current food services staff and other school staff on their behalf were submitted in May to the Board of Education objecting to the planned change.

But school board Chairman Robert Aldi said last week the decision is up to Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow and her staff. Stringfellow referred comments on the program to Sirpenski as the lead administrator on the planned change.

Sirpenski said hiring Chartwells, a nationwide school food program provider that serves 665 districts, including Norwich Free Academy, will allow Norwich to expand food choices with input from the company’s staff of nutritionists, dieticians and chefs.

The Norwich district will pay a management fee, and the company will provide staff and insurance as well as purchase food and maintain equipment.

“We would be managing the contract instead of running a food service program,” Sirpenski said.

The district will create a food advisory committee of parents, staff and students to review and plan menus, Sirpenski said.

While Sirpenski said the company will be looking to hire current staff, longtime workers said they do not want to “start over,” likely at lower pay, lost seniority and benefits.

Erin Perpetua, Norwich school food services director since 2014 and an employee since 2011, said the change was not necessary. She said it was an insult to current staff who worked through the COVID-19 pandemic providing meals to students in parking lots when schools were shut down.

Perpetua said she would take a layoff rather than apply for a lesser position with Chartwells.

“I’ve been advocating for our students,” Perpetua said. “I am president of the School Nutrition Association of Connecticut, and they essentially are saying I’m not good enough to be here, to run my department.”

Chartwells did not respond to an email request by The Day to discuss its plans for the city’s schools. Company officials are scheduled to meet with the current food services staff at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Kelly Middle School. The Board of Education is meeting at 5:30 p.m., and food service workers plan to speak during the public comment session.

The Norwich program employs 10 kitchen managers and 24 kitchen workers, but Sirpenski said the program has been operating with one-third staff shortages.

Lynn Bustamante has worked in the Norwich district for 18 years, 13 as kitchen manager in the John B. Stanton School. Bustamante said she submitted 55 letters to the board from her school.

Bustamante is skeptical of the promises that the new contract provider would improve food options or staffing, noting it is a for-profit company.

“We have looked at the menus of the schools, and their food is exactly the same as what we are serving,” Bustamante said. “They just changed the names and made it sound more fancy.”

Perpetua objected that Chartwells plans to sell “extras,” including ice cream and chips to students.

“These families can’t afford breakfast and lunch, and this company is going to be making money appealing to them to buy chips and ice cream,” Perpetua said.

Melissa Starr, a 13-year employee of the district, and kitchen manager of eight years at Uncas School, said she is unsure whether she will apply at Chartwells. But she is upset that she would have to “start at zero” if she does.

Cherrie Leighton has worked in the Norwich food service program for 23 years, seven years as manager at Veterans’ Memorial School. She also is unsure whether she will stay in the Norwich district.

“I’m hoping they would keep me at my school, at my pay, at my position,” she said, “but I don’t believe that’s going to happen.”

c.bessette@theday.com