Café On the Hill, located on the campus of Forest Hill Community High School (FHHS), opened its doors to the students and staff on August 19, 2013. FHHS was the second high school in Palm Beach County to receive the High School Reengineering Program (HSRP). The institutional appearance was exchanged for a more welcoming food court design, taking into consideration the overall physical facility, dining experience, nutritious food offerings, and customer service. In order to anticipate the increase in participation, a minimum of three 35 minute lunch periods were incorporated into the school day to support the program and ensure adequate meal time for students. The School Food Service Department in collaboration with Zyscovich Architects, Program Management, Facilities Services, and MVP Contractors coordinated a successful project. The School Food Service staff at FHHS returned from summer early to participate in training. The training involved the preparation and service of approximately 30 entrées, professional dress expectations, and program documentation.

It was the department’s belief that with these modifications, students would enter a more relaxing, inviting, social, safe, and customer driven dining experience. Therefore they would look forward to this time to nutritionally recharge for improved physical and mental well-being thus supporting the District’s ultimate goal of improving academic performance. Within the first year, lunch participation increased by 11%. Overall there has been great enthusiasm by students and staff since the inception of this program.

Atlantic Community High School, the flagship program, opened its doors in 2011. Café Atlantic has offered a platform for manager training, menu development, product testing, and succession training. Surveys were conducted to capture data regarding student taste and preference. This data was used to develop the menu offerings for the 2013-2014 school year.