Built Environments

Our Goal: Create Dignified Built Environments

We create dining spaces that delight students and kitchen spaces that make it possible to prepare and serve good food. Comfortable and appealing spaces are central to how students experience the school meal program.

How we get there

Renovated kitchens and equipment
Upgraded serving line infrastructure
Redesigned dining spaces
Improved food presentation
Environmentally responsible meal program
More accessible serving locations

Transforming the Student Dining Experience

10 Years of Change in the San Francisco Unified School District

Over the last ten years, thanks to philanthropic support and substantial funding from the 2016 GO Bond, 82 school dining spaces have been redesigned, serving over 40,000 students. In addition, 4 kitchens have been renovated, allowing for scratch and speed scratch cooking of our popular Refresh menu at 21 of our campuses.

We have accomplished a great deal of meaningful change, and there is still more work to do. Dive into the widespread work that has been done below.

Kitchen Renovations

Four SFUSD Kitchens have been completely renovated, made possible by the 2016 GO Bond and public private partnerships:

McAteer Culinary Center
Thurgood Marshall Academic High School
AP Giannini Middle School
Marina Middle School

McAteer Culinary Center - Kitchen, Dining Space, and Food

Updated in 2019, the kitchen renovation created the capacity and infrastructure to enable our dining team to upgrade the quality and freshness of food served. The dining space redesign helped create a welcoming and dignified space where students want to spend time. Both of these elements came together to elevate the student dining experience to the level we strive for.

The dining space was updated in conjunction with the kitchen renovation, so the entire space became brighter and more welcoming all at once.

Delicious, Fresh, and Nutritious Food that McAteer Culinary Center serves After the renovation.

The dining space was updated in conjunction with the kitchen renovation, so the entire space became brighter and more welcoming all at once.

Delicious, Fresh, and Nutritious Food that McAteer Culinary Center serves After the renovation.

Meet Tiari, a Senior at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts

Tiari eats school food at McAteer everyday, and shares how much it has helped her.

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AP Gianinni Middle School - Kitchen, Dining Space, and Food

In March 2022, we celebrated the grand opening of the newly renovated kitchen at AP Giannini Middle School. The kitchen serves nearly 800 lunches every day to students at no cost. With the renovation, there is upgraded equipment and improved storage to increase their ability to prepare and serve fresh meals each day. Learn more about our efforts to nourish students with good food.

Delicious, Fresh, and Nutritious Food served at AP Gianinni Middle School, made possible by the kitchen renovation.

Delicious, Fresh, and Nutritious Food served at AP Gianinni Middle School, made possible by the kitchen renovation.

Meet Simon, a Senior at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School

Marina Middle School - Kitchen, Dining Space, Food & Allergy Meals

In the 2022-2023 SY, SNS leveraged our new kitchen at Marina Middle School to begin our production of all meals for students with special dietary needs. Student Nutrition Services is proud to partner with Food Connect for delivery to each school site, which allows for the production of allergy and special accommodation meals at this central location. At the end of the 22-23 SY, our Allergy Meal Program was preparing 101 meals for 55 students per day to ensure they are safely nourished!

Delicious, Fresh, and Nutritious Food served at Marina Middle School, made possible by the kitchen renovation.

Elevating School Food Through Improved Infrastructure

It takes time, funding, and staffing capacity to take food from:

Dining Space Redesigns

Welcoming dining spaces that students enjoy are an essential part of the school meal experience. We have opened 73 redesigned dining spaces at SFUSD so far. From 2015 to 2018, a public/private partnership allowed us to complete 18 spaces. From 2018 to 2024, general obligation bond funds were used to create 64 new spaces. With new furniture, graphics, and artwork, we’re creating student-centered spaces that reflect each individual school, supporting our goal to create dignified built environments. For more information on participating in a dining space redesign process at your school, contact Ivan Rodriguez.

About the Redesign Process

All redesigned dining spaces went through the same process. First, our team conducted school community focus groups to collect student and staff input on what they would like to see and feel in their dining space. Next, our contractors got to work on constructing and installing new design elements. Lastly, we celebrate a completed student-centered dining space redesign!