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›Formal management agreementGeneral businessstructure of canteensSchool canteens may operate under a varietyof management structures, depending onthe individual characteristics and needs ofthe school. Most canteens in schools are rununder the direction of, and are accountableto, the school council. Schools may decideto provide a food service to students inseveral ways.Scenario 1: Full-time paid canteen managerplus paid staff and/or volunteersThe canteen manager is present at all times andtheir work is supported by paid staff and possiblyvolunteers.Scenario 2: Part-time paid canteen managerplus volunteer staffThe canteen manager will attend the canteen inthe morning to allocate tasks to volunteer staff,and return in the afternoon to finish operations forthe day.Scenario 3: Fully staffed by volunteersThe canteen is staffed by a volunteer canteenmanager with volunteer staff. It may alternativelybe staffed by a group of volunteers, each of whomis rostered and responsible for the operation ofthe canteen on particular days.Scenario 4: External food services managementcompanyManagement of the canteen is contracted to anexternal food services management company,which is responsible for staffing the canteen.Scenario 5: External off-site catererSchools without their own canteens may orderfood from an off-site caterer, such as the localmilk bar, sandwich shop or canteen lunchspecialist caterer.When deciding a management structure forthe school food service, school councils shouldconsider the type and extent of the food servicethe school needs. For example, a small schoolwanting to provide a canteen service onceor twice a week may be able to do this withvolunteer support or external catering. However,a secondary school requiring a more extensivefood service, including breakfast, may need toemploy a full-time canteen manager.A formal management agreement detailingthe terms and conditions of the managementstructure should be drawn up and signed by therelevant management parties, which will usuallybe the school council and principal, or the schoolcouncil or principal and private contractor.Management agreementsThe management agreement between the partiesshould state clearly how any profits made fromthe canteen are to be distributed. There are anumber of options that should be considered.■■■■The school council pays profits to the schoolfor inclusion in the annual school budget andexpenditure is in accordance with schoolpriorities established by the school communityin the school charter and plan.The school council pays profits to the schoolbut they are not included in the annual schoolbudget. The school and school councildetermine the use of profits together. Thisoption allows for some of the canteen profitsto be invested back into the canteen so thathealthy changes can continue to be made.External catering contractors pay a set annualpayment per head of student population or payan agreed percentage of profits back to theschool council.It is important that food services that areexternally contracted or ordered from off-sitebusinesses are involved in, aware of and followthe school’s canteen policy. It is a good idea tostipulate guidelines within the canteen policy,for example regarding nutrition and promotionof healthy foods, within contracts and tenderswith external caterers.Employing staffEmploying canteen staff is the role of the schoolcouncil with approval from the principal. Whenemploying paid and voluntary canteen staff, itis important to follow good staff managementprocedures:■ following the correct industrial award oragreement■ having a formal job description and interviewprocess■ drawing up an official employment contract■ providing a staff supervisor■ having a performance review process■ providing adequate training■ establishing a complaints resolution procedure.For more information on employment andmanagement of staff for school canteens,including job descriptions, pay rates, employerentitlements and relevant awards, contact theAustralian School Canteens Association. Contactdetails of the Association are provided in theresources section of this manual.30 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual