STUDENTS from the Willmore Language Academy performed a traditional “Dio de Los Muertos” dance at Thursday’s Westminster School District board meeting (OC Tribune photo).

By Philip Ho/Orange County Tribune

Government meetings aren’t always entertaining, but there are exceptions. On Thursday, the Westminster School District Board of Trustees meeting opened with a dance performance by pupils from the Willmore Language Academy in observance of “Dia de los Muertos,” known in English as “The Day of the Dead,” a traditional Mexican holiday.

The performance by 10 girls was coordinated by Willmore Principal Tiuemi Ellis.

The meeting also featured a report on the WSD’s Nutrition Service by Director Paul Ngo. He reported that over 8,400 students were served each school day with meals that met all USDA and state educational standards for students.

As part of an ongoing effort to minimize the use of canned and dried food, the goal is to “expand fresh and nutritious meal offerings that adheres to or exceed current state and federal guidelines,” said Ngo.

Toward that end, the Nutrition Services plans to “source more food from local sustainable farms, collaborating with the 11 school gardens for ingredients, and achieving 40 percent of meals from scratch which will create eligibility for state and government grants.

To meet their goals, they will utilize the available $3 million fund and the $875,000 California Kitchen Infrastructure Grant. The $3 million restricted one-time fund will be allocated for staff training, kitchen equipment, etc., while the grant will be used for kitchen utilities upgraded. The funding will go towards modernizing the central kitchen from a standard reheating kitchen to a production kitchen.

The WSD serves most of Westminster as well as parts of adjacent communities.