Recognize Our Own- Josette Mushinski

K-12 managers and supervisors who made a difference over the past year

Josette Mushinski, manager

Beverly City (N.J.) School District/Nutri-Serve

Nominator: Dana Siciliano, operations manager, Nutri-Serve Food Management

“Josette is a shining star. She is the manager of Beverly City School District, a small district that doesn’t have a budget for a food service director. When I trained Josette to be a manager just before COVID hit, no one could have planned for what was next.

Beverly City Schools never closed during COVID; they worked daily to serve their students and keep everyone safe during that difficult time. Josette and her team went to work each day, knowing the risk they faced. They were brave to keep going! Because of Josette’s team, the children had nutritious food served with love in a community where all students were eligible for free lunch. I can’t express how thankful I am to know that there are people like Josette on the frontline of the crisis, working so hard every day to protect the most vulnerable.

We had to transform how we serve, bringing meals to every classroom at breakfast and lunch. Josette had to step up and learn Google Docs, new ordering and recording systems, PPE usage, and management and deal with difficult personalities. She worked above and beyond every task and change I gave her to make it run smoothly. I’m proud that Josette had the power to rise above any situation and deliver the best results no matter the circumstances. Her handling of all the changes showed resilience, experience, knowledge, and critical thinking. Josette’s care for her community is evident daily in her kitchen. She deserves to be recognized.”