A Day in the Life of a Student

Students are up early and home late and their day is a maze of school activities. We want to support those students every step of the way, so we’ve mapped out a day in their life and all the ways we at Sodexo can make a positive impact. 

It starts for us when students arrive at school. We want to welcome them with well-maintained grounds that make the school community and neighborhood proud. Then, we give each student a smile. Our employees are trained in customer service and understand how to set the right tone for a positive atmosphere.

We also look out for students who haven’t had a full breakfast. Three out of four educators report to seeing students regularly come to school hungry, so our team has designed flexible options, like providing meals in the classroom, to meet the unique needs of each school district. 

Now that they are starting off the day right, students benefit from proper lighting and healthy air quality within the school and their classrooms. The right lighting has been shown to reduce stress levels and improve academic performance. And, with an energy management plan, schools can save a significant amount on energy bills.

Meanwhile, half of U.S. schools have been found to have air quality problems because of inadequate ventilation and moisture control. Our teams are highly trained to confront the issue, with every Facilities Director at every one of our partner schools trained by the EPA as a Master of Indoor Air Quality.  

Then comes lunch, a crucial part of the day when we can offer healthy, delicious options that boost energy to keep them going through the afternoon. We especially focus on preference, variety and nutrition. Using surveys, we discover which dishes most popular and, since our kitchens have the benefit of our global culinary expertise, couple the local favorites with delicious, worldly dishes. 

If a student has allergies or other health issues, we have developed an app that allows school nurses and parents to plan meals. 

Then, it’s off to recess. Our teams are trained to conduct regular inspections of playground equipment, making sure students are safe while having fun. 

When the school day ends, our jobs aren’t over. We see it as our responsibility to keep supporting students during after-school activities and sports. Our after-school snack and supper programs keep them fueled and our facilities and turf maintenance programs keep them going strong until they’re ready to rest up and start again in the morning. 

See an illustration of a day in the life of a student in the graphic above. And, let us know how we can improve the lives of your students.