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We’ve all said the adage “teamwork makes the dream work,” but for Butler County Schools it was a different type of teamwork that kept two of the schools going last week.

Last week, a lunchroom worker at both McKenzie School and Greenville Middle School tested positive for COVID-19. That meant the entire lunchroom staffs at both schools had to quarantine for two weeks.

Quick-thinking on the part of administrators and staff members who were willing to take on extra loads or responsibilities that were not in their normal job descriptions kept two schools open last week.

For McKenzie, lunchroom workers at Georgiana School rose to the challenge and doubled their daily load to ensure no one went unfed in McKenzie.

As for Greenville Middle School, Superintendent Joseph Eiland, Principal Bryant Marlow, Nurse Ebony McMeans, CNP Director Linda Perdue, and Joseph Dean stepped up to the plate.

The COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt taught us all that we have to pitch in and do things differently than we ever have before.

But it’s delightful to see leaders in our schools going above and beyond to take care of our local students.

While it may not seem like a big deal, the school lunch program is a pertinent part of students’ days at school.

For some students, the school lunch program is a vital source of food for them. In fact, for some the breakfast and lunch they receive at school is the only food they get on a weekly basis.

According to data from the USDA, more than 11 million children in the country live in what are deemed “food insecure” homes.

Locally, Greenville Middle School has an enrollment of 641 students, according to numbers provided by the Alabama Department of Education. Of those students 514 students receive free lunch and 36 of those are on reduced lunch.

At McKenzie School 424 students are enrolled with 244 being on free lunch and another 37 being on reduced.

Therefore, school lunch is positive for overall health and well-being of students.

Research shows that it ensures that children have adequate nutrition that is needed throughout the day to learn.

So, kudos to the employees of the BCS who stepped up to the plate and made sure students were fed last week.