HIDOE Facilities Needs Report

The Hawaii Kitchens Inspection Tool centralizes student health with vital information for prioritization and the investment in kitchen facility improvement projects statewide. HI-KIT assessors access kitchens and cafeteria facilities at all HIDOE school campuses to gather current inventory of kitchen equipment, sinks, furniture and existing conditions of the kitchen spaces. In addition to creating an inventory of kitchen equipment, the HI-KIT field team assesses the equipment condition using a 1-4 rating system and assembles a variety of components from School Food Services Branch to help provide direction and efficiency in operations. HI-KIT Assessment scorecards are shown with a 4 point scale for all sections. 4 is good, 3 is fair, 2 is poor, and 1 is critical.

HI-KIT FAQ

Who is the contact at HIDOE for HI-KIT?

School Food Program Administrator, Lindsay Rodrigues is the HIDOE contact for HI-KIT. She can be reached at lindsay.rodrigues@k12.hi.us.
What is the HI KIT Survey?

HI KIT assessors access kitchens and Cafeteria facilities at all HIDOE school campuses to survey and evaluate kitchen equipment, sinks, furniture, and existing conditions of the kitchen spaces.
What is the purpose of creating an updated inventory within the HI KIT website?

The HI-KIT website and tool allow HIDOE stakeholders to access conditions and explore existing dining and kitchen equipment by location.
What is the data analysis process of the HI KIT Assessment?
1. The HI-KIT team analyzes the data across locations and kitchen types (Network, Stand-Alone, and Satellite) to develop insights that inform data-driven decision-making.
2. The HI-KIT Website and tool include summary insights that describe conditions across locations.
How is the HI-KIT website and tool used in developing strategies?

The district uses the insights from the data collected to develop strategies that take a systems-level approach to improved delivery of nourishing meals across the state. Strategies may be informed by insights such as equipment condition and replacement cost, meals served, and overall kitchen conditions.
How is the HI-KIT website used to define solutions and implement projects?
1. Strategic solutions are broken up into manageable projects along with their budget impacts, so that they can be prioritized and advocated for.
2. Once funded, projects move to the implementation phase. They may consist of a variety of statewide projects, maintenance, and replacement of equipment for kitchen facility improvements.