Cook - 7 hours

Hopkins-Public-Schools; Rapid City (SD); On-site; USD 50,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

Hopkins Public Schools in Rapid City, SD, is seeking a school food service team member for our large, high-volume kitchen. You will prepare meals from scratch, assist with receiving, storage, and serving, and help create a welcoming dining experience for students.

Duties include peeling and cutting produce, making dressings, ensuring safety and sanitation, accommodating special diets, washing dishes, and supporting the supervisor as needed.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED accepted.
• 1 year of food service experience or equivalent.
• Driver's License required.
• Food Safety and Sanitation Certification required within 3 months of hire (10 hours).

Responsibilities

• Prepare complex recipes.
• Peel and cut fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Prepare fresh condiments & dressings.
• Know safety and sanitation practices for food preparation, distribution and storage.
• Serve nourishing meals to school-aged children.
• Wash dishes and perform other food service tasks.
• Assist with special diet accommodations.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Skills

Food service

Teamwork

Customer service

Supervisory support

Chefs background

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Culinary Arts degree preferred

Job description

At Hopkins Public Schools, we believe that our strength lies in the diversity of our students, staff, and community. We are a proudly inclusive E-12 district serving approximately 7,200 students across the City of Hopkins and surrounding communities. Our district represents a rich mosaic of cultures, backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences; we value and celebrate that diversity in everything we do. As an academically rigorous and human-centered district, we are committed to fostering a welcoming environment where every student and staff member feels seen, heard, and valued. There is no "typical" Hopkins student, and we embrace this truth as a catalyst for innovation, growth, and equity in learning.

We seek educators and staff who are equity-minded, culturally responsive, and deeply committed to creating inclusive spaces where all learners can thrive.

We welcome candidates who are passionate about dismantling systemic barriers, advancing justice, and preparing students to become bold, collaborative, and compassionate global citizens. When you join Hopkins Public Schools, you are not just joining a district, you are becoming part of a community that honors difference, nurtures potential, and inspires remarkable achievement in every learner, from birth through graduation.

You are welcome at Hopkins. You belong at Hopkins.

SUMMARY:

Hopkins provides top-notch meals created from high-quality, fresh ingredients. Days include variety, fast-paced action related to general food production in a high-volume kitchen; preparing recipes, serving meals, cashiering and clean up as you build genuine and authentic connections with students. At Hopkins, we believe introducing children to a variety of foods early in life will broaden their taste palettes, allowing them to develop a healthier diet. Duties include assisting with the receiving, storage, preparation and serving of all foods on our menus, which include a wide variety of meats, nuts, legumes; a wide variety of fresh fruits & vegetables; breads & grains, and dairy products. Our teams coach kids to be adventurous & curious eaters!

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

This class specification lists the major duties and requirements of the job and is not all-inclusive. Incumbent(s) may be expected to perform job-related duties other than those contained in this document and may be required to have specific job-related knowledge and skills.

• Prepare complex recipes
• Peel and cut fresh fruits and vegetables
• Prepare fresh condiments & dressings
• Knowledge of safety and sanitation practices for food preparation, distribution and storage
• Serve school-aged children nourishing meals made from scratch
• Wash dishes and other food service tasks
• Assist with special diet accommodations
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by their supervisor

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma or GED Equivalent.
• One (1) year of food service experience.
• OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Required Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations:

• Driver's License.
• Food Safety and Sanitation Certification
  • Needs to be obtained within 3 months of hire (10 hours)

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Perform a variety of job functions related to high volume, high speed quantity food preparation.
• Food production concentrated in the command of recipes and procedures for baking, skillet and kettle operation; sanitation, safety, and security; program regulations and accountability and equipment use and care.
• Necessary supervisory and teamwork skills, cashiering and customer service focus;
• Assumption or assistance of the duties of the supervisor or manager in their absence
• Preference for trained Chefs - either through work experience or with a technical college Culinary Arts degree
• Experience with quantity food preparation gets you extra points!

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

Work is performed in a commercial food service and kitchen work environment; moderate physical requirements, with risk of burns and cuts; frequent lifting, carrying, and moving up to 40 pound containers of food preparation materials and equipment; may require working in a walk-in freezer.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in a commercial food service and kitchen work environment. May require travel to locations throughout the District.

Schedule:

7hrs per day, 5 days per week: 169 days total.

Wage & Benefit Info:

HSNE Agreement
Hourly Range: $23.85 - $24.45
Position specific Benefits information is available HERE
Union Contracts, Position Handbook/Agreements are located HERE