Thursday’s Comet Cafe canceled due to plumbing problems at high school

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Charles City High School’s Comet Cafe, which was scheduled for today (Thursday), has been canceled.

According to information released by the Charles City School District, the Family and Consumer Science (FCS) program, which is housed in the 600 circle of the high school, has been facing problems with its plumbing infrastructure, which forced the cancellation.

“The plumbing in the 1963 classroom of the Charles City High School was not built to handle a career readiness program such as pro-start (the parent class of Comet Cafe),” the school district stated. “Even though the school district has made improvements to the classroom, instruction, equipment, technology, and modernized the curriculum, the underground plumbing of the building is not built to handle the demands.”

The district said the FCS classroom’s kitchen is temporarily being moved to the Charles City Middle School FCS classroom until the plumbing infrastructure is repaired and the area is appropriately sanitized to meet food and health codes.

Comet Cafe students plan, prepare, cook and serve meals, which are generally held as a luncheon at the high school. The public is typically invited to attend and enjoy food completely prepared and presented by the students.

The class simulates a real-world restaurant, and has been around for nearly 20 years, previously instructed by Dené Lundberg. She retired after the 2017-18 school year and Cady Mead is in her second year of instructing the class.

Sixteen students, all juniors and seniors, are in the class this year.

The theme for Thursday’s meal was intended to be “American Classics.” The meal was going to be a Sloppy Joe, baked potato chips with sour cream, green beans with bacon, homemade macaroni and cheese and apple crisp with ice cream for dessert.