Southpoint Area Public School Lunchroom Inspection Scores for October 2024

From Durham County Public Health Department Records

On occasion, Southpoint Access will gather information from Durham County’s Public Health Department to get a snapshot of how facilities in this region are scoring on their inspections. In this report, we delve into recent reports on public school lunchrooms in Durham. These reports were filed between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2024.

TL;DR Version: Top scores (100) went to Creekside Elementary, Eastway Elementary, Global Scholars Academy, Lyons Farm Elementary, Merrick Moore Elementary, Rogers-Herr Middle, and Sherwood Githens Middle. Lowest score (95.5) went to Lowe’s Grove Middle School.

Bethesda Elementary School Lunchroom. 2009 S. Miami Blvd. Inspection: Sept. 19. Score: 98.  Notes: Dish machine not functioning. Ceiling tiles throughout facility need cleaning.

Club Boulevard Elementary School Lunchroom. 400 Club Blvd. Inspection: Sept. 25. Score: 99.5. Notes: Hot water wasn’t working.

Creekside Elementary School Lunchroom. 5321 Ephesus Church Rd. Inspection: Aug. 26. Score: 100. Notes: Cooked chicken in hot holding was below 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot holding unit, tall reach-in, and ice machine out of order.

Eastway Elementary School Lunchroom. 610 N. Alston Ave. Inspection: Sept. 12. Score: 100. Notes: None.

Eno Valley Elementary School Lunchroom. 117 Milton Rd. Inspection: Sept. 11. Score: 98.5. Notes: Dishwasher remains out of order since February 2023. Bathroom ceiling vent cover is rusted and needs replacement. Walk-in freezer gasket has black build-up. Ceiling scaffolding needs cleaning.

George Watts Elementary School Lunchroom. 700 Watts St. Inspection: Sept. 17. Score: 97.5. Notes: Rusted shelving in walk-in cooler. Build-up on gasket on walk-in cooler. Ice machine doesn’t have a backflow preventer on water line.

Glenn Elementary School Lunchroom. 2415 Geer St. Inspection: Sept. 6. Score: 97.5. Notes: No vomit/diarrhea cleanup plan posted. Food thermometers weren’t reading accurately. Scoop handle touching dry spice in dry storage. Rusted walk-in cooler floor. Black and pink build-up on walk-in cooler gasket.

Global Scholars Academy Lunchroom. 311 Dowd St. Inspection: Sept. 17. Score: 100. Notes: None.

Hillandale Elementary School Lunchroom. 2730 Hillandale Rd. Inspection: Sept. 16. Score: 98. Notes: Two pans of American cheese above 41 degrees Fahrenheit in an ice bath. Food thermometers weren’t reading accurately. Two plastic-wrapped bulk food trays on ground in dry storage. Four milk crates used to keep food boxes off ground in walk-in cooler, one milk crate used to keep box of single-service items off ground in dry storage area.

Hillside High School Lunchroom. 3727 Fayetteville St. Inspection: Sept. 11. Score: 99. Notes: Bone-in chicken in hot cabinet was 86 degrees Fahrenheit, but should’ve been at least 135 degrees. Torn gaskets on walk-in cooler and bread proofer. Peeling paint on walls in mop area and behind dish machine.

Holt Elementary School Lunchroom. 4019 Holt School Rd. Inspection: Sept. 17. Score: 98.5. Notes: Walk-in freezer was broken on day of inspection. Milk cooler gasket had black build-up. Repair needed to lower walls close to baseboards. Dust build-up in bathroom vent.

Hope Valley Elementary School Lunchroom. 3005 Dixon Rd. Inspection: Sept. 12. Score: 98.5. Notes: Dented can of pinto beans in storage area. Four pans of corn salad tightly sealed in two-door standing cooler. Torn gaskets on standing cooler.

Jordan High School Lunchroom. 6806 Garrett Rd. Inspection: Sept. 16. Score: 97.5. Notes: Dishwasher not sanitizing properly, had to switch to two-compartment sinks for sanitizing. Chicken thawing at room temperature instead of under refrigeration.

KIPP Durham College Prep Lunchroom. 1107 Holloway St. Inspection: Sept. 3. Score: 98. Notes: Cheese sticks at serving line temperatures between 45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but should be 41 degrees or lower. Bottle of cleaner stored next to clean pans on shelving at dish sink area.

Lakewood Elementary School Lunchroom. 2520 Vessen Ave. Inspection: Sept. 24. Score: 96.5. Notes: Pan of cooked meatballs in walk-in cooler lacked date label. Pureed peaches thawed at ambient temperature on prep sink. Multiple live roaches in kitchen during inspection.

Lakewood Montessori School Lunchroom. 2119 Chapel Hill Rd. Inspection: Sept. 9. Score: 99. Notes: Two containers of tomato sauce with prep dates of Aug. 29 in walk-in cooler. Torn gasket on stacked cooler. Hot water in three-compartment sink only reached 99 degrees Fahrenheit.

Little River Elementary School Lunchroom. 2215 Snow Hill Rd. Inspection: Sept. 24. Score: 97. Notes: Chicken sandwiches hot holding in hotbox at 116 degrees Fahrenheit, but should be at least 135 degrees. Most single-service containers stored with inside exposed. Floor of walk-in cooler has rust build-up. Black build-up on walk-in cooler gasket.

Lowe’s Grove Middle School Lunchroom. 4418 S. Alston Ave. Inspection: Aug. 30. Score: 95.5. Notes: Most temperature-controlled foods holding at 43 or 44 degrees Fahrenheit in walk-in cooler. Should be 41 degrees or lower. Walk-in cooler door not self-closing. Shredded lettuce in two-door cooler and walk-in cooler lacked date mark. Torn gaskets on two-door reach-in cooler.

Lyons Farm Elementary School Lunchroom. 906 Scott King Rd. Inspection: Sept. 17. Score: 100. Notes: None.

Mangum Elementary School Lunchroom. 9008 Quail Roost Rd. Inspection: Sept. 20. Score: 98. Notes: Two cans dented by the seal in dry storage. Bottom of oven not working. Dish machine not working. Steamer not working.

Merrick Moore Elementary School Lunchroom. 2325 Cheek Rd. Inspection: Sept. 16. Score: 100. Notes: Torn gasket on standing cooler near ice machine.

Morehead Elementary School Lunchroom. 909 W. Cobb St. Inspection: Sept. 18. Score: 98.5. Notes: Sweet potatoes in hot box at 93 degrees and 103 degrees Fahrenheit, when should be at least 135 degrees. Metal pans stacked wet. Dishwasher has been broken for more than a year. Ice machine and top portion of steamer is out of order. Black build-up on two-door coolers.

Neal Middle School Lunchroom. 201 Baptist Rd. Inspection: Sept. 12. Score: 99. Notes: Dish machine with paper note reading “Out of Order.” Shelving underneath one prep table is loose, needs repair. Mop sink hose hanging in flood rim. Dust build-up on ceiling ventilation.

Northern High School Lunchroom. 117 Tom Wilkinson Rd. Inspection: Aug. 7. Score: 98. Notes: Four dozen shell eggs stored atop shelving in the walk-in cooler. Milk crate in metal walk-in cooler keeping boxed food off ground. Dust build-up on vent covers. Cracked floor tiles sealed off with silicone caulk.

Oak Grove Elementary School Lunchroom. 3810 Wake Forest Hwy. Inspection: July 25. Score: 97.5. Notes: Employee beverage stored beside plastic wrap under prep table. Two bottles of chemical in restroom, partially or completely unlabeled. Unwrapped paper towels stored on shelving in restroom. Milk crates used for shelving in walk-in freezer.

Pearsontown Elementary School Lunchroom. 4915 Barbee Rd. Inspection: Sept. 9. Score: 99. Notes: Stacked steamer and dish machine out of order and awaiting replacement. Garbage bins had side doors open during inspection.

R.N. Harris Elementary School Lunchroom. 1520 Cooper St. Inspection: Sept. 13. Score: 100. Notes: None.

Rogers-Herr Middle School Lunchroom. 911 W. Cornwallis Rd. Inspection: Sept. 10. Score: 100. Notes: Three-door standing cooler out of order.

Sandy Ridge Elementary School Lunchroom. 1417 Old Oxford Rd. Inspection: Aug. 27. Score: 97. Notes: Paper towel dispenser next to meat slicer not working. One mixed cooked vegetables with internal temperature below 135 degrees Fahrenheit on hot holding line. Apples washed with stickers still on them.

Sherwood Githens Middle School Lunchroom. 4800 Chapel Hill Rd. Inspection: Aug. 28. Score: 100. Notes: Employee’s lunch bag stored above prepared food. Doors on walk-in and freezer weren’t self closing. Dishwasher and conventional oven not functioning.

Southern High School Lunchroom. 800 Clayton Rd. Inspection: Sept. 25. Score: 97.5. Notes: Water temperature 77 degrees Fahrenheit at handwashing sink. Milk crate used to store food in walk-in freezer. Repairs needed to leaking prewash sprayer at dish sink.

Southwest Elementary School Lunchroom. 2320 Cook Rd. Inspection: Aug. 28. Score: 100. Notes: Slaw at cold holding was above 41 degrees Fahrenheit, and the unit was off. Rusty shelves in walk-in cooler and dry storage area.

What Does the Data Tell Us?

We asked ChatGPT to review the data and provide feedback. Here’s what the large language model returned:

The data highlights several concerning factors in public school lunchrooms:

1. Sanitation Issues: Problems such as malfunctioning dish machines, unclean ceiling tiles, and rusted shelving were noted in multiple schools, such as at Bethesda Elementary and Glenn Elementary. These types of maintenance problems can compromise hygiene and food safety.
2. Temperature Control Problems: Improper food storage temperatures were a recurring issue, with violations noted at schools like Lakewood Elementary (cooked meatballs without date labels) and Little River Elementary (chicken sandwiches stored below safe hot-holding temperatures). Keeping food at the wrong temperature increases the risk of foodborne illness.
3. Pest Presence: At Lakewood Elementary, live roaches were found in the kitchen during inspection, highlighting significant pest control concerns, which pose a direct threat to food safety.
4. Equipment Malfunctions: Broken walk-in coolers, freezers, dishwashers, and hot holding units were frequently cited, as seen at schools like Creekside Elementary and Lowe’s Grove Middle School. This can affect the ability to safely store and prepare food.