Chef Bates' 10 Commandments for Getting an "A" in Culinary
Most families don't have time to study every line of the full policy guide below — so here is the entire syllabus, uniform policy, and kitchen safety contract boiled down to what actually determines a student's grade. Read the full sections underneath for the details behind each one.
- 1
Come to school
Students who miss more than 5 culinary classes per quarter, or are late more than 10 times per quarter, will have a very hard time passing and will be placed on academic probation.
Good attendance = A's - 2
Be prepared to cook
40–60% of the entire course grade is based on performance in the kitchen. The day before you cook, review recipes, read your notes, or watch videos. Come prepared to be successful.
- 3
Be on time
Students get 3 additional minutes to prepare for the kitchen on top of the 6-minute passing bell — after that, they are late and must get a pass. Late students may or may not cook, at their chef's discretion.
Get ready, get in the kitchen, let's go! - 4
Uniforms matter
Enter the kitchen fully dressed and ready to work: a clean chef coat, probe thermometer, and sharpie are required for Culinary 2, 3 & 4 students. All students need short, clean nails (or gloves), kitchen-safe shoes, and fully restrained hair.
Messy coat, messy cook, messy food - 5
Clean as you cook
Never leave the kitchen messy for the next class. Leaving it dirty is an automatic 30% off. Students may not be absent or late to their next class to stay and clean up after their own.
Dirty birds get C's - 6
Work quick, work safe
We have limited time to cook, clean, and eat. If you don't know what to do, ask chef. Standing around while others work is a sure way to fail. Your chef will never write a pass to your next class because you dawdled after the bell.
Dangerous dawdlers get D's - 7
Missed days aren't excused — they're made up
Absent school cooks become YouTube home cooks: make up a missed cooking day by recording yourself making the recipe at home. Miss a prep day or graded demo instead, and you make it up with 90 minutes of intensive afterschool kitchen cleaning.
- 8
Catering is part of your grade
Sign up for afterschool and weekend catering events as often as you can — there's a specific number required by level, worth 20% of your grade. No one works every event, but everyone should try to.
- 9
Study for tests
Culinary exams are challenging. Very few tests are multiple choice, and quite a few are practicals. Don't assume you'll absorb everything in class — studying on your own time is a must.
- 10
Turn in assignments on time
Canvas deducts 10% for every day an assignment is late and stops accepting work 7 days after the due date. Don't lose points to procrastination — those zeroes add up fast.
Program Overview, Curriculum Tracks & Industry Certifications
Welcome to the Magnet Academy of Culinary Arts at Wekiva High School, where students are prepared for collegiate excellence and high-level hospitality careers.
1.1 Who we are and what we do
The Culinary Arts Magnet is a rigorous career and technical education (CTE) program — not a casual home-cooking class. Students master commercial culinary techniques, food science, bakery arts, and business operations using the National Restaurant Association's ProStart curriculum. Students gain hands-on operational experience through:
- Commercial Kitchen & Teaching Bakery — training on commercial cooking equipment, espresso machines, pizza decks, and pastry stations.
- Mustang Café & Creamery — our student-run, in-school restaurant, espresso bar, pizza service, and gelato/rolled ice cream enterprise.
- Mustang Events — our full-service catering enterprise serving school, district, and community functions.
1.2 Program progression & curriculum tracks
Progression into upper-level courses is competitive and based on active event participation, exam performance, competition standing, attendance, and practical skill evaluations. Upper-level students specialize through specific tracks:
| Track | Focus | Standards covered |
|---|---|---|
| Track 1 | Commercial Foods & Culinary Operations | 1–32 |
| Track 2 | Baking & Pastry Specialty Operations | 33–38 |
| Track 3 (culminating course) | Gastronomy & Garde Manger Skills — advanced technique, modern food science, and culinary trends | 39–45 |
Students must complete Track 1, 2, or 3 to complete Occupational Completion Point (OCP) D.
1.3 Industry certifications & ProStart National Certificate of Achievement
All enrolled students prepare for and take national professional certification exams: the ServSafe Manager Certification (National Restaurant Association) and the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals Certification.
ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA)
To earn the prestigious ProStart COA, Culinary 4 students must:
- Pass two national ProStart exams — Level 1 and Level 2.
- Accumulate 400 hours of mentored work experience in the hospitality industry.
Graduates earning the ProStart COA are eligible for exclusive college scholarships awarded by the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association (CFHLA), Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA), and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF).
Academic Policies, Grading Breakdown & Expectations
Grades are based on a combination of classwork, kitchen labs, quizzes, exams, and mandatory catering credits earned through afterschool and weekend catering projects.
2.1 Academic grading breakdown & categories
Grades are organized across weighted categories balancing Standards-Based Learning and Academic Habits:
What's inside each grading category
Labs & practical skills — 40% (standards-based)
- Recipe and ingredient studies
- Kitchen procedures and station cleanup
- Post-lab evaluations and reflections
- Returning forms, paperwork, or assignments on time
- Assisting with kitchen deep cleaning, food deliveries, and class projects as needed
Classwork & academic skills — 20% (formative)
- Culinary science, history, and math applications
- Ingredient and cuisine research
- Café and event planning assignments
- Worksheets, homework, and individual/group projects
- Academic presentations
Catering credits — 20% (professional habits)
Active participation in afterschool and weekend catering events is a core, non-optional component of the curriculum.
| Course | Events | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Culinary 1 | 4 | 16 hrs |
| Culinary 2 | 6 | 24 hrs |
| Culinary 3 | 8 | 32 hrs |
| Culinary 4 | 10 | 40 hrs |
Catering credits are not earned during the regular school day. Failure to meet the annual requirement results in a failing grade for this portion of the course, and may lead to denial of enrollment in the Culinary program the following school year.
Quizzes & exams — 20% (standards-based summative)
- Regular quizzes, practical check-ins, and hands-on tests built into each unit
- End-of-course assessments: a 50-question multiple-choice exam plus a comprehensive practical cooking test
- Extra credit: students who earn skill certifications and/or pass professional exams (ServSafe, Food Safety Manager) earn significant extra credit applied directly to the quiz grade category
2.2 Mandatory laptop & technology policy
- Wekiva High School is a 1-to-1 technology school; students must bring a fully-charged laptop every day.
- Forgetting a laptop, charger, or required digital tools is never excused.
- Because classroom outlets are strictly limited, students unable to complete work or tests due to an uncharged or missing laptop receive standard late-work penalties.
2.3 Paper notes, storage & lockers
- Abandoned notes, assignments, and quizzes may be discarded — it's the student's responsibility to track their written materials.
- Culinary 2–4 students are issued a locker on the 600 hall and are solely responsible for storing and retrieving notes, handouts, and chef coats during the first 5 minutes of class.
2.4 Attendance, absence, tardiness, late work & make-up policy
2.4.1 Punctuality, tardy penalties & uniform readiness
- Prompt arrival: class begins promptly; arriving late compromises kitchen safety and station prep time.
- The first 3-minute window: students must be fully changed into required gear — cooking shoes, clean apron, hair covering, and (for advanced students) a clean chef coat — within 3 minutes of class starting.
- Being out of uniform = absence: arriving without appropriate footwear or hair covering results in being moved to another classroom, no exceptions — this is a Health Department rule, and the instance counts as a regular absence.
| 3 tardies | Administrative referral |
| < 10 minutes late | Considerable grade reduction for that day's lab (missed prep time) |
| > 10 minutes late | Loses ability to participate in the day's lab entirely, forfeits lab credit, officially recorded absent |
Being absent for more than 15 minutes of a demo, prep, or cooking day counts as missing the entire period.
2.4.2 Attendance monitoring & probationary standards
Consistent attendance is mandatory in our fast-paced commercial kitchen and business environment. Magnet and Competition student attendance is monitored closely on a quarterly basis.
Unexcused absences: 5 or more in a single quarter → probation, possible dismissal from the program or competition team.
Tardiness: 10+ minutes tardy for 10 or more classes in a single quarter → probation, possible dismissal.
The 15-minute rule: being more than 15 minutes tardy is officially recorded as an absence.
Strict inter-class movement & schedule rules
- Students are never permitted to be tardy for their next class to complete Culinary responsibilities.
- Late passes are never given to finish cleaning up after a practicum.
- Students may not "drop in" to the Teaching Kitchen or Bakery to avoid other classes. Working on a project or assisting with a lab may only occur with a prearranged absence form signed by Chef, parents, and the teacher whose class is being missed — no exceptions.
- Students may not show up to cooking labs during other class periods — even with their teacher's permission — to "ask to help."
2.4.3 Excused vs. unexcused absences & make-up work
- Excused absence documentation: it's the student's personal responsibility to bring a copy of the signed excused absence form directly to Chef. Leaving your only copy with the attendance clerk is insufficient — make a second copy and hand it to Chef.
- Canvas & calendar check: if you miss class, it's your responsibility to check Canvas and the calendar for missing assignments.
- Grace period: in keeping with OCPS policy, students with excused absences receive the number of missed days plus one to complete assignments without penalty.
- Missed exams: in keeping with OCPS policy, students who miss an exam must make it up the next day they're present, even if that means missing a lab.
- Unexcused absences result in a zero for the day's activities, participation, and exams.
2.4.4 Late assignments
In accordance with school policy, all CTE courses use the same tiered late-work standard for written work:
| 1 day late | −10% |
| 2 days late | −20% |
| 3 days late | −30% |
| 4 days late | −40% |
| 5 days late | −50% |
| 6+ days late | May or may not be accepted — instructor discretion |
2.4.5 Missed labs, demonstrations & home make-up policy
- Lab requirements: cooking-day grades often split into Demonstration (recipe notes), Prep Day, and the Cooking Day itself. At Chef's discretion, students absent for the Demonstration or Prep Day may be barred from the cooking lab and assigned utility duties instead.
- Home makeup: graded cooking assignments can't realistically be replicated in class or after school. Missed labs can only be made up by completing the lab at home, recording the cooking process, uploading it to the student's Google Drive, and sharing that link with Chef.
- Family responsibility: the family provides the raw materials for a home makeup — ingredients are not sent home from school.
- Submission window: students must email their chef instructor confirming the video was uploaded and shared, within 7 days of the original due date. After 7 days, the standard 10%-per-day late penalty applies.
- Alternative catering makeups: on rare occasions, entirely at Chef's discretion, a missed lab may instead be made up with three hours of after-school Culinary Arts Department work per missed lab. Don't depend on this being available.
2.5 Academic integrity
Plagiarism or cheating results in an immediate zero on the assignment, parent notification, and an administrative disciplinary referral.
- Any student caught copying another student's work, copy-pasting from an online source without attribution, or otherwise cheating receives a zero on the assignment/quiz/exam with no makeup or extra credit.
- Individual assignments must be the student's own work. Two students turning in identical work share the points earned. Work copied from a website or textbook when the assignment calls for original wording receives zero credit.
- AI-generated work: if a chef instructor has reason to believe a submission was AI-generated, they will ask the student general questions about it to test for understanding. If the student can't explain what they turned in, the instructor may reassign the work, change the assignment parameters, or decline to accept it.
Honor Code & Health Code
3.1 Wekiva Culinary honor code
The chef instructors at Wekiva work hard to keep expenses low and get the most value from every dollar — selling what students make so we can cook more often, finding multiple uses for supplies, and giving every student as much time in the kitchen as possible. For this reason, we guard our resources carefully.
Eating anything from the teaching kitchen that was not expressly offered or permitted results in: (1) no credit for that assignment, (2) an assigned afterschool kitchen cleaning activity, and (3) potentially a written administrative referral for theft.
Golden rule: if you're hungry, ask. If there's any question at all about whether you can eat something, ask.
3.2 Health code & kitchen compliance
Because Wekiva Culinary caters public and off-campus events, we operate under the legal oversight of the Orange County Health Department. The same sanitary laws that apply to commercial restaurants apply to our teaching kitchens:
- Backpacks: may never be brought into the kitchen.
- Uniform dressing: hair coverings and chef coats must be put on in the hallway before entering the kitchen — never inside it.
- Apron removal: students must remove their apron and leave it on a rack in the kitchen before entering the restroom.
- Cell phones: students must ask Chef's permission to have a phone out in the kitchen, even to check a recipe or photograph finished food.
- Beverages: only from a covered, sealed container that won't spill if knocked over. No beverages of any kind are ever allowed in the bakery.
- Outside lunch & personal food: the commercial kitchen or bakery may not be used to prepare personal lunches, warm up meals, or pop popcorn (microwaves are provided in the cafeteria). Personal food may not be stored in commercial refrigerators.
- Eating outside food: never allowed in the teaching kitchen or bakery. Ask before bringing snacks into the classroom — don't assume you can eat breakfast during class.
3.3 Recipe raw materials & student shopping lists
In Culinary 2, 3, and 4, cooking groups periodically design and execute custom recipes. While the program provides raw ingredients whenever possible, students must bring in raw materials themselves if the magnet can't supply an item due to logistics, market availability, price constraints, or a shopping list submitted past the deadline.
Events, Catering Credits & Field Trips
4.1 Department overview & mandatory catering credits
Our program operates like a performing arts department in one major way: students have the opportunity to participate in many exciting events. Off-campus trips and events carry specific responsibilities and expectations.
Student expectation: participate, plan, and prepare to attend in-school, after-school, and weekend events. No student is expected to participate in everything — we only expect all students to meet the minimum, and to help with additional events as they choose to build experience.
| Course | Events | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Culinary 1 | 4 | 16 hrs |
| Culinary 2 | 6 | 24 hrs |
| Culinary 3 | 8 | 32 hrs |
| Culinary 4 | 10 | 40 hrs |
Arriving late, leaving early, or committing and failing to attend results in losing catering credit. Students must stay for the entire agreed-upon duration to receive credit.
4.2 In-school events & pre-arranged absence protocols
Some in-school events require a Pre-Arranged Absence Form signed by parent/guardian and academic teachers, excusing the student from other classes to assist. These events are graded.
Eligibility & unacceptable excuses
The only reasons a student would not be allowed to participate in an in-school event: they're failing another class, or their teacher is unwilling to permit the absence.
Not acceptable: "I lost the permission form." "I forgot to have my teacher sign it." "I don't want to. Can I do something else?" — if a student doesn't want to help with a particular event, they wait until the next one.
Alternative assignments: none exist for catering credits. Students who don't want to cook will not meet the requirement, and will be "strongly encouraged" to choose a different elective the following year.
4.3 After-school & weekend events
A variety of after-school preparation sessions and catered functions are planned each year, including Brownie Bake Parties, catering events, and Students-Teaching-Teachers classes.
- Transportation is strictly the student's responsibility to arrange in advance. If it's not available, don't sign up — "I couldn't get a ride" the next day is not acceptable.
- Employment commitments: it's the student's responsibility to request the day off work in advance. "I had to work" is not an acceptable reason for missing a committed event. If you can't get the day off, don't sign up.
- There are never alternative assignments to make up event grades or catering credits for non-participants.
4.4 Field trips & academic eligibility
Field trips are rewards and opportunities to further educational experience for active students — not entitlements. Students are invited to attend who meet all of the following:
- Have fully participated in program events.
- Are passing all core courses.
- Have maintained a minimum 2.5 unweighted GPA.
- Have maintained an 85% or greater average in their Culinary Arts course.
Most field trips are free; some carry a shared transportation cost.
Uniform Policy & Chef Coat Contract
5.1 Required uniform standards by course level
Wekiva Culinary provides aprons, a round chef beanie, and chef coats for use during cooking and public events. Other uniform elements are the responsibility of the student and family. By signing the Intake & Policy Agreement Form, you're agreeing to make sure your student has:
| Course level | Required student-provided uniform & supplies |
|---|---|
| Culinary 1 | Close-toed, kitchen-safe shoes |
| Culinary 2 & 3 | Hair restraint · non-slip, grease-resistant cooking shoes · sharpie · probe thermometer (bimetallic or digital) |
| Culinary 4, Catering & Competition | All Culinary 3 requirements, plus checkered chef pants |
5.2 Chef coat care, locker storage & class requirements
- Coat issuance: Culinary 2, 3, and 4 students receive a school-issued chef coat and beanie at the start of the year.
- Washing & care: wash and care for the coat once a week, or as needed to remove visible debris, per the tag instructions — pretreat stains, wash in warm (not hot) water with regular detergent, tumble dry low. OxiClean is highly recommended; never use bleach. Wednesday is "coat day" — the only day students may wash their coat in the kitchen.
- Locker storage: hang clean chef coats on a hanger inside the school-issued locker between cooking days to prevent wrinkling.
- Uniform expectation: a clean, wrinkle-free chef coat is required every cooking day and at special events as instructed.
- Class exclusion & grading penalty: students presenting to a lab without a clean, wrinkle-free coat on a required day may be reassigned to a non-cooking classroom and receive no credit for the lab.
5.3 Financial responsibilities & damage fees
If a coat is lost, altered, defaced, torn, permanently stained, or otherwise no longer presentable, a replacement is issued and a $55.00 replacement fee is charged.
Coats must be returned clean, pressed, and in good repair by the spring deadline. Returning a coat dirty incurs a mandatory $10.00 cleaning fee.
5.4 Culinary 1 short-term loaner coats
Culinary 1 students participating in public events may trade their school ID card for a short-term "loaner coat." Loaner coats must be returned clean and wrinkle-free within 7 days to retrieve the student's ID card.
Program Supply Fees & Financial Support
6.1 Program supply fee structure
The Magnet Academy of Culinary Arts and Student Catering fund approximately 75% of the cost of all student recipes and lab cooking materials. So students can cook frequently and recreate recipes to the professional standards set by the hospitality industry, students and families contribute the remaining 25% of supply costs. These funds go directly toward purchasing only food and raw materials used in the teaching kitchen — roughly $2.00 per cooking day over the course of the year.
| Course | Annual fee | Per quarter |
|---|---|---|
| Culinary 1 (freshmen) | $50.00 | $12.50 |
| Culinary 2, 3 & 4 (sophomores, juniors, seniors) | $100.00 | $25.00 |
6.2 Payment methods & scheduling options
- Online (preferred): pay through SchoolPay.com — log in or register, then select Culinary Arts Cooking Lab under Wekiva High School.
- Cash or check: enclose the fee in a paper envelope, seal it, and sign your name directly across the seal. Have your student turn it in directly to their chef instructor. A receipt is issued the day after payment is submitted — ask your student for it for your own records.
- Installment plans & postponement: families may postpone or split the fee across the school year by contacting the chef instructor directly to set up a schedule.
6.3 Need-based scholarships & advisory board
We do not want any student to withdraw or miss out due to financial hardship. A limited number of need-based scholarships are available through the Wekiva Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund.
- Request a Need-Based Scholarship Application directly from your culinary instructor, or by emailing Chef Bates.
- Fill out the application in full — student GPA, prior event assistance, and a statement of interest/need — and submit it to Chef Bates in the Orange Box in the culinary hallway.
- Applications are reviewed confidentially by the Magnet Advisory Board. Priority goes to students actively involved in department catering events and competition teams.
6.4 Additional scholarship fund donations & tax acknowledgments
Families or businesses wishing to donate additional funds to sponsor another culinary student in need can note the amount on their payment slip or SchoolPay transaction and email Chef Bates, who will provide documentation for tax credits or tax-deductible donor acknowledgment.
Kitchen Conduct & Safety Contract
While we take every precaution to prevent accidents, an active, working kitchen can be the site of injuries. Small incidents are bound to occur — the chef and all students are responsible for careful behavior to minimize those risks.
Train every student on accident procedure, enforce rules, and keep First Aid materials stocked for minor cuts, burns, and falls.
Follow uniform procedures, respect conduct rules, know prevention measures, execute first aid response, stay vigilant at all times.
Review this list with your student, understand the risks of studying professional culinary arts, and support Chef in maintaining a safe environment.
7.1 Uniform procedures on cooking days
Cooking days are short: 48 minutes of class time, with the first 5 minutes devoted to getting ready and the last 5 to cleanup — leaving only 38 minutes to cook, serve, and clean. For this reason, the following three rules are non-negotiable:
| 0–5 min | Prep window: personal items into locker, uniform on, meet Chef at the front of the kitchen for instructions and inspection |
| 5–43 min | Active cooking, plating, evaluation, and primary sanitation |
| 43–48 min | Final equipment cleaning, dish inspection, dismissal |
Students not in place 5 minutes after the tardy bell are marked tardy, may be asked to get a late pass, and may lose cooking privileges for the day. Not acceptable: "I was in the hallway." "I couldn't open my locker" (check in with Chef instead of waiting in the hallway). "I was in the bathroom" (use facilities during the passing period).
Class ends when the kitchen is clean and Chef dismisses students — usually 5 minutes before the bell. Students may never leave the hallway without permission.
Personal uniform & gear rules
- Personal belongings: place books, purses, and backpacks in a school-issued locker or the appropriate classroom — never in food-prep areas or on the floor as a tripping hazard.
- Clothing: clean clothing on lab days; long sleeves rolled up; hoodies down; shorts highly discouraged.
- Shoes: non-slip, grease-resistant shoes required on cooking days — non-negotiable.
- Aprons: a clean apron whenever cooking or prepping for an event.
- Coats: different classes wear chef coats on different days — ask Chef if unsure whether a coat is required that day.
- Hair: restrained with a hair net, secured, or fully covered whenever cooking.
- Jewelry & nails: false nails or polish must always be covered with gloves. Watches, rings, low-hanging necklaces, and dangling earrings are prohibited by the Health Department and must be stored in the student's locker. Decorative or false nails extending more than ½ inch beyond the finger may never be worn in the kitchen.
Uniform procedures must be followed exactly due to Health Department guidelines. Students out of uniform may be sent to another classroom and will not receive credit for the activity — it must be made up at home following the syllabus guidelines.
7.2 Personal conduct & kitchen behavior
Eating, drinking, phones, floors & theft rules
- Eating/drinking: personal food and beverages may not be consumed while cooking, or stored in kitchen refrigerators (Health Department guidelines) — all personal food will be discarded. Personal beverages are acceptable only in a non-food-prep area, securely covered.
- Behavior: no running or horseplay. Towels are for drying, not for snapping. Be considerate of neighbors and lab partners at all times.
- Floors: clean spills or dropped food immediately and mark the spot with a wet floor sign — it's always the responsibility of whoever created the mess.
- Cell phones: not out during lab activities unless photographing a completed recipe, taking notes, or checking a reference. Ask first if in doubt.
- Earbuds: absolutely forbidden at all times.
- Notes & recipes: take notes during demonstrations and re-read them before each lab; papers left in the kitchen at day's end will be discarded.
- Theft: do not consume or take any food from refrigerators or storage without prior approval — doing so may result in a write-up for theft.
7.3 Cuts & bleeding
Knife safety, prevention & first aid
Prevention: knives
- Keep sharp knives sharp — sharp knives cause fewer accidents than dull ones.
- Use the correct cutting board with a damp stabilizing cloth underneath at all times.
- Use proper cutting technique; ask for help if unsure.
- Use a peeler, not a knife, for peeling vegetables like carrots or potatoes.
- If a knife or scissors starts to fall, get out of the way — never attempt to catch falling cutlery mid-air.
- Each student washes, rinses, sanitizes, dries, and puts away their own knife immediately after use. Never leave a knife in the dishpit for someone else — you used it, you clean it. Never leave a knife in a tub of dirty dishes or a sink full of water.
Prevention: everything else
- Keep fingers away from beaters and blades in appliances.
- Use knives and sharp tools only for their intended purpose.
- Sweep up spilled items immediately — especially fruit/vegetable scraps, broken plates, ceramics, or glassware.
- Use a damp paper towel to pick up broken glass fragments.
- When opening cans, cut the lids completely off.
Surrounding students must immediately inform Chef. Apply gentle pressure to the wound and keep it elevated above the heart if possible. Only use First Aid kit items with permission or during an emergency.
7.4 Burns & fire
Prevention, response by fire location & first aid
Prevention: burns
- Use a dry potholder to remove pans from the range — never a damp cloth or potholder.
- Keep pan handles turned inward on the range.
- To avoid steam burns, tilt a pan lid away from you when removing it; don't hold your face over the pan.
- To avoid element burns, pull the oven rack out rather than reaching into the hot oven.
- Wear an oven mitt on each hand and use both hands to remove pans from the oven.
- Check that all appliances are turned off when finished.
- Never use your fingers to remove food from hot liquid.
Prevention: fires
Use baking soda to put out a grease fire. Keep flammable materials away from the range top and portable heat-producing appliances. Store aerosols away from heat sources. Use a metal trashcan for hot or smoldering items; let hot grease cool and funnel it into the assigned can — never drain grease down the sink.
Response to fire, by location
| In oven | Leave door closed. Turn off oven. |
| In pot/pan on range (contained) | Cover with lid, turn off heat, remove from burner. Use baking soda for small grease fires. |
| Uncontained | Call for Chef, get a fire extinguisher. Do not discharge it unless Chef is present. |
| Spreading | Follow fire drill protocols; evacuate the classroom. |
Surrounding students must immediately inform Chef. Rinse the wound under cool — not cold — water for at least 10 minutes. Do not put bandages, band-aids, or ointment on burned skin. Only use First Aid kit items with permission or during an emergency.
7.5 Slips & falls
Prevention & first aid decision tree
Prevention
- Wipe up spills at once; sweep up dropped food as quickly as possible.
- Sprinkle salt on spilled grease, or on any tile floor that's very slippery.
- Ask for help reaching high items — never use tables or countertops as ladders.
- Close cabinet doors and drawers.
- Never use earbuds or listen to music during an active lab; cell phones are not allowed at all during an active lab.
- Be aware the floor becomes slippery — walk with care.
Surrounding students must immediately inform Chef. Stay calm; do not rush to move the student or crowd around them.
If the student seems okay: carefully help them into a sitting position, watching for pain, discomfort, or dizziness. Send another student for Chef.
If confused, has a twisted/obviously broken limb, or is bleeding: do not move the student.
If not breathing: begin CPR immediately if trained — do not wait for Chef.
If showing signs of shock (shivering, confused, feverish, nauseous, rapid breathing): raise legs above heart, wrap in a fire blanket.
7.6 Electric shock & microwave safety
Prevention, the 7 microwave rules & first aid
Prevention: general electrical
- Don't use appliances you're not trained to use.
- Keep electrical cords away from water and hot objects.
- Don't plug several cords into one outlet at a time.
- Unplug portable appliances after use, and before cleaning them — never submerge an electric appliance in water unless labeled "immersible."
- Make sure hands are dry and you're standing on a dry surface before using an appliance.
- Unplug appliances before bringing metal objects in contact with working parts.
- Plug the cord into the appliance first, then into the wall.
The 7 mandatory microwave safety rules
- Never use a microwave if the door appears damaged.
- Never turn on the microwave if there's no food inside.
- Do not heat sealed jars, cans, or bottles in the microwave.
- Do not heat home-canned foods in a microwave — use a conventional range.
- Use potholders to remove cooked items from the microwave.
- Remove lids and plastic wrap carefully to avoid steam burns.
- Stir microwaved foods before serving to distribute the heat.
Surrounding students must immediately inform Chef. Watch for burns, confusion, difficulty breathing, heart rhythm problems, muscle pain/contractions, or seizures. Try to prevent the person from becoming chilled.
If unresponsive: turn off the electricity source if possible; if not, move the source away using a dry, non-conducting object of cardboard, plastic, or wood. Begin CPR if there are no signs of circulation (breathing, coughing, movement). Cover burns with sterile gauze or a clean cloth — never a blanket or towel, whose loose fibers can stick to burns.
7.7 Emergency escalation & First Aid kit access
If there is any question about the severity of an injury, don't wait — call the nurse. She will contact emergency services for us. First Aid kit items are used only with permission or during an emergency.
Enrichment Courses & Specialized Tracks
8.1 Course overviews
When available, upper-level students may enroll in year-long specialized enrichment courses operating live student businesses:
- Café Class: students learn to make pastries and handcrafted espresso drinks, then operate a coffee and breakfast café business — production baking and beverage, ordering, scheduling, inventory, sales, and marketing.
- Pizza Class: students learn to make pizza dough and sauce from scratch, use commercial pizza equipment, then operate a sandwich and pizza business with the same full business scope.
- Competition Class: students prepare for one or more national culinary and restaurant management competitions with scholarship and networking opportunities. This is a very active class — competitors need to be available for frequent after-school and weekend practices, fundraisers, and trips.
8.2 Attendance & Canvas Mail prior notification rules
All three enrichment courses carry increased attendance and participation requirements.
Students must commit to arriving on time every day and notify Chef prior to any absence via Canvas Mail. We're operating an in-school business, and unexpected staff shortages create real problems. If a student can't commit to regular, on-time attendance, they should switch to another course — it's impossible to pass with poor attendance.
8.3 Enrichment course fee
- $50.00 annual fee (SchoolPay, cash, or check), offsetting the cost of chef coats, t-shirts, field trips, and supplies.
- For culinary competitors, the remainder of local, state, and national competition costs is earned through active engagement with fundraisers.
Parent Communication, Media Release & Leadership Contacts
9.1 Communication protocols & response standards
- 24-hour email: program directors respond to parent emails within 24 business hours.
- Semi-annual phone check-ins: chef instructors personally call every parent/guardian at least twice a year (midway through Semester 1 and Semester 2). Parent-teacher conferences are welcomed upon request.
- Canvas Parent Portal: monitor grades, assignment deadlines, and lab days using OCPS Canvas Parent credentials or Skyward — see your student's guidance counselor for setup instructions.
- Digital platforms & newsletters: visit wekivaculinary.org and follow Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for monthly newsletters, food sale announcements, and event invitations.
9.2 Model release & off-campus travel consent
- OCPS Model Release Form: required for all Culinary 2, 3 & 4 students and anyone interested in field trips or competing for scholarships/prizes. Grants permission for OCPS and Wekiva Culinary to publish photos, video, and student work.
- Parental consent is required for student participation in after-school catering functions, competition teams, and off-campus trips.
9.3 Program leadership contact information
Phone: (407) 297-4900 ext. 6192628