How did your Columbus-area school’s cafeteria perform in its health inspection?

Brittany McGee
·3 min read

With students returning to classes, the Ledger-Enquirer has compiled a list of the most recent health inspection scores for public and private school cafeterias in the Columbus area.

Schools from Columbus, Phenix City, Smiths Station, Harris County and Chattahoochee County are included in the list with scores pulled from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Alabama Department of Public Health.

In Georgia, food establishments are typically inspected about twice a year. They receive one of four letter grades that are assigned based on how many points are deducted from 100:

  • “A” grades mean food safety is excellent is achieved by receiving 90-100 points

  • “B’s” are issued when there is “satisfactory compliance” with the business receiving 80-89 points

  • “C’s” mean there is marginal compliance and applied to scores between 70-79

  • “U’s” represent unsatisfactory compliance and are applied to scores of 69 or less.

Establishments that receive a “C” or “U” food safety grade will have at least one additional routine inspection added in a twelve month period, according to state law.

Alabama state law generally requires food service establishments to be inspected at least three times a year depending on the type of food being prepared.

Establishments are placed in one of four categories that determine the re-inspection schedule and use of enforcement actions:

  • Scores of 85 to 100 are considered to be satisfactory compliance and inspected on a routine schedule

  • Establishments that score between 70 to 84 require a follow-up inspection within 60 days

  • Scores of 60-69 require follow-up and reinspection within 48 hours

  • Establishments that score below 60 are closed immediately

All of the cafeteria inspections were performed between February and July 2023.

Points were removed for issues like food storage containers or cleaners not being properly labeled, facilities not having the correct chemical testing kits, failure to post the latest inspection report, incorrect storage of food, residue on ice producing machines and faulty equipment.

Most issues were corrected while the inspectors were on site.

No school in Georgia or Alabama received an unsatisfactory score or required a follow-up inspection.

Here are the most recent health inspection scores for school cafeterias.

Muscogee County public schools

Elementary schools with perfect scores

  • Allen

  • Blanchard

  • Brewer

  • Britt David

  • Dimon

  • Double Churches

  • Eagle Ridge

  • Forrest Road

  • Fox

  • Gentian

  • Georgetown

  • Key

Other elementary schools

  • Clubview - 97

  • Davis - 93

  • Dawson - 97

  • Dorothy Height - 96

  • Downtown - 97

  • Hannan - 99

  • Johnson - 99

  • Lonnie Jackson - 96

  • Reese Road - 91

Middle schools

  • Aaron Cohn - 100

  • Arnold - 100

  • Baker - 100

  • Blackmon Road - 100

  • Double Churches - 100

  • East Columbus - 100

  • Eddy - 100

  • Fort - 100

  • Midland - 100

  • Richards - 100

  • Veterans Memorial - 96

High schools

  • Carver - 100

  • Columbus - 97

  • Hardaway - 100

  • Jordan - 99

  • Kendrick - 100

  • Northside - 100

  • Shaw - 100

  • Spencer - 100

Others

  • Marshall Success Center - 100

  • Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts - 100

  • St. Elmo Center for the Gifted - 100

Harris County

  • Creekside - 100

  • Harris County Carver Middle School - 100

  • Harris County High School - 100

  • Mulberry Creek - 100

  • New Mountain Hill - 100

  • Park - 100

  • Pine Ridge - 100

Chattahoochee County

  • Chattahoochee County Education Center - 100

  • Chattahoochee County Middle/High School - 100

Phenix City

  • Central Freshman Academy - 100

  • Central High School - 100

  • Creative Learning Center - 99

  • Creekside Early Learning Center - 99

  • Culinary Arts Center - 100

  • Lakewood Elementary School - 100

  • Lakewood Primary School - 100

  • Meadowlane Elementary School - 100

  • Phenix City Elementary School - 100

  • Phenix City Intermediate School - 100

  • Phenix City Special Education - 100

  • Ridgecrest Elementary School - 100

  • Sherwood Elementary School - 100

  • South Girard School - 100

  • Success Academy - 100

  • The Brick - 100

  • Westview Elementary School - 100

Russell County

  • Dixie Elementary School - 100

  • Ladonia Elementary School - 100

  • Mount Olive Elementary School - 100

  • Oliver Elementary School - 100

  • Russell County High School - 100

  • Russell County Middle School - 99

Smiths Station

  • East Smiths Station Elementary School - 100

  • Smiths Station High School - 100

  • Smiths Station Junior High School - 100

  • South Smiths Station Elementary School - 100

  • West Smiths Station Elementary School - 100

Private schools

  • Brookstone - 87

  • Calvary Christian - 100

  • Glenwood - 100

  • Pacelli Catholic High School - 100

  • St. Anne’s School - 100

  • St. Luke Early Learning Center - 100

  • St. Luke Ministry Center - 100