What is a gopher?
Although it sounds like an animal that you might see at Deer Valley, a “gopher” is actually the person who
“goes for” everything that is needed in the dining hall. Some of these items include plates, dishes, silverware,
glasses, food and drinks. The gophers, along with the next meal’s gopher, are required to clean up the table
following the meal.
When do gophers report to duty?
A bell will ring approximately 30 minutes before each meal to remind gophers to begin moving to the dining
hall. Gophers must travel with an adult as they make their way to the dining hall. Gophers should be inside the
dining hall and ready to work at least 15 minutes before mealtime.
What should gophers do when they first get to the dining hall?
The very first thing that a gopher must do when arriving at the dining hall is wash their hands. Following that,
they report to the Gopher Supervisor for instructions and to ask any questions.
How does the gopher get ready for a meal?
After checking in with the Gopher Supervisor, gophers should consult the place setting directions on the dining
hall walls.
Get all the plates, silverware, glasses, and other tableware from your table’s numbered bin. The bins are located
on rolling carts near the IN door to the kitchen. Then the gopher must set the table. When looking at the table
from left to right, gophers should arrange the supplies in the following order: fork, plate, knife, and spoon. A
glass is placed above the spoon and a napkin is placed under the fork. Once the table has been set, the gopher
should double-check the table, making sure that there are enough place settings at the table.
What do gophers do during the meal?
After the tables are set and before the meal begins, gophers will usually pass out the blue song sheets.
Following the song, gophers will collect the song sheets, put them in the middle of the table, and await
instructions from the kitchen staff. The kitchen staff will notify the gophers when and how to serve the food. It
is important to remember that only one gopher should be performing gopher duties during each meal. An adult
at the table will usually begin serving or passing the food. When all the food in a serving bowl or tray is gone,
the gopher should politely ask how many people would like more food. Gophers must take the empty tray or
dish back to the kitchen, where they politely ask the kitchen staff for the number of servings needed. When in
the kitchen, gophers are the AMBASSADORS of Boyce Middle School and should be on their best behavior.
What do gophers do at the end of the meal?
Usually, announcements are made toward the end of the meal. Gophers should set an example by sitting quietly
and listening. A special task that gophers have to do at this time is to collect the “Secret Traveler” guesses from
the table and take them to the Secret Traveler area.
Once the signal is given to clean up, gophers and the next meal’s gopher can begin to clear the table. All
UNUSED, UNTOUCHED food will be returned to the kitchen. Food that is considered “waste” should be
scraped into the “Wasted Sunshine” container and taken to the Waste Manager Station to be weighed.
Gophers will have to follow the instructions given by the kitchen staff as to where dirty dishes, glasses, and
silverware are to be taken. If an adult begins to do any gopher duties, it is best to politely say, “Thank you for
helping, but it is my responsibility.”
After the table is completely cleared, gophers will get a bucket and cloth from the front of the dining hall and
wipe the table and chairs clean. Brooms are available to sweep the floors, if needed. Gopher Supervisors will
inspect the gophers’ work, and when everything is done to their satisfaction, the Gopher Supervisor will give
the gophers permission to be dismissed.
Special Notes:
-To increase the speed of the clean up process, and to minimize confusion at the end of the meals, ONLY
the gophers (current and the next meal) should be out of their seats. Other students and ALL ADULTS
should remain seated so the gophers can complete their duties as quickly and safely as possible.
-Gophers, don’t forget the magic words…PLEASE and THANK YOU
Responsibilities for Gopher Supervisors
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Please review the Gopher Duty responsibilities to ensure
that students are following procedures as well as answer
any questions regarding the student’s duties.
Please escort any gophers from their lesson sites to the
dining hall. Students are not to travel without an adult
supervising.
There will be at least two 3-D diagrams of how to set the
table provided at the front of the Dining Hall (see picture
to the right).
Please ask the food service director for any assistance with
setting the tables.
Your job is to SUPERVISE the Gophers before and after
each meal. It is NOT your job to set the table and/or clean
up the table. Please make sure that the Gophers wash the
table and the CHAIRS and pick up any paper from the
floor.