There are many people behind the scenes at South High who make this school run. One such person is Jane Spavale, whom you may know as Mrs. Jane, South High’s cafeteria production supervisor for the last 8 years.
Her impact is felt throughout South High, as her passion for caring for others shines through her kindhearted personality. Spavale said her favorite part of her job is working the register during lunch periods.
“I love interacting with the kids, especially my special needs kids,” she said.
But who is Jane Spavale, when she’s away from the register? At home, Spavale lives with her husband and two cats, Cassidy and Sydney. She also has two children, Emma, who lives in Phoenix, Arizona and Olivia, who resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In her free time, she enjoys watching baseball, traveling, and listening to the Grateful Dead.
However, her true calling has always been cooking. She learned to cook through co-owning a catering company with her ex-partner.
“It was a while back, you wouldn’t know the name,” she said.
Although, her all-time favorite meal to prepare is Chicken Florentine with green chiles. She is so dedicated to curating the perfect dish that she has green chiles flown in from New Mexico every year to perfect the recipe.
What’s more, Spavale’s ties to New Mexico don’t end at chile peppers. Her past spans all over the United States. She was born in Maryland, grew up in St. Louis, and then spent 12 years in New Mexico, only to end up back in St. Louis. Adding on, her career as a cafeteria worker has only spanned a fraction of her entire career.
When asked about what other jobs she has worked, Spavale replied, “Oh yeah, I’ve had lots. I’m old.” She joked. “I babysat when I was nine years old. Then I worked at Baskin Robbins when I was 15, and then I worked for various stores at Chesterfield Mall when it mattered.”
She has now worked with Parkway Food Services for 10 years, being a production supervisor for the last 8.
Spavale said being a cafeteria worker isn’t easy work. One job she dreads is stocking milk.
“It’s a lot of heavy work,” she said.
And while Spavale is mostly treated with respect when face-to-face with students, she has endured her fair share of negative interactions while at the register.
When asked about the worst encounter she has had with a student, she replied, “a student threw an apple at me and cursed me, because I said he had to take a piece of fruit. But by the time he was a senior he was very, very respectful.”
Spavale has been recently experiencing hard times, grieving the loss of her mother who died recently. But even though this, she chooses to be positive, cherishing the small acts of kindness students give her.
“I love just getting hugs,” she said.
Through her gratitude, Mrs. Jane fosters a bond between the students and her, as her presence makes people feel welcomed and safe. And every day, she makes a lasting difference in the lives of students at South High. So next time you order lunch at South High, make sure to let Mrs. Jane know you’re thankful for all that she does.
