If there’s one thing we can all agree on, the cafeteria ladies at NVD are so dedicated to their jobs and are super friendly. From dishing out our favorite meals to always greeting us with a smile and playing music inside, these amazing ladies work super hard to give us a good lunch. They go above and beyond to give everyone a better lunch experience and put a smile on our faces.

The lunch ladies at NVD are a big part of the school. They spend all day making food for us high school students just to eat it all up in the 56-minute lunch period. They are vital in the process and it couldn’t go smoothly without them. The lunch ladies have to go through the long lines, the people with negative money in their accounts, the line cutters, and more, just to make it an easy lunch for us.

“I am from Albania,” said Fatmire, one of our lunch ladies. “I have a big family. I’m one of eight (four brothers, four sisters). I came here when I was 21. I came straight from Albania to Bergen County.”

These women come from so many walks of life and have dedicated their time for us every single day. Our lunch lady Cindy loves going to Vermont, cross country skiing, kayaking and racing. She grew up in Demarest and went to NVD.

“My favorite part about working here is the flexibility of the hours. I am retired, but needed something to do and this fit the time perfectly,” Cindy said.

Cindy used to manage the international sales office for a company that was the largest producer of olive oil. She loves to knit and loves working with the staff.

“My mother came from Norway and it was one of those things you do, you learn to knit and you’re born on skis,” she said.

Our lunch lady Kathy, who has short blond hair, used to work in a deli with her friend and afterwards worked in a doctor’s office. She grew up in New Milford and then moved to Dumont to raise her kids.

“I have three daughters and a son,” she said. “I go bowling with my five year old granddaughter and I do a lot with her. My son has my granddaughter and my daughter has two step children and the younger one isn’t married yet.”

She loves going to Florida to visit her siblings and old friends. Her favorite vacation spot is the Bahamas and she loves the Grateful Dead and Bruce Springsteen.

Simona has red hair and is often at the register. She has a German short-haired pointer and two daughters. She’s Italian and loves visiting in the summers.

“I go to Italy every summer. I love Italian food, culture, and the country. The seas and mountains are beautiful. I love the people I meet there,” Simona said.

Her favorite place that she has ever traveled to is Egypt and her favorite food is pizza.

Next time you go to get your lunch and are greeted by the wonderful staff, make sure you take the time to thank and appreciate everything these hardworking people do for the NVD community.