Following its controversial closing three months ago, this week, the Tiger’s Loft Bistro will reopen to the student population, according to assistant superintendent of secondary education and special programs Cynthia Bergan.
The Tiger’s Loft originally closed because of a clause in Whitsons Culinary Group’s contract that barred any other food service institutions to serve to students, according to career and vocational technical education department head Diana Robbins.
Bergan said, “The Tiger’s Loft is reopening to students after Newton Public Schools’ administrators and Whitsons’ management reached agreement that this is agreeable within the current agreement.
“This was a collaborative effort to find the best solution for students,” she added.
Bergan, NPS chief of operations Michael Cronin, deputy superintendent and chief administrative officer Sandy Guryan, vice principal Deborah Holman, principal Jennifer Price, Robbins, NPS attorney Ouida Young, the Whitsons Culinary Group and the Tiger’s Loft students worked to come to an agreement, she said.
“In the near future, Whitson’s plans to propose a way that they and the culinary students might collaborate in order to learn from one another. We at the Central Office are happy to support an ongoing relationship between our food service provider and our students,” Bergan said.
The Tiger’s Loft has also received a victualer license, which will allow it to open to the public, the community outside of the school, in the near future, Robbins said.
“The culinary teachers and students in the culinary program are extremely excited to be able to open to the entire public—students, teachers and the community,” she said.
“Plans are in the process to officially open to serve the community, and a date will be announced in the near future,” Robbins added.