Manatee School Superintendent Rick Mills is trading in his suit in an effort to recognize his employees more and get to know them better.

This week, the district started a new program called, “Employee Spotlight Days.”

Mills says he decided to do this after visiting schools each week and always being impressed by the caliber of people they have serving their students and schools behind the scenes.

Mills felt he needed to do more to help recognize the contributions of employees across the district who rarely receive accolades for the important contributions they provide for students and schools.

For the next few months, Mills will be working with various employees at their jobs and work sites.

“So I can get to know them and they can get to know me,” said Mills, “and I can learn their jobs and what challenges they may have and what they want to show me, and more importantly just to spotlight the great work that they are doing.”

His first stop was at Buffalo Creek Middle School in Palmetto. On Friday, he worked alongside the cafeteria staff preparing and serving meals to hundreds of students.

“It’s just a well-organized process here,” said Mills. “I was very impressed with the team and how quickly they pulled everything together.”

Cafeteria manager Patricia Thomas said she’s glad he is doing this. She said it’s nice to show your boss what you’re doing and how well you’re doing it.

“I think it‘s great,” said Thomas. “I think it’s a good idea.”

She said it was nice to show just how busy they are.

“How much there is to do to and prepare all the meals for all the students,” said Thomas.

The cafeteria staff at Buffalo Creek serves more than a 1,000 students a day. Mills said without them, the students, teachers and administrators would be not as successful as they are.

The superintendent plans on making visits like this for the rest of the school year.

His next stop will be a ride along with a school bus driver as he picks up and drops off students next week.