November 23, 2009—With Thanksgiving a few days away, now is a great time to celebrate National Family Week. Organized by the Alliance for Children and Families for more than 30 years, the celebratory week (Nov. 22-28, 2009) was created on the premise that “children do better when their families are strong, and families do better when they live in communities that help them succeed,” according to the National Family Week website.
The site provides ideas for both families and schools to celebrate the week. For families, the site recommends such activities as getting to know your neighbors and planning a neighborhood supper, volunteering with a nonprofit organization on projects that benefit the community and writing a thank-you note to someone who helps your family.
Additionally, the site recommends that schools hold a family night function featuring interactive games, food and other activities and plan their own National Family Week events. While it may be too late to plan this kind of activity in celebration of this occasion, consider ways that you can involve students’ families in unique and enjoyable activities throughout the school year.
National Family Week
First Lady Michelle Obama(left) with Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack
November 19, 2009 - First Lady Michelle Obama, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined students for lunch at two schools in the Washington, DC suburbs yesterday. The visits further demonstrate the Obama Administration’s commitment to the federal school nutrition programs, particularly as Congress begins considering Child Nutrition Reauthorization.
The First Lady and Secretary Vilsack visited the Hollin Meadows Elementary School in Fairfax County, Va. Both were on hand to recognize the school as a Healthier US School Challenge Gold Award winner. Mrs. Obama and Secretary Vilsack participated in a roundtable with several school leaders, including Fairfax County School Nutrition Director Penny McConnell, RD, SNS. They also spent some time with students, passing out fruit and visiting the school’s garden. In speaking with the First Lady, McConnell commended the Obama administration for both their financial support and their emphasis on preventing childhood overweight and obesity.
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
Donning a chef’s hat, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined the school nutrition professionals working the lunch line at John Adams Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia. Secretary Duncan, visiting the school for the National Education Association (NEA’s) Education Support Professional Day, served the first and second grade students as they moved through the lunch line. Alexandria City School District School Nutrition Directory Dr. Becky Domokos-Bays had the opportunity to meet Secretary Duncan, where she discussed the cost of providing healthy school meals and the need for school districts to recognize the school nutrition programs as an integral part of the academic day.
First Lady promoted exercize and nutrition during visit with Va. school children - Washington Post
Remarks by the First Lady at Hollin Meadow Elementary School
For additional photos from both events, please visit SNA's Facebook fan page.
November 18, 2009 - Child Nutrition Reauthorization was the focus of a Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing held yesterday, November 17, 2009. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was among those testifying before the Committee.
In her opening statement, Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) reiterated the Committee’s commitment to addressing the high rate of children that suffer from hunger. She also noted the high rates of childhood obesity, remarking that the federal child nutrition programs have an important place in addressing this issue. She discussed her guiding principals for Child Nutrition Reauthorization: increasing access and participation, improving the nutritional quality of meals, and improving the integrity and modernization of the school nutrition programs. Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) also spoke about the importance of the child nutrition programs, noting that the recent school meal pattern recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) will help improve the nutritional quality of the school nutrition programs.
In his testimony, Secretary Vilsack reaffirmed that child nutrition is a top priority for the USDA and the Obama Administration. He noted the top Administration priorities for child nutrition reauthorization, include:
Secretary Vilsack fielded a variety of questions from Committee members. The issues discussed included innovative ways to expand program participation, national standards for all foods sold on campus during the school day, modernizing school kitchens, and indirect costs. Secretary Vilsack also answered questions regarding food safety and what USDA is doing to improve communications to schools during recalls.
Those testifying during the second panel included:
To watch the rebroadcast of the hearing and to read the testimony, please visit the link below.
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry - click on November 17th.
November 17, 2009 -- Members of the School Nutrition Association have spoken, casting their ballots in the annual election for the Association’s top leadership positions. Ten new members to the Board of Directors will be installed in July 2010 and four members, representing different SNA regions, will join the Nominating Committee.
SNA congratulates the following candidates for their election to the Association’s Board of Directors and Nominating Committee, and thanks all the candidates for their enthusiasm and commitment to serve the national Association.
Vice PresidentSandy Ford, SNS, Florida
Secretary/TreasurerBeth Taylor, SNS, North Carolina
Member Services Committee ChairChris Neal, SNS, Washington
Nutrition Committee ChairDiane Santoro, SNS, Florida
Research Committee ChairDiane Schweitzer, PhD, SNS, Indiana
School Nutrition Employee/Manager RepresentativeMary Betlach, Minnesota
State Agency RepresentativeCatherine Digilio Grimes, SNS, Virginia
Northeast Regional DirectorJackie Fiorentino, SNS, Massachusetts
Northwest Regional DirectorAriane Shanley, Washington
Southwest Regional DirectorJody Houston, SNS, Texas
Mideast Nominating Committee RepresentativeSara Gasiorowski, SNS, Indiana
Midwest Nominating Committee RepresentativePeggy Eller, Wisconsin
Southeast Nominating Committee RepresentativePatsy Lynch, SNS, Georgia
West Nominating Committee RepresentativeLyman Graham, New Mexico
These winning candidates will be installed in July during the Association's Annual National Conference in Dallas and will serve under the leadership of incoming President Nancy Rice, SNS.
SNA Election
November 17, 2009 – USA Today’s November 17 article, “Schools in the dark about tainted lunches” reports on failures in the federal government’s system to notify schools about potentially tainted foods supplied to school meals programs. The article is the first part in a series of stories on school lunches. Through stringent food safety standards on professional training and food preparation procedures, as well as federal advocacy, the School Nutrition Association and its members are focused on protecting the health of America’s school children.
Please visit the link below for talking points on how school nutrition programs maintain superior food safety records, and how SNA has called on the federal government to improve its procedures to provide timely and accurate notifications to schools when they identify a food safety threat.
Talking Points on Food Safety in the School Nutrition Programs
November 16, 2009 – The US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) has released a report showing an increase in the number of families struggling to put food on the table.
The report, available at www.ers.usda.gov/features/householdfoodsecurity/, states that last year 17 million households, or 14.6 percent, experienced food insecurity, an increase from 13 million homes, or 11.1 percent, in 2007. USDA highlighted the importance of federal nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, in meeting this growing need, and pointed to the findings as evidence for the importance of strengthening the programs during Child Nutrition Reauthorization.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack commented that “As the Obama Administration works to foster a robust recovery for all, it's important to recognize that we have another opportunity to improve the health and nutrition of our children when Congress begins to debate the Child Nutrition Reauthorization. It is vital that we make it easier for families and administrators to bring eligible children into the program and to eliminate gap periods when children struggle to find the nutrition assistance they need - at breakfast, during summer, and in after-school settings."
In advance of reauthorization, the School Nutrition Association and its members nationwide have been calling on Congress to increase federal funding for school meals programs. For more information on how you can support these efforts, visit SNA’s Legislative Action page.
Click here to read USDA’s news release on the report.
November 16, 2009—Have you made plans to showcase the value of school nutrition during Educate Your Community Week? The event was established by the School Nutrition Association (SNA) as a promotional opportunity for school nutrition professionals to share their stories and expertise with the public. This year’s observance starts today and runs through November 20, 2009.
If you haven’t made plans for this week, consider scheduling an activity for another time that is more convenient. Any time of the year is a great time to share information about the importance of school nutrition.
Whatever you do to start a conversation about school nutrition, remember that the key is simply to make an effort to reach out in your own community. Take advantage of the resources packed with ideas and available to members on the Educate Your Community page (see Related Links). Whether big or small, your efforts to shed light on misleading stereotypes make a difference.
What Are You Doing to Educate Your Community?
Educate Your Community
November 16, 2009 – Although school nutrition directors and managers consider all roles related to school wellness important, there is potential for them to make a much greater contribution. In a “Research in Action” research article published in the Fall 2009 issue of The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, now available online, a study finds that school nutrition professionals recognize the responsibilities they have regarding food safety, availability of food choices, encouraging healthy diets in children and modeling personal wellness. But factors prohibiting greater contribution to school wellness include financial support, time and support form other involved parties. This latest issue of The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, published by the School Nutrition Association, offers articles on a number of other topics critical to the successful operation of school meal programs.
The Fall 2009 issue of The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management also includes abstracts from research posters presented at the 2009 Child Nutrition Showcase in Las Vegas. In addition, readers will find a summary of child nutrition research conducted by the National Food Service Management Institute. The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management is published twice a year. Each refereed electronic issue provides timely and relevant insights into the many challenges and opportunities inherent in school nutrition programs. To read The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management online, please visit: JCN&M Volume 33, Issue 2
http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=13195 - JCN&M Vol. 33, Issue 2
November 12, 2009 -- Sign up for SNF’s next Webinar Wednesday on November 18: Marketing School Nutrition through Fuel Up To Play 60.
Learn how to earn CEUs for participation in Fuel Up to Play 60, a new, student-led healthy eating and physical activity program being championed by school nutrition professionals this year. Webinar participants will hear from National Dairy Council® representatives and School Nutrition Directors about Healthy Eating Action Strategies, such as Grab -n- Go Breakfast and Point of Purchase Promo (a way to highlight healthy choices in the cafeteria). They’ll learn how those strategies can help them get buy-in and support for their nutrition programs from students, school administrators, and other school wellness champions.
Schools enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60 receive: a free School Wellness Activation Kit (still available in many areas; enroll at www.FuelUpToPlay60.com), access to the interactive Fuel Up to Play 60 web site, and an online tracking system for students to record their healthy behaviors and earn points in a nationwide competition. Fuel Up to Play 60 was developed by the National Dairy Council, local Dairy Councils, and the National Football League.
To register for this free webinar: www.schoolnutrition.org/futp60webinar
Wednesday, November 18 at 2pm ET
November 10, 2009 - Parents nationwide are being asked to “raise their hands” for chocolate milk as the National Dairy Council and the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) kicked off a new campaign this week. The purpose of the campaign is to highlight the unintended consequences of removing chocolate and other flavored milks from school lunches.
Well intentioned efforts to strengthen the nutritional quality of school meals often include efforts to remove flavored milks from school lunch offerings. This campaign attempts to educate the public about the nutrition benefits flavored milk offers children. The campaign’s website, www.RaiseYourHand4Milk.com, features facts and science on chocolate milk and its role in children’s diets. The site also encourages parents to sign the Raise Your Hand petition to support. Parents can also join the Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk cause page on Facebook.
A new study presented at the American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in late October found that when flavored milk was removed from a school district in Connecticut, milk selection dropped by as much as 63 percent. The study authors noted that it is important for parents and school districts to recognize the potential unintended consequences of removing flavored milks from the lunch line. Milk is a source of several key nutrients, including calcium, protein, potassium, vitamin D, magnesium, riboflavin, and zinc. Study authors argue that the benefit of receiving these nutrients outweighs the small amount of added sugar found in chocolate milk.
The study authors also found that children who drink flavored milk have better quality diets than non-flavored milk drinkers. Flavored milk drinkers do not have higher overall intakes of sugar, fat, or calories and are not heavier than non-flavored milk drinkers.
Leading health and nutrition organizations - including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association - recognize the valuable role that low-fat or fat-free milk, including flavored milk, can play in meeting daily nutrient needs, and helping kids get the daily servings of milk recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
For more information on the campaign, please visit the link below.
www.RaiseYourHand4Milk.com
School nutrition programs are under attack. It’s not the first time; it won’t be the last. But in this era marked by a revolution in communications technologies, the attacks come faster, from more quarters and with greater potential for lasting harm. Today, everyone has a public forum they use to express opinions and “expertise.” Damaging misinformation can come from celebrity chefs with access to national media outlets to individual parents who can launch a blog that also can be read by anyone around the world with computer access. So, what are you doing to change the conversation?
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) has established Educate Your Community Week as a promotional opportunity for school nutrition professionals to share their stories and expertise with the public at large. This year’s observance is November 16-20, 2009.
Educating your community can take many forms. For example, you can make a formal presentation to your parent-teachers group or board of education or you can just make a personal pledge to talk about your school nutrition challenges and achievements to five members of your church. You might be surprised at the number of your own friends and family members who don’t really know the scope of your wide-ranging job responsibilities! Whether you take a “teaspoon, tablespoon, or full cup” approach, you can really make a difference in driving the conversation. The key is to simply make an effort to reach out and speak out—and to do it in your own community. Don’t let others perpetuate misleading stereotypes. SNA has developed a number of resources to help its members make the most of this opportunity. As an SNA member, when you click on the Educate Your Community page (see Related Links) and sign in, you will find suggestions, fact sheets, PowerPoint presentations and more. Already have a plan to educate your community? Share details about your event or activity at the following link: http://docs.schoolnutrition.org/meetingsandevents/eyc2009/eyc09.asp. And remember, marketing your expertise and sharing stories about today’s school nutrition programs isn’t limited to one week in the year. Be proactive in seeking out other opportunities in the coming months? Too busy to Educate Your Community in November? Simply schedule an activity when it best fits your schedule. Find success—one conversation at a time.
November 4, 2009 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) yesterday published a report on the state of implementation of direct certification for school meals. The report, “Direct Certification of the National School Lunch Program: State Implementation Progress,” found that a number of local education agencies (LEA) or school districts, conducting direct certification rose to 78 percent, up from 67 percent last year. The LEAs conducting direct certification represent approximately 96 percent of all students.
The 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act required all LEAs to establish a system of direct certification of children from households that currently receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Direct certification allows states and LEAs to use data from other means-tested programs to certify children for free school meals without the need for household applications.
This report fulfills a legislative requirement of the 2008 Farm Bill, which asked USDA to assess the effectiveness of state and local efforts to directly certify children for free school meals.
The report also looks at the effectiveness of individual direct certification programs, finding that some programs are more effective than others. It identifies best practices.
For additional information, please visit the link below.
Direct Certification of the National School Lunch Program: State Implementation Progress - Report
USDA Report Highlights Positive Effects of Direct Certification on School Meal Access – Press Release
November 3, 2009—Three SNA past presidents will be recognized for their longstanding and ongoing contributions to the school nutrition profession at the 2010 FAME Awards ceremony in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
SNA Past President Karen Johnson, SNS, gets the gold as the 2010 recipient of the Golden School Foodservice Director of the Year in the annual FAME (Foodservice Achievement Management Excellence) awards competition! The Golden School Foodservice Director demonstrates outstanding achievement in leadership, spirit/dedication, innovation, career awards, management systems, humanitarianism/community involvement and bettering the lives of students. Johnson is director of child nutrition programs for the Yuma (Ariz.) Elementary School District. She is well-regarded as an inspirational leader and top-notch foodservice operator.
This year’s Silver Friend of Child Nutrition Award will be awarded to a well-known individual who embodies a lifelong commitment to the advocacy of school nutrition programs both in the United States and abroad: Gene White, RD, SNS, president of the Global Child Nutrition Foundation and an SNA past president.
And, FAME’s first Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Gertrude Applebaum, an SNA past president, school nutrition pioneer and independent contractor based in Corpus Christi, Texas. Applebaum will be recognized for her indelible contribution to the school nutrition profession.
A number of other school nutrition professionals were recognized for their outstanding achievements by a selection panel that included last year’s FAME winners, as well as trade press editors and SNA President Dora Rivas, RD, SNS.
Mary Anderson, director of Culinary Express, the school nutrition operation at Wayzata Public Schools, Plymouth, Minn., is this year’s winner of the Silver Leadership Award, which recognizes a director who demonstrates outstanding leadership, dedication, fiscal achievement and innovation in menuing/merchandising.
The 2010 Silver Spirit Award is bestowed on Jacci Morrow, SNS, assistant director of child nutrition and foodservice programs, Westminster (Calif.) School District. This award is given to an individual in a management role who shows commitment to the people and programs of school nutrition with innovative programs, marketing, training, customer service and staff innovation.
The Silver Rising Star Award recognizes a director with three or fewer years of experience and this year’s honoree also hails from California: Harold Sullins, MBA, foodservice director, Fontana Unified School District.
School nutrition innovation in districts with 10,000 or less student enrollment is rewarded with FAME’s Silver Special Achievement Award, which this year goes to Lori Adkins, CHE, SNS, nutrition supervisor, West Bloomfield (Mich.) School District.
The 2010 FAME Awards are sponsored by Basic American Foods, Schwan’s Food Services, Inc., and Tyson Foods, Inc. The awards will be presented Sunday, January 10, 2010, in conjunction with SNA’s Child Nutrition Industry Conference in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
CNIC 2010
November 2, 2009—Finding money has never been a simple challenge for school nutrition operators; however, it’s become increasingly difficult lately, especially as various pressures conspire to diminish your opportunities in this area. The November issue of School Nutrition, SNA’s award-winning flagship publication, takes a look at ways to find new revenue for your operation, how to cut costs and save money and how you can navigate through the grant application process.
“It All Adds Up” features a collection of recommendations from fellow school nutrition directors regarding how to raise your operation’s revenue. Be prepared to think outside of the box to help ensure the financial viability of your operation.
While finding money is always a timely topic for school nutrition operators, these days, operators also can’t ignore the need to cut costs and save money. “Stretching That Dollar” puts forth some techniques and tips to try that might be helpful in your own operation.
A grant is one way to receive money for your operation. “Your Wish Is Granted” provides a detailed look at the grant application process and breaks it down into manageable steps.
Earlier this year, school nutrition professionals across the nation tapped into the power of school breakfast as they celebrated National School Breakfast Week 2009. “Send in the Superheroes” showcases the efforts of some of your school nutrition colleagues as they emphasized the importance of breakfast to their students.
Has the H1N1 flu virus made its presence known in your school or district? If not, the essential steps in “Managing the Flu Blues” will guide you through the process of ensuring that you and your staff are as prepared as possible in the event of a flu pandemic.
School Nutrition – November 2009