Applications for the 10th Annual School Wellness Awards are now open! The Oregon Department of Education will select three award winners who are doing an outstanding job of putting school wellness policies into action and making the connection between nutrition, physical activity and academic achievement!
Winning schools receive a $2500 check, a plaque and banner presented during a school assembly. Oregon schools who are actively working to improve student and staff wellness should definitely apply.
Visit the link for the School Wellness Award page.
The Nutrition Council of Oregon, the Oregon Dairy Council, and the Oregon Department of Education are pleased to announce that the 2015-16 School Wellness Award applications are now available online. This award is meant to acknowledge YOUR hard work in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, and school wellness.
Completed applications will be accepted until Friday, January 29, 2016. All applications will be reviewed and a Blue Ribbon Panel will select 3 schools to receive a $2,500 award to further fund wellness efforts, a personalized plaque, and a custom banner. This is a unique opportunity to bring positive media and public attention to the great work you all are doing.
To start the Survey Monkey application, click here.
Get details and a list of previous winners at the ODE School Wellness Awards web page.
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) recognized two Oregon school nutrition professionals on July 12 at the 6
9th Annual National Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Cindi Hiatt-Henry, school nutrition director with McMinnville School District and Karin Nichols, nutrition manager with Sue Buel Elementary School in McMinnville, received national recognition for their superior accomplishments in the school nutrition arena.
Nichols was presented with the Louise Sublette Manager of the Year award, which recognizes school nutrition managers for the contributions they have made throughout their school nutrition career. Hiatt-Henry was honored with the President’s Award of Achievement, in honor of Thelma Flanagan. SNA recognizes the commitment and dedication individuals who act that state presidents make to SNA, school nutrition and the children whom SNA members serve every day.
Hiatt-Henry also accepted SNA awards for increased membership and certification on behalf of the Oregon School Nutrition Association, for which she serves as immediate past president.
Between preparing healthy meals for America’s students, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies and offering service with a smile, school nutrition professionals are true heroes!
School Lunch Hero Day, May 1, 2015, is the perfect opportunity to recognize the hardworking professionals in school cafeterias. The School Nutrition Association has partnered with Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author of the “Lunch Lady” book series, and Random House, to remind everyone—directors, managers, parents, students, and school staff —that school nutrition employees are superheroes that deserve some recognition.
The day aims to showcase the ways in which school nutrition professionals make a difference for every child who comes through the cafeteria.
For details about School Lunch Hero Day 2015 and to view a video about the inspiration behind the special day, visit SNA’s webpage!
School Nutrition Employee Week: May 4-8, 2015
The non-profit Oregon School Nutrition Association has awarded Karin Nichols, nutrition manager with Sue Buel Elementary School in McMinnville, OR, the Manager of the Year Award. The award, considered the highest honor a school nutrition manager can earn, recognizes a cafeteria manager who has demonstrated dedication and ingenuity to improve his or her school meal program.
Karin Nichols has been employed by McMinnville School District for more than 16 years. She is the cafeteria manager at Sue Buel Elementary School and previously managed Memorial Elementary Kitchen. Karin also assists with catering, and has worked in summer feeding and afterschool programs. Most recently, Karin and one of her staff members were honored for administering the Heimlich maneuver to save the life of one of her students.
“Dedicated cafeteria managers work tirelessly to implement projects and support initiatives to ensure students have access to healthy meals and to improve their dining experience,” said Cindi Hiatt-Henry, president of the Oregon School Nutrition Association. “Karin exemplifies excellence in school foodservice, going above and beyond to enhance the Buel Elementary School community.”
The Manager of the Year Award is in honor of Louise Sublette, a leader in school nutrition in her state and in the national School Nutrition Association. During her 43 years in the profession, Sublette worked in many areas of foodservice—public schools, colleges, hospitals and elderly feeding programs. Sublette dedicated her career to honoring school nutrition professionals and ensuring those who work in school cafeterias have access to professional development opportunities, empowering them to help their school meal programs flourish.
Karin was recently honored at the Oregon School Nutrition Association State Conference on March 14 in Salem, Oregon. As the winner from the state of Oregon, Karin will also be considered for the national School Nutrition Association’s Manager of the Year Award.
Nominations for SNA State Awards are due to the OSNA Executive Board on Friday, March 6. We want Oregon to be included in the parade of distinguished SNA members at the association’s Annual National Conference in Salt Lake City, UT.
Please follow this link to SNA’s website to find out more, and email Cindi Hiatt-Henry for details on how to nominate a deserving Oregon school nutrition professional! But hurry, applications are due this Friday, March 6!
The November/December 2014 issue of The American Gardener Magazine, published by the American Horticultural Society, features a profile of Rick Sherman, Farm to School and School Garden Program Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Education. Read the article.
Vicky Brown (1967-2014) was North Powder Charter School District’s School Nutrition Director, board member of the Oregon School Nutrition Association and a true voice for Eastern Oregon in the Farm to School world. She was dedicated to her school and community and was equally passionate about Farm to School and school gardens. She was devoted to building connections between farmers and schools and made it her crusade to get local food into remote areas of our state.
As a way to honor Vicky’s dedication the Oregon School Nutrition Association will award a one-time grant to a school or community program that is striving to bring local products to their school community through school gardens, farm to school, or other original project. If you are interested in applying for the award please fill out the submission form link below prior to February 14, 2015. The award will be presented March 14, 2015 at the OSNA State Conference in Salem. Get the award application.
Congratulations to the following SNA Award winners from Oregon:
Jeri Paull winner of Schwan’s Foodservice Scholarship: Scholarships, funded by a generous annual donation by Schwan’s Food Service, Inc, of up to $2,500 each are awarded each year to SNA members pursuing degrees in a school nutrition related fields.