If your school or afterschool program has created a culture that supports, the health and wellbeing of students and staff – this is your opportunity to apply for the award!
The Wellness Award applications were designed with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model in mind. The WSCC model is student centered and emphasizes the role of the community in supporting the school, the connections between health and academic achievement and the importance of evidence-based school policies and practices.
The award includes statewide recognition, a personalized plaque and a custom banner for the winning school and afterschool program, as well as a cash award—$2,500 for the winning school and $1,000 for the winning afterschool program—to be used to further nutrition, physical activity and/or other wellness efforts within the school or afterschool program.
The Oregon School and After School Wellness Awards are sponsored by the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council, the Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Afterschool for Kids (OregonASK), and the Nutrition Council of Oregon.
Apply now! Applications are open Dec. 1, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023.
To learn more and apply, visit the School and Afterschool Wellness Awards page on the Oregon Department of Education website.
In July, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service served up this inspiring story on Prospect Charter School’s experience obtaining new cooking equipment for their school kitchen:
As any parent can attest, the ability to get nutritio
us food on the table fast is key. But when you’re cooking for not just your family but a whole school – efficiency is everything.
That’s why something as simple as some new, highly efficient cooking equipment can make a world of a difference for school nutrition professionals, dedicated to getting healthy and tasty meals to the children in their care each day.
Prospect Charter School, a small school district in the southern part of Oregon, received a U.S. Department of Agriculture National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grant for fiscal year 2019. These funds allow schools to purchase equipment to serve healthier meals and improve food safety.
The school district had tried to use the grant funding before the deadline, but due to supply chain issues, they were unable to get the equipment in time. Despite this, the Oregon Department of Education’s worked with Food and Nutrition Service to come up with a way to extend the funding so the school could use their grant to purchase a new stove.
“The staff love the new stove! Much more efficient. Instead of 45 minutes to boil water, it is 10,” said the school’s Business Manager Sheri Eary. “They have access to four burners now and two ovens that actually work!”
School meal programs help provide critical nutrition to students, while exposing them to healthy foods and nurturing healthy habits they can carry throughout their lives. Equipment grants are one of many resources USDA offers to help schools operate successful meal programs.
Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Specialist Jennifer Parenteau said, “My personal goal for equipment grants is to award every dollar to Oregon sponsors who need equipment like Prospect [School District] did.”
Kudos to Gia Saporito and all of the McMinnville School District school nutrition heroes for getting a big shout out from USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in its May “At the Table: Western Region” newsletter! FNS wrote:
“In Oregon, the McMinnville School District celebrated National Nutrition Month and National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) by sharing photos on social media and showcasing elements of their awesome nutrition program. For example, all of McMinnville’s elementary schools offer breakfast in the classroom and use reusable bowls and silverware at lunch to help reduce paper and plastic waste. Additionally, McMinnville High School makes homemade, protein-rich entrees for breakfast every day; the Savory Egg Cup meal is a fan favorite. During NSBW, the school district raffled off a free pair of headphones at each of their middle schools and high school. The students were so excited that breakfast participation increased 40%! And for St. Patrick’s Day, the nutrition staff served green produce for snacks to elementary school students all week long via the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.”
In celebration of School Lunch Hero Day on May 6, the School Nutrition Association (SNA) recognized the widespread efforts of school nutrition professionals across the country who ensure all students have access to healthy meals.
School Lunch Hero Day (SLHD) is a chance to stop and recognize the year-round efforts of school nutrition professionals. Whether creating special menu items and decorating the cafeteria for spirit days or increasing opportunities for children to be nourished and being a supportive, friendly face in the lunch line, these women and men go above and beyond.
“Supply chain issues and staffing shortages have presented persistent challenges for school nutrition professionals, but it does not stop them from having a positive impact on their students and ensuring all who go through their cafeteria lines get a nutritious meal,” said SNA President Beth Wallace, MBA, SNS. “The dedication shown by these school lunch heroes during the last two years of the pandemic has been astounding and inspiring.”
As part of the celebration, school nutrition employees, managers and directors were nominated for awards at the state level, and those winners were considered for awards within seven regions across the country.
Of those regional winners announced on May 3, our own Lori Dyson, school nutrition director at Estacada School District, was awarded SNA’s 2022 Northwest Employee of the Year. Congratulations, Lori! Well-deserved recognition!
Members of the School Nutrition Association (SNA) have spoken, casting their ballots in the annual election for the Association’s top leadership positions, and (drum roll please) two of OSNA’s finest have been elected to serve in these prestigious roles:
SNA Board of Directors: Northwest Regional Director
Lynne Shore, Willamina School District 30J, Oregon
SNA Leadership Development Committee: Northwest Regional Representative
Pamela Suyematsu, SNS, Ontario School District 008, Oregon
The winning candidates for the Board of Directors will be installed this summer during SNA’s Annual National Conference (ANC) in St. Louis, Mo., and will serve under the leadership of incoming President Doug Davis, SNS. The elected Leadership Development Committee members begin their term March 1, 2019, under the leadership of Chair Lynn Harvey.
Congratulations, Lynne and Pam! Doing Oregon proud!
The School Nutrition Association Foundation published a video on its YouTube channel, “Meet Lynne Shore from Willamina, OR – a 2018 School Nutrition Foundation, School Nutrition Hero.”
Click here to find out more about this amazing OSNA member and leader!
Congratulations to Lynne Shore, Food Service Director at Willamina School District, who was recognized this week as one of five national 2018 School Nutrition Heroes by the non-profit School Nutrition Foundation (SNF)!
Nominated by her peers, Lynne was chosen by SNF to represent the many professionals who have dedicated their lives to serving the needs of school children and the community. 2018 School Nutrition Heroes hail from all over the United States.
Read the full announcement here.
It’s time to apply for the 2018 School Wellness Award! For the 11th year in a row, the School Wellness Award will be given to three Oregon schools. Supported by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), the Nutrition Council of Oregon, and the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council, the awards recognize schools’ efforts in putting their local wellness policies into action and making the connection between nutrition, physical activity and academic achievement.
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.
