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!
Take Action on a new school nutrition waiver bill introduced in the Senate today!
The Support Kids Not Red Tape Act is critical to sustaining school nutrition programs, ensuring children have access to school meals and preventing substantial financial losses for schools nationwide.
We know this is an exceptionally hectic time – which makes it even more important that we raise our voices in support of extending school nutrition program waivers for schools facing acute supply chain disruptions, persistent labor shortages and escalating costs. Currently, waivers will expire June 30th resulting in devastating consequences for these programs and the hungry students that rely on them.
The Support Kids Not Red Tape Act:
- Extends USDA’s waiver authority through September 30, 2023.
- Directs states to submit a transition plan to USDA so that schools will be prepared and supported when transitioning back to normal National School Lunch Program operations after the waivers end.
- Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide technical assistance to states on drafting transition plans and to School Food Authorities on meeting meal standards during the waiver period.
- Prevents schools from being penalized for not meeting meal pattern requirements during the waiver period if the violations are due to supply chain disruptions.
Take action today!
Dear OSNA Members:
URGENT: Action Needed!
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) has submitted comments in response to USDA’s Child Nutrition Programs: Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains and Sodium for SY 2022-23 and SY 2023-24.
We urge all members to take action TODAY to ask USDA to ease rules for schools battling supply chain disruptions.
BACKGROUND:
In February, USDA issued a final rule, with a request for comments, on transitional nutrition standards. At the time, USDA indicated it would extend meal pattern waivers for schools unable to meet these rules due to supply chain disruptions. However, last week Congress failed to give USDA authority to extend pandemic child nutrition waivers, and it remains unclear what meal pattern flexibility USDA will be able to offer after June 30.
TAKE ACTION!
Submit your comments in response to the transitional rule through SNA’s Action Network! Comments are due by 11:59 PM on March 24. Consider using the pre-provided, editable text to share your support for SNA’s comments, and add details about the challenges your school meal program or company faces in meeting these standards, as well as concerns about USDA’s plan to propose additional long-term nutrition standards this fall. When you submit your comment to USDA, a second message will be sent to your legislators to emphasize the critical need for their support.
SNA’s comments highlight ongoing supply chain, labor and cost challenges that impact efforts to meet sodium and whole grain rules. SFAs should not face fiscal action for their inability to meet meal pattern requirements due to supply chain disruptions. The letter stresses “the need for realistic and achievable standards moving forward,” highlighting challenges to additional sodium reductions in school meals.
SNA’s latest monthly school nutrition news and Association updates have been published, with information on SNIC education sessions, Lead to Succeed Training modules, and more.
Click here to download SNA’s SNAC Bites newsletter for December 2021.
Last week there was a video out there made by Food Corp and Sweetgreen that showed school meals in a negative light. The video has since been removed from the interwebs.
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!
Dear OSNA Members:
SNA’s Certificate in School Nutrition Program now has 4 Levels! The new Level 2 Certificate to bridge the large jump in training requirements between Level 1 and the old Level 2 has launched. The goal of the new Level 2 is to provide members with a more realistic professional growth path.
Updated Program Guide and Application
All of the certificate documentation has been updated to reflect the new level and can be downloaded below:
- SNA Certificate in School Nutrition Program Guide
- Certificate Application Form
- Certificate Program Submission Cover Sheet
Please take a moment to update your State Association website if you had the old documents posted.
Promotional Tools
Updated tools including videos, flyers and social media buttons to promote the new certificate level are in the process of being rolled out and will be fully available for the Back to School season.
Certificate Level Name Changes – Updated Rosters
There are no changes for Level 1 Certificate holders, but existing Level 2 and Level 3 certificate holders have been notified that their certificate has been renamed Level 3 and Level 4 respectively. Your state certificate rosters have been updated to reflect the new level and name changes and can be downloaded from www.schoolnutrition.org/myaccount.
You can find out more at about the changes to SNA’s certificate program and the new Level 2 at www.schoolnutrition.org/certificate and if you still have questions, please contact our Certificate Team at certSNS@schoolnutrition.org.
Thank you so much for your support!
Nate Bell
State Affiliate Relations Manager
School Nutrition Association
120 Waterfront Street, Suite 300
National Harbor, MD 20745
Direct Phone: 301-686-3074
Phone: 301-686-3100, ext 174
Toll-Free: 800-877-8822, ext 174
Fax: 301-686-3115
OSNA Members,
Now, when one in every six children suffer from hunger in the United States, millions of American school children could lose access to meals served through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) if some Members of Congress get their way.
This is why SNA has launched the Stop the Block Coalition and website (stopblockgrantsnow.org). The Coalition, comprised of a network of allied organizations across the nation, will advocate against Block Grants for school nutrition programs and urge Congress to live up to its commitment to American children at risk of hunger. SNA is currently working to enlist coalition members.
Individuals are encouraged to join the fight by sending a letter to their legislators, sharing the #StoptheBlock FAQs and infographic on social media, and continuing local education efforts on the detrimental nature of block granting school nutrition programs.
This year’s emoji-based theme is already getting many thumb’s-up likes and huge smiley faces. Are you ready to “speak” to your student customers about the benefits of school breakfast in their language? The SNA Emporium is your source for giveaways, cafeteria décor and team garb to make sure your celebration earns hearts during NSBW–and any other time you are promoting school breakfast.
Place orders today to ensure products arrive on time! Visit the SNA Emporium or call (800) 728-0728. For celebration ideas, media tips and details on an exciting NSBW contest, visit www.schoolnutrition.org/nsbw.
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) and the American Commodity Distribution Association (ACDA) have joined forces to support The Healthy Breakfast Helps Kids Learn Act of 2017 (HR 3738). This bill would provide an additional 6 cents in commodity support for the School Breakfast Program (SBP). This means that if the bill were to pass, schools would receive 6 cents for each breakfast served to spend on commodities. As of this time, there is no commodity support for breakfast, only lunch.
Oregon’s very own Chris Facha is the national president of ACDA and has played a huge part in this collaborative support of the bill sponsored by representatives McGovern ( D-MA) and Davis (R-IL).
Get the scoop by downloading these information sheets:
OSNA Legislative News on HR 3738
Sept. 12 SNA Press Release: Reps. McGovern & Davis Introduce “Healthy Breakfasts Help Kids Learn Act