Articles in the April 2009 Issue

A Note from Sandra

The view out my window changes from day to day. The tulips have started to grow. The deer have visited and munched on them. It certainly must be spring.

We are very happy that Mark Moen has joined the CANS staff to fill the food distribution position upon Elaine’s retirement. Mark most recently was employed at Sisseton School District as a business manager assistant and is familiar with the National School Lunch Program. Thank you, Elaine, for your work with us through the years and best wishes in your retirement.

This spring brings some routine and some new things. We are happy that we have a limited amount of stimulus money to assist schools in accessing equipment. You will see from the note inside and the announcement that priority must be given to schools with 50% or more students eligible free/reduced price. This must happen quickly on your part to request, ours to grant, and yours to purchase. Please get your applications in so we can get the money in the state distributed. We also have received additional funds to bring some more food into The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). This program serves soup kitchens and food banks.

We expect to be able to award about the same number of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grants and again, priority must be given to schools with 50% or more students eligible free/reduced price.

Feeding children in the summer is also on schedule for a number of agencies. Most are using seamless summer or Summer Food Service Program. A few are using Special Milk Program. Please contact the CANS office if you need help finding out about and deciding which program would be best for you in the summer. It’s not too late – if your agency decides to offer meals in the summer yet in April or May, give us a call and we will get you started on the agreement path.

A number of training events will occur in April through the summer. Take advantage of the opportunities to refresh your knowledge. Think you know it all already? Try this – draw a picture of the front of a penny without taking one out to look at it first. More challenging than we might think and we know how many pennies we see in a year! Sometimes we just need another look at or to hear the requirements and recommendations again and also take advantage of the opportunities to network with others in the same position.

  • Workshops on Special Diets the week of April 20
  • Workshops on Offer vs. Serve and Standardized recipes the week of April 27
  • Child & Adult Care Food Program Basics and Plus in May and June
  • CN Institute May 31 – June

What are you planning for next year? Don’t wait for it to happen – start thinking now. “You may be on the right track – but you’ll get run over if you just sit still.” – from Kaplans Cheers.

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Have you told them lately that you appreciate their work?

Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week

Some might think giving compliments just gives folks a big head and we should avoid it. Just think of the last time someone told you 'thanks' in some manner. While it made you feel good inside, I bet your hat still fit! Folks need to hear that their work is appreciated. May 4-8 is Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation week. The School Nutrition Association has designated this one week each year to honor child nutrition employees. Think of some creative ways to celebrate just how special your employees and co-workers are and let them know you’re thinking of them. The School Nutrition Association website has ideas at http://www.schoolnutrition.org/. Look for CNEAW 2009. You do not have to be a member to get to that site.

Certificates of appreciation are available from Child and Adult Nutrition Services for long-term employees to be honored or those that are retiring. Certificates can be requested at 10 years and at 5-year intervals after that (15 years, 20 years, etc.) Certificates for retirees can be requested at any time. You can request a certificate of appreciation for the employee by providing the name, years of service, and school/agency where they are employed. You can include years of food service at other schools or agencies, also. Be sure to note who the request should be sent back to and if you need it by a certain date such as for a retirement party.

Written requests should be submitted so we are sure the spelling is correct. Submit the request to CANS by April 15 to the attention of Shar; by email to shar.venjohn@state.sd.us, by fax at 605-773-6846, or use our mailing address of 800 Governors Drive, Pierre SD 57501-2235.

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Child Nutrition Institute—Registration Deadline April 17!!

Have you made plans yet to attend Child Nutrition Institute? This year’s Institute is May 31-June 5, 2009 on the campus of Augustana College. Registration deadline is April 17, 2009. Information including prices, class descriptions, daily schedules, and times along with the registration blank in the quick links box at http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/index.asp

Remember that Track 5 has been opened up to include teaching staff, nurses, and administrators…anyone who has an interest in creating a healthier school environment. The 30 hr. track includes wellness policy requirements, the HealthierUS School Challenge, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, teaching nutrition from the cafeteria, and blowing your own horn (promoting the good things that school nutrition does). 2 hours of DOE Renewal Credit has been approved for this class. 

For those of you who have already registered be watching your mailboxes in the next few weeks as you will be receiving a confirmation letter that explains what to bring with you, what Track we have you registered for and times for on-site registration.

Please contact Shar VenJohn at 605-773-3413 or by email at shar.venjohn@state.sd.us or Janelle Peterson at 605-280-4278 or by email at Janelle.peterson@state.sd.us with any questions.

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Apply Now for Kitchen Equipment Grants

A prime opportunity for schools to obtain or replace equipment is available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. If you need funding to replace old equipment with something more energy efficient, obtain new equipment to improve the quality or safety of the program, or expand the program, this may be of help to you. Any SFA may apply but we must give priority to schools with 50% or more eligible free/reduced price meals.

This is on a very fast track, so be ready to move quickly to apply and to complete the expenditure.

  • Applications are due May 15.
  • Grants to qualifying SFAs will be announced no later than June 8, 2009.
  • Grant recipients should to fully expend their NSLP equipment assistance grants within three (3) months of the award.

Focus of SFA Grants:

In order to make the most effective use of the NSLP equipment assistance grant funds, the equipment procured through this grant should incorporate one or more of the following four focus areas:

  • Equipment that lends itself to improving the quality of school foodservice meals that meet the dietary guidelines. (e.g., purchasing an equipment alternative to a deep fryer),
  • Equipment that improves the safety of food served in the school meal programs. (e.g., cold/hot holding equipment, dish washing equipment, refrigeration, milk coolers, freezers, blast chillers, etc.),
  • Equipment that improves the overall energy efficiency of the school foodservice operations (e.g. purchase of an energy-efficient walk in freezer replacing an outdated, energy-demanding freezer),
  • Equipment that allows SFAs to support expanded participation in a school meal program. (e.g., equipment for serving meals in a non-traditional setting or to better utilize cafeteria space)

SFAs will be required to follow all Federal, State and Local procurement laws when purchasing equipment under these grants.

Access the Application

The grant application is posted on the Department of Education’s Web site at http://doe.sd.gov/stimulus

You can also access the grant application from the CANS website http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/ in the central Quick Links box. Contact the office at 605-773-3413 if you cannot access it and we will mail.

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Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Update

~2009-2010 FFVP Elementary Schools

will be announced on April 20, 2009~

The USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provides fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to elementary children throughout the school day. The SD FFVP Application must be postmarked by April 8, 2009. Reviewers are hard at work reading and scoring the applications. Priority must be given to elementary schools that have 50% or more free/reduced price eligibility. Funding is based on $50-$75 per student. South Dakota’s allotment for the 09-10 SY is approximately $800,000.

Selection criteria for the FFVP includes:

  • You must be an elementary school
  • Operate the National School Lunch Program
  • Submit an application for participation
  • Have 50% or more of your students eligible for free/reduced price meals

Schools will be notified by mail. A list of schools will be posted on the FFVP website at http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/FFVP/index.asp after April 20, 2009. You can also read more about the FFVP at that website.

Question may be directed to Janelle Peterson at 280-4278 or janelle.peterson@state.sd.us

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Plan to attend April Training on Special Diets, Standardized Recipes and Offer versus Serve

Registration is open for workshops in Watertown, Sioux Falls, and Rapid City on

  • Special Diets April 20, 21, and 23 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday)
  • Standardized Recipes and Offer vs. Serve April 28, 29, and May 1 (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday)

Below is a description of the workshops. Please complete the registration forms for the sessions you plan to attend (one for special diets and one for the NFSMI training which includes Standardized Recipes and Offer vs. Serve) at http://doe.sd.gov/oess/cans/index.asp     Registrations must be received by April 10th. For questions, please call 605-773-3413 and talk to Shar Venjohn.

Special Diets will teach participants about special diets such as allergies, food intolerances, diabetes, and celiac disease (gluten intolerance) as well as what accommodations are required by law and regulations. Best practices for keeping students safe from adverse reactions will be covered as well.

This workshop on special diets will be taught by Amy Richards, MS, RD, LN, Education Specialist with the Child and Adult Nutrition Services Office. Training length: 5 hours Offered in Watertown Monday, April 20th, Sioux Falls Tuesday, April 21st and Rapid City Thursday, April 23rd.

Standardized Recipes will be taught from the toolkit entitled On the Road to Professional Food Preparation. The workshop will include: standardizing recipes; weights and measures; portion control, recipe adjustment; costing,and determining component contributions.Training length: 3.5 hours. Offered in Watertown Tuesday, April 28th, Sioux Falls Wednesday, April 29th, and Rapid City Friday, May 1st.

Offer vs. Serve will be taught from the toolkit entitled Offer vs. Serve and will teach participants how to offer students choices that meet the reimbursable meal pattern for the food based traditional and enhanced meal patterns only. Training Length: 2 hours. Offered in Watertown Tuesday, April 28th, Sioux Falls Wednesday, April 29th, and  Rapid City Friday, May 1st.

Two Trainers, Marilyn Hurt and Linda Godfrey, from the National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI) will be in South Dakota to provide training on the above topics.

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MARK MOEN JOINS CANS STAFF AS COMMODITY SPECIALIST

Hello, my name is Mark Moen. I have just joined the CANS staff in Pierre on March 24, 2009 and will be taking over Elaine Scott’s position as Commodity Specialist. I have lived my entire life in South Dakota and graduated from South Dakota State University with a BS degree in Restaurant Management. My most recent position was with the Sisseton School District as business office assistant. I have been married to Michelle since June of 2000. We have two beautiful boys, Matthew 7 and Mitchell 4. We are looking forward to making Pierre our new home. I am excited to be here and look forward to meeting each of you in the near future!

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Building for the Future with the CACFP

Upcoming CACFP Training Events:

The CACFP Basic workshops are designed for new staff that need to be trained in the basics of the CACFP. The basics class is limited to 25 participants per class. The CACFP Plus! workshops are designed for veteran staff that have a solid understanding of Program requirements. Pre-registration is required for all workshops. There is no charge to attend. For more information please contact Melissa Halling at (605) 280-2696 or by email at melissa.halling@state.sd.us.

The dates and locations of the CACFP Basic training are as follows:

May 6          Sioux Falls      Sioux Falls School District

May 13        Rapid City       Youth & Family Services

June 10       Pierre              SD Capital Lake Visitor’s Center

The dates and locations of the CACFP Plus! training are as follows:

May 14        Rapid City       Youth & Family Services

May 20        Sioux Falls      Augustana College

May 27        Watertown      Lake Area Technical Institute

May 28        Aberdeen        Aberdeen Catholic Schools

June 9         Pierre              SD Capital Lake Visitor’s Center

Production Records Quiz Show:

In an attempt to help you avoid the most common errors we see during CACFP reviews we are using this as a way to educate agencies on the requirements for production records in the CACFP that are most commonly found as errors during program reviews.

Did you know?

  • That the serving size columns must be completed for every age of child that is being served.
  • That the serving size column must be completed for every menu component that contributes to the meal patterns.
  • That the serving size column must be completed for any adult meals that you plan to serve.

Check back next month for more Quiz Show learning.

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Kids in the Kitchen

Munchie Crunch

Source: Physical Activities and Healthy Snacks for Young Children

Spread a whole grain rice cake with a tablespoon of peanut butter. On top of peanut butter, place 1/8 cup of thin slices of bananas, apples, kiwi, and/or strawberries.

Provides 1 grain/bread and 1 meat/meat alternate for 1 to 5 year olds

Calories, 175; Fiber, 2.4 g; Total Fat, 8.2 g; Saturated Fat, 1.7 g.

Snack Idea (1-5 year olds):

Serve 1 Munchie Crunchie with a glass of water  

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Kids on the Move

Seven Jumps

Source: Physical Activities and Healthy Snacks for Young Children

Arrange the children in a circle; they can hold hands facing right which will have them move counterclockwise. Choose music with a lively beat (polka, two-step, march, etc.).

Start the music. Move around the circle (slide, skip, gallop, fast walk, or run). Stop the music. Everyone will touch one knee to the floor for 10 counts, then stand. Start the music and move in the opposite direction around the circle. Stop the music. Touch one knee to the floor for 5 counts, the other knee touches the floor for 10 counts, then stand. Start the music and move the opposite direction. This movement continues and each round add a body part as follows:

  • Knee
  • Other Knee
  • Elbow
  • Other Elbow
  • Stomach
  • Back
  • Forehead

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12 Month Food Service Supervisor

Contractual Position—Negotiated Salary with Benefits

Serving 1200 Meals Per Day

Supervising 12  FTE

Closing Date:  4/24/09 at 12:00 p.m. CST

Wagner Community School

Wagner, SD

Equal Opportunity Employer

Application and Job Description Available:  605-384-3677

 

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