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National School Lunch Week Held
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Kickoff Held For 2011 Milk Contest
St. Tammany Parish Public Schools will once again take part in the annual milk contest sponsored by Brown’s Dairy and the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association (SUDIA), in conjunction with the NFL’s Play 60 Program.
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All during October participating school food service programs will “Fuel Up to Play 60” by competing in the “Black and Gold Milk Contest.”
Last year Madisonville Elementary won first place, Mandeville Junior High won second place, and the St. Tammany Parish Public School System won the top honors among the New Orleans area school districts in the “Moo Dat” contest.
This year’s event kicked off at the Louisiana Superdome September 16 with a number of St. Tammany food service personnel, principals, and cafeteria managers present.
First place winner will win $5000 in cash, a smoothie blender, and a pep rally with a New Orleans Saints football player. Second place will win $3000 cash and a smoothie blender, and third place will win $2000 cash and a smoothie blender.
The purpose of the program is to encourage school districts to promote the consumption of milk by students. Schools throughout St. Tammany are expected to hold a variety of activities celebrating milk, from tailgate parties and story time events to milk mustache photos and parades. All public, private, and parochial school districts in the greater New Orleans area were invited to take part.
Last year, the School System won the Grand Prize of a HOPSports exercise system valued at $10,000. The system is being shared by all the schools’ physical education classes, said Supervisor of School Food Services Pat Farris.
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Healthier Food Choices Goal of "My Plate" Initiative
First Lady Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin have unveiled the federal government's new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices.
MyPlate will replace the MyPyramid image as the government's primary food group symbol as an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. "The new icon is simple and easy to understand, with more emphasis placed on fruits and vegetables," said U.S. Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin.
St. Tammany Parish School Services will continue to offer a variety of healthy foods for breakfast and lunch. The new MyPlate will be incorporated into the nutrition lessons during the 2011-12 school year.
For more information, visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. Additional resources include: www.DietaryGuidelines.gov and www.LetsMove.gov.
Food Service Award Winners Recognized at Banquet
Awards were presented to five Outstanding Food Service Programs for 2010-2011 recognized by the St. Tammany Parish School Nutrition Association (SNA) at its School Food Service Appreciation Dinner May 20, 2011. Representatives from those programs were congratulated by Superintendent W. L. “Trey” Folse, III, (back row, right), and Assistant Superintendent of Administration William “Bill” Brady, (back row, left). On the front row, from left to right, are Darlene Lee from Fifth Ward Junior High, Conny Yevcinez from Abita Middle School, Shannon Landry from Pearl River High, Cindy Emmons from Brock Elementary, and Michelle Penton from Magnolia Trace Elementary. The event was held at Lakeshore High School.
Heart of the Program Award Presented To Nancy Brown
The Heart of the Program is an award for school food service technicians who, in addition to performing their regular duties, give that something extra to their students and community.
Assistant Superintendent of Administration William "Bill" Brady awarded Nancy Brown the “Heart of the Program” Award February 14, Valentine's Day. He presented her with flowers and candy. Nancy is the baker at Riverside Elementary School in Pearl River..
Nancy has been a technician with St Tammany School Food Service since 1997. She has been a baker at Riverside Elem for the past 7 years.
Besides being an excellent baker, Nancy also spends extra time decorating the kitchen and dining room. Last spring they had flower boxes hanging from the ceiling in the dining room.
This year she came up with a Nursery Rhymes Trivia Bulletin Board with phrases and pictures. The students had to guess the nursery rhymes while standing in line to eat. She bakes all the cookies for honor roll breakfast and for the 5th grade graduation.
Although she is the baker, she cooks main dish when the main dish technician is absent and also does her baking for the day. She is the first one to help out when someone needs it.
Nancy takes great pride in the kitchen being clean and gets along well with all the school staff. Nancy knows which little children need a little extra attention and even though she is busy, she makes a point to do this during the day.
Before starting her busy day as a school food service technician, she also delivers newspapers in the morning.
"Nancy Brown is a very conscientious employee and very dedicated to her job. I feel that she is very deserving of the award," said Pat Farris, Supervisor of School Food Services.
Mr. Brady delivers flowers along with the award.
Nancy Brown congratulated on winning the award.
On hand for the occasion were, from left to right, Carol Cobb, Tina Guste, Sandra Authment, Mr. Brady, Nancy Brown, Pat Farris, Debra Younce, and Principal MaryLou Jordan.
Two Food Service Field Managers Present Workshops at
Regional "Fuel Up To Play 60" and "HealthierUS" Webinar
Robin Hollingsworth and Angela Jackson, Field Managers, participated in the Southwest Region Fuel Up to Play 60 and HealthierUS School Challenge Webinar, January 25, 2011. The webinar was sponsored by USDA and the National Dairy Council. Robin and Angela made an extensive PowerPoint presentation with dozens of photographs of our students. The goal was to tell school success stories and encourage other school districts to apply for the HealthierUS School Challenge Gold Award. Following their presentation, they answered questions from the attendees.
First Lady Michelle Obama Visits Brock Elementary
To Promotes Childhood Nutrition
First Lady Michelle Obama visited Brock Elementary School in Slidell on Wednesday, September 8, to kick off the next phase of her “Let’s Move!” Campaign to combat childhood obesity. She was greeted by hundreds of students at the school with cheers, songs, smiles, hugs, and handshakes.
During her visit, she spoke to school food service personnel, School administrators, and community leaders. She said St. Tammany Parish public schools have shown great progress in taking the steps necessary to reduce childhood obesity.
She commended those St. Tammany Parish School Food Service Programs which participate in the USDA’s HealthierUS Schools Challenge program. The principals and cafeteria managers of the schools taking part in that program stood with her on the stage at Brock Elementary during her presentation.
Mrs. Obama said that Brock Elementary was not just a school that was dedicated to academic success, not just a school that is a model of determination to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, but it was also a school that is a model of excellence in teaching children good nutritional habits right from the beginning.
“Brock Elementary is among the very best of the best,” Mrs. Obama stated. “Brock isn’t the only school in this district to win the Gold Award of Distinction honor from the USDA,” she went on to say. “There are 25 schools in St. Tammany that have won the award, and this is an incredible accomplishment. You should be very proud of this honor. Something like this doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because there are principals and food service managers and others who have made a commitment to put a lot of hard work in to make it happen.”
She congratulated Brock and the entire St. Tammany school district, saying, “I can see it in the faces of your children that they are healthy, bright, and energized. There is a difference when kids feel good and invested in a nutritional program such as this. You are all doing a phenomenal job, even with the great challenges you faced. You have been able to rebuild this school and recover from one of the greatest devastations that this country has ever seen. If you can do it here, then all the schools in our nation should be able to do it.”
The Let’s Move initiative began in February and focuses on solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation, an ambitious goal. “When we are talking about the health and well-being of our children,” she said, “when we are talking about our children’s future, that’s something I think we should be ambitious about.”
Mrs. Obama also outlined the goals and pledged to participate in the President's Active Lifestyle Award program, another part of the effort to reduce childhood obesity.
She urged schools nationwide to take part in the USDA's Healthier US Schools Challenge program, providing better nutrition for students as well as improved physical fitness activities.
After Mrs. Obama's remarks, the USDA presented the St. Tammany Parish Public Schools Food Service Program with a check for $50,000, one of the financial incentives for meeting the program's standards.
From left to right are Superintendent W.L. “Trey” Folse, III,
School Food Services Supervisor Pat Farris, and William
Ludwig, Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, USDA.
CLICK HERE for video of USDA Program at Brock Elementary
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In 2005 Cypress Cove Elementary in Slidell was given the very first USDA Gold Award in the HealthierUS Schools Challenge program. Within a year, every elementary school in the parish was recognized for having achieved the USDA Gold Award level.
Regarding the fight against childhood obesity, Superintendent W. L. “Trey” Folse, III, stated that the School System’s Food Service Program continues to be a beacon for nutritional excellence. “It’s a great example of how administrators, students, parents, and school food service personnel can work together to make the Go, Grow and Glow motto a healthy reality for all,” he said. Folse also said that he was pleased that Brock Elementary was again recognized for its many accomplishments.
USDA’s HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is a voluntary national certification program that recognizes excellence in nutrition and physical activity. The Challenge is designed to bring schools closer to compliance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) recommendations for school meals and foods in schools.
Click here for an MP3 file of Mrs. Obama's speech.
School Food Services Continue
to Receive USDA Honors
Twenty five public schools in St. Tammany Parish have been awarded the HealthierUS School Challenge Program’s highest level of recognition for excellence in food service and nutrition. The HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is a voluntary initiative established in 2004 to recognize those schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have created healthier school environments by meeting specialized program criteria.
Schools have the opportunity to become certified as Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Gold Award of Distinction Schools, depending on meeting certain criteria ranging from development of a wellness policy and promoting physical education to limits on sugar and salt in the meals served. A key component is nutrition education, where students learn about the food pyramid, whole grain foods, and the importance of vegetables.
Food Services Supervisor Pat Farris was notified by the United States Department of Agriculture this week that the schools named below had met the criteria for the “Gold Award of Distinction” for their meal preparation, nutrition instruction, and physical activity programs: Abita Springs Elementary, Abney Elementary, Alton Elementary, Bayou Woods Elementary, Bonne Ecole Elementary, Brock Elementary, Chahta-Ima Elementary, Covington Elementary, Cypress Cove Elementary, Fifth Ward Jr. High, Florida Avenue Elementary, Folsom Elementary, Honey Island Elementary, Lee Road Jr. High, Little Pearl Elementary, Lyon Elementary, Madisonville Elementary, Magnolia Trace Elementary, Mandeville Elementary, Marigny Elementary, Pontchartrain Elementary, Riverside Elementary, Sixth Ward Elementary, Whispering Forest Elementary, and Woodlake Elementary School.
Cooks for Kids Video Shot at Cypress Cove Elementary
An educational television segment that showcases healthy cooking for children filmed a "best practices" video at Cypress Cove Elementary School in Slidell November 7. The segment focuses on local school cafeteria preparation of a regional favorite, gumbo made with a greaseless brown roux.
Videos were shot of food preparation, students in lunch lines and the dining room, and interviews with students, Principal Lisa Dial, and Food Service Manager Robin Blakeman, and Food Service Supervisor Sylvia Dunn. A nutrition education class, physical education class, and general campus shots were also video-taped for the project.
The purpose of the program "Cooks for Kids: Healthful Cooking Across America" is to address the problem of childhood obesity by offering ideas for healthier food preparation through school food service departments. Food service employees are the primary audience for the videos being produced. The end result of videos such as this is to inspire foodservice staff to prepare and serve nutritious and appealing foods in child nutrition programs. Teaching healthy food habits that will carry the wellness message into the home is a goal of the thirty-minute showcase of recipes, techniques, and practical solutions that schools can adopt to prepare healthier and tastier meals.
The new program is being put together by the National Food Service Management Institute (USDA).
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Cooks for Kids Video Shot at Cypress Cove Elementary Wins Award
An educational television segment that showcases healthy cooking for children filmed at Cypress Cove Elementary School last year has won a Clarion Award from the Association for Women in Communications.
The "best practices" video entitled "Cooks for Kids" was part of a series being put together by the National Food Service Management Institute (USDA) and was created by Running Pony Productions out of Memphis, TN. It won in the category of Educational, Informational or Training Video Production - Longer than 15 minutes.
The Cypress Cove segment focuses on local school cafeteria preparation of a regional favorite, gumbo made with a greaseless brown roux. Videos were shot of food preparation, students in lunch lines and the dining room, and interviews with students, Principal Lisa Dial, Food Service Manager Robin Blakeman, and Food Service Supervisor Sylvia Dunn.
Additional video was shot of a nutrition education class, physical education class, and general campus views at Cypress Cove Elementary.
The purpose of the program "Cooks for Kids: Healthful Cooking Across America" is to address the problem of childhood obesity by offering ideas for healthier food preparation through school food service departments. Food service employees were the primary audience for the videos being produced. Teaching healthy food habits to children that will carry the wellness message into the home is a goal of the thirty-minute showcase of recipes, techniques, and practical solutions that schools can adopt to prepare healthier and tastier meals.
The Clarion Award honors excellence across all communication disciplines, with judging based on substance, style, originality and achievement of objective. The award will be presented on October 17 at the 2009 AWC National Conference in Seattle, WA. This year the competition drew nearly 500 entries, and 97 Clarions were awarded in a variety of categories. |
Food Service Supervisor Speaks at Childhood Obesity and Public Health Forum
Members of the scientific community from across the South took part in a Childhood Obesity conference at the Pennington Biomedical Center in Baton Rouge recently.
School Food Service Supervisor Sylvia Dunn was invited to participate in a panel discussion to share information on the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) “Gold Award” Menus which are served to thousands of students each day in St. Tammany Parish.
Additionally, the conference dealt with Louisiana’s Report Card on Physical Activity and Health for Children and Youth and the epidemic of childhood obesity currently plaguing the nation.
Mrs. Dunn’s overview of the Gold Standard menus available in St. Tammany Parish schools included a description of the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products, low-fat milk, and leaner meat choices which are offered. As one of only two school districts in the nation to have adopted these higher nutritional menu standards, the success of the St. Tammany program was presented as a model for other districts. USDA’s “Gold Award” menus provide one positive approach in combating childhood obesity.
The conference subtitle “A Lifespan Approach to Prevention” featured presentations on childhood obesity by scientists and medical doctors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Tulane University, the University of Texas, and the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.
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