School Nutrition in the News!
Georgia Tray of the Week is Back!
The Georgia Tray of the Week Campaign is a school meal promotional activity that highlights the consistently high quality of school meals served in Georgia schools. Each Tuesday the State Agency selects and shares 4-6 photos via social media depicting Georgia school meal trays served in the preceding school week. Social media followers select their favorite menu from the shortlisted trays, and the image having the most engagement by each Friday at 8:00am is designated the Georgia Tray of the Week.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS YEAR'S WINNERS
I Met a HeroMonika Griner, our State Agency Area Consultant serving School Nutrition Programs in Southwest Georgia shared this heartwarming encounter from the field. She titled it "I Met a Hero Today," telling the story of the resilience of Georgia School Nutrition Professionals. I met a hero today. I want you to meet Ms. Brenda Wilson from Thomasville City School Nutrition.
Mrs. Brenda Wilson is the cafeteria Manager at Scott Elementary School in Thomasville, GA. She has served the Thomasville City School system well for the last eight years and has grown to love her role providing service to the students and staff, stating she "was put here to serve the public."
Brenda sees her job as more than food. It is real life, giving students more than food when they pass through her lunch lines. It is loving them along the way that truly counts. Often, she is called upon to help calm a student who may be having a bad day, and her first question is, “are you hungry?” Brenda believes if we can meet basic needs first and feed a hungry body, the rest will often take care of itself.
CLICK HERE FOR ENTIRE ARTICLE
Welcome Back School Year 2023-24USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Turnip the Beet Award application is open!
The Turnip the Beet Award recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors nationwide who work hard during the summer months to offer children high-quality, appetizing, appealing, and nutritious meals.
Free and Reduced Meal Applications
Beginning July 1, 2023, school districts will begin taking Free and Reduced Meal Applications for the school year 2023-2024. School districts are requesting all families to complete and submit a Free and Reduced Meal Application to be considered for school meal benefits. For information about your school district, please contact your local School Nutrition Program.
CLICK HERE to download this poster
Want to understand how the Free & Reduced Application benefits all children in the State of Georgia? Listen to the FuelCast Episode
below with
Dr. Linette Dodson and
Dr. Ken Banter, Georgia Department of Education Senior Title I Program Manager.
Win-Win with Great Promise Partnership
Great Promise Partnership (GPP) is an initiative of the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) in the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education Department (CTAE). GPP is the work-based learning placement for students in danger of not graduating, providing an educational opportunity that allows students to receive on-the-job training and life skills. Not only will this program help these students gain transferable skills while earning a much-needed paycheck, but it will also help with developing a workforce pipeline for your school nutrition program.
Click here to read a letter from Dr. Dodson and detail about GPP.Website Quick Reference Tool
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Our Vision:
Be the authority and resource for Georgia school nutrition programs so every child in school has healthy school meal choices every day.
Our Mission:
School Nutrition is a valuable partner in education, pledging to provide coordinated support for outstanding student achievement through our commitment to excellent service in each of these core areas: Quality Meals, Student and Community Engagement, and Professional Development.