Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 1 Spring 2024 Serving Spoon quarterly news publication of the Maryland School Nutrition Association Nutrition Notes Eat Right: Beyond the Table Legislative News Federal & State Updates MdSNA Is On The Web Keeping Our Members Informed: RESOURCES Chapter Networking News From Around The State
Page 2 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association ©2024 ADANE Now more than ever, School Breakfast plays apivotal role in students’ lives. Alternative breakfast service models – such as Breakfast After the Bell – help you improve access for every student, and ensure they are fueled, focused and ready to “RIDE THE WAVE” for a successful day. Boost participation now, during and beyond National School Breakfast Week! For school breakfast support and resources, contact: [email protected] National School Breakfast Week March 4-8, 2024 LEARN MORE americandairy.com
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 3 Happy New Year. I hope all of you had time to relax and enjoy the holiday season. As we enter a new year it is a time of reflection, renewal, and optimism as we bid farewell to the old and welcome the possibilities of the future. As we look ahead to the future, I am inspired by the passion and commitment of our school nutrition professionals to ensure our students are fed for success. Let us continue to strive to be beacons of kindness in a world that can sometimes feel dark, and let our actions speak volumes about the goodness and compassion that reside within each of us. A simple act of kindness, whether it is a smile, a kind word, or a helping hand, can make a profound impact on someone’s life and remind them that they are valued and cared about. Legislation MdSNA, along with our partners, continue to advocate at the state level for Healthy School Meals for All. We had many MdSNA members submit written, virtual and in person testimony for the bill hearings which were held consecutively in the House and Senate on February 14. I was able to stay and attend the American Heart Association Lobby Day which was held on February 15. There were nine groups made up of members from the different organizations of the Healthy School Meals for All Coalition. It was a great day, going in person to tell our story and about the need for Universal Meals to our legislators. We were even able to get a photo of the group with Delegate Kathy Szeliga and Delegate Ryan Nawrocki. They were our last meeting for the day. Be sure to check out the state legislation article on page 16 for more details about all the things happening in Annapolis. At the Federal level, Legislative Action Conference (LAC) will be held March 3 to 5. Eric Goslee, Cherie Cotsonas, Jodi Risse and I will be representing MdSNA at the conference in Washington, DC. We will be going in person to the Hill on Tuesday to meet with Maryland Senators. MdSNA LAC will be held virtually on March 12th, and we will Zoom our Representatives to Congress. Cody Wilt MdSNA 2023-2024 President In Every Issue 3 President’s Message 5 MdSNA Calendar 8 Nutrition Notes 14 Federal Legislative Update 18 State Legislative Update 48 MdSNA on the Web 64 Chapter News Serving Spoon A quarterly journal of the Maryland School Nutrition Association, an affiliate of the School Nutrition Association, Inc. Executive Officers President Cody Wilt Garrett County SNA (301) 334-7652 [email protected] President-Elect Eric Goslee Wicomico County SNA (410) 677-4442 [email protected] Vice President Cherie Cotsonas St. Mary's County (301)475-4256 [email protected] Secretary Cherie Cotsonas St. Mary's County (301)475-4256 [email protected] Treasurer Kathy Kim Montgomery County (301) 284-4934 [email protected] Executive Secretary & MdSNA Office Michele Switzer 3005 Gillis Falls Road Mt. Airy, MD 21771 (443) 565-6376 [email protected] www.mdsna.org PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Continued on page 6. Cody Wilt at Lobby Day with Delegates Kathy Szeliga and Ryan Nawrocki.
Page 4 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association Maryland School Nutrition Association 2023-2024 Executive Board President, Cody Wilt President-Elect, Eric Goslee Vice President, Cherie Cotsonas Past President, Megan Doran, SNS Treasurer, Kathy Kim Secretary, Cherie Cotsonas Advertising, Jodi Risse Advisor, Julie Fletcher, SNS Awards & Scholarship, Pia Puertellano Budget, Kathy Kim Certificate & Credentialing, Karen Olsen, SNS Convention ‘24, Eric Goslee Education, Kaitlin Fraer Executive Secretary, Michele Switzer Handbook/Bylaws/Resolutions, Eulalia Muschik Historian, Megan Doran, SNS House of Delegates, LuAnn Klink Industry Advisor, Dane Emery Industry Bookkeeper, Michele Switzer Industry Guest Representative, Al Fuentes, Schwan's Legislative-Federal, Mary Klatko Legislative-State, Mary Klatko & Barbara Harral Marketing and Public Information, Jodi Risse Membership, Tracy Newbold Nominating, Megan Doran, SNS Nutrition, Nicole Leveron, MS, RDN, LDN Parliamentarian, Mary Klatko Social Media, Chelsey White Sunshine, Cherie Cotsonas Ways & Means, Brenda Ream & Amber Timmons Webmaster, Mary Klatko The Serving Spoon is published four times per year by the Maryland School Nutrition Association. Articles and editorials in the Serving Spoon represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect official policy of the MdSNA nor does acceptance of any advertising imply endorsement of the product(s) or service(s). To advertise in the Serving Spoon, contact Jodi Risse at (410)222-5900. To contribute articles to the Serving Spoon, contact Michele Switzer 3005 Gillis Falls Road Mt. Airy, MD 21771 [email protected] Visit us online at www.MdSNA.org. Follow us at @MdSNAmedia on both Twitter and Instagram. Like us on Facebook. For more information about joining the Maryland School Nutrition Association or the School Nutrition Association, please contact us at [email protected]. Nutrition Eat Right Beyond the Tabl;e Greetings From MD State Director Fill Your "Watering Can" Federal Legislative Updates Federal & State Updates Awards Information, Forms and Deadlines MdSNA Is On The Web Keeping MdSNA Members Informed: RESOURCES Chapter Networking Chapter News From Around the State ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS SPRING 2024 | PUBLISHED BY MARYLAND SCHOOL NUTRITION ASSOC. DO WE KNOW WHO YOUR CHAPTER LEADERS ARE? PLEASE KEEP US UP TO DATE BY EMAILING CHAPTER LEADER NAMES, ADDRESSES, PHONE NUMBERS & EMAIL ADDRESSES TO [email protected] DO WE KNOW WHO YOUR CHAPTER LEADERS ARE? PLEASE KEEP US UP TO DATE BY EMAILING CHAPTER LEADER NAMES, ADDRESSES, PHONE NUMBERS & EMAIL ADDRESSES TO [email protected]
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 5 OCTOBER 2023 October 9-13 National School Lunch Week 2024 “Level Up With School Lunch” October 20-21 69th Annual MdSNA Convention, Ocean City October 27 Convention Wrap Up/Recap Meeting, 11 a.m. Zoom NOVEMBER 2023 November 1 Articles due to Serving Spoon Editor November 15-17 Fall Industry Boot Camp Virtual November 30 MdSNA Executive Committee Mtg., 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Zoom DECEMBER 2023 December 1 Serving Spoon Distribution December 7 Chapter Leaders Meeting, 3:00 p.m., Zoom December 14 MdSNA Convention Committee Mtg., 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Zoom December 14 MdSNA Executive Board Mtg., 1:15 - 2:45 p.m. Zoom JANUARY 2024 January 14-16 SNA School Nutrition Industry Conference Orlando, FL FEBRUARY 2024 February 1 Articles due to Serving Spoon Editor MARCH 2024 March 1 Serving Spoon Distribution March 1 MdSNA State winners of Employee of the Year, Manager of the Year and Director of the Year nominations submitted to SNA for regional/ national award entry March 4-8 National School Breakfast Week “Surf’s Up With School Breakfast” March 3-5 SNA Legislative Action Conference, Wash., DC March 7 MdSNA Executive Committee Mtg., 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., IN PERSON Zoom March 12 MdSNA Legislative Action Conference 2:00 PM -4:00 PM March 14 Chapter Leaders Meeting, 3:00 p.m., Zoom March 21 MdSNA Convention Committee Mtg., 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Zoom March 21 MdSNA Executive Board Mtg., 1:15 - 2:45 p.m. Zoom APRIL 2024 April 25-27 SNA National Leadership Conference Seattle, WA MAY 2024 May TBD MdSNA Education Workshops May 1 Articles due to Serving Spoon Editor May 2 MdSNA Executive Committee Mtg., 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Zoom May 3 National School Lunch Hero Day May 9 Chapter Leaders Meeting, 3:00 p.m., Zoom May 15 Chapter Strategic Plan due to MdSNA President May 16 MdSNA Convention Committee Mtg., 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Zoom May 16 MdSNA Executive Board Mtg., 1:15 - 2:45 p.m. Zoom May 31 Resolutions due to Bylaws Chairman for HOD May 31 Nominations due to local chapters awards designee for Manager of the Year in Honor of Louise Sublette, Employee of the Year, Rhonda Motley Gold Success Award, Innovation Award JUNE 2024 June 1 Serving Spoon Distribution June 10 List of local chapters’ new officers due to MdSNA Executive Secretary JULY 2024 July 14-16 SNA Annual National Conference Boston, MA July 31 County award winners and their nominations for Director of the Year, Manager of the Year in Honor of Louise Sublette, Employee of the Year, Rhonda Motley Gold Success Award, Innovation Award due July 31 Sustaining Industry Partnership Applications Due AUGUST 2024 August 1 Articles due to Serving Spoon Editor August 1 MdSNA Executive Committee Mtg., 11 a.m. - 2 p.m, In Person August 15 MdSNA Convention Committee Mtg., 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., HYBRID IN PERSON & ZOOM August 15 MdSNA Executive Board Mtg., 1:15 - 2:45 p.m. HYBRID IN PERSON & ZOOM SEPTEMBER 2024 September 1 Serving Spoon Distribution September 12 Chapter Leaders Meeting, 3:00 p.m., Zoom OCTOBER 2024 October 14-18 National School Lunch Week October 25-26 70th Annual MdSNA Convention *Awards and Scholarship applications accepted year-round. ** Check back frequently to www.MdSNA.org for latest calendar updates. Maryland School Nutrition Association 2023-2024 Calendar of Events 2023-2024 MDSNA CALENDAR OF EVENTS | WWW.MDSNA.ORG MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Page 6 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association Spring Workshops Spring Workshops are being planned for April 2024, please stay tuned for more information on these in the coming weeks. NSBW/School Lunch Hero Day National School Breakfast Week will be held March 4 to 8, and School Lunch Hero Day will be held May 3. If your school or district are holding events to celebrate either of these, please share your photos so they can be placed in the Serving Spoon at [email protected]. Chapter Leaders I hope that you enjoying your leadership journey. Please remember your plan of work; we are using google forms again this year. You can save progress at any time, which makes it easy, do complete as you accomplish items throughout the year. Our next chapter leaders meeting will be held on March 14th at 3:00 PM via Zoom. In closing, I just want to say thank you for all you do each day for the students of Maryland. We definitely have a great team of school nutrition professionals in our state. Warmest regards Cody Wilt, MdSNA President, 2023-2024 President's Message continued from page 1. Cody Wilt, MdSNA President, with Coalition Members on Lobby Day, February 15, 2024.
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Page 8 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association Nutrition Notes This year's theme for National N u t r i t i o n Month inspires us to look Beyond the Table when thinkinhg about our health and the environment. Choices we make daily, including what we're going to eat and drink, can make a big difference - both now and in the future. Nicole Leveron, MS, RDN, LDN MdSNA Nutrition Chair Eat Right Beyond the TAble Eat Right Food, Nutrition and Health Tips from the Academy of Nutrition and DietetiBeyond the Table This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month® inspires us to look Bthinking about our health and the environment. Choices we make dwe’re going to eat and drink, can make a big difference — both nowFocus on a healthy eating routine Making healthy food choices may seem difficult at times, especially when eating away from home, but it doesn’t have to be. Many eating places provide nutrition information right on the menu or online to help you choose healthier options. When purchasing food from a store, use a grocery list and pay attention to sales. You also can learn about resources in your community that offer access to healthy foods, such as food banks. These are a few tips to help you reach Beyond the Table: Seek the help of aDietitian NutritionRegistered dietitian nutRDNs, are food and nutpeople live healthier livexplore ways Beyond thgoals. Make an appointspecializes in your specplan for personal wellnSchool and family meals are important, but healthy choices go beyond the foodsitting at the lunch or dinner table. They include our snacks, breakfasts on the gand even where foods are grown and how they’re prepared. Our food choices also can affect the health of our planet. Have you ever thoughinto producing the foods we eat? This includes how food is grown or raised, whwell as its safety. It’s important to think about the foods we eat and the nutritionmore we could be doing to improve our health and the environment?
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 9 NUTRITION NOTES ics eyond the Table when aily, including what w and in the future. a Registered nist (RDN) tritionists, also known as trition experts who help ves. RDNs can help you he Table to reach your health tment with an RDN who cific needs to jumpstart your ess. ds and drinks we enjoy while go, eating out with friends, ht about the work that goes ere and how it is made, as n they provide, but is there Authored by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics staff registered dietitian nutritionists. ©Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Reproduction of this tip sheet is permitted for educational purposes. Reproduction for sales purposes is not authorized. Learn what’s involved in growing your food There are many ways you can learn about how your food is produced. Visit a local farm or farmers market and talk with the people who are growing and harvesting your food. Many farmers and food producers will be happy to answer your questions, let you sample products or provide recipes for foods that are new to you. Some local farms even have tours, so people can see how they operate. You also can grow your own fruits and vegetables at home. Want to try gardening but have limited space? Grow herbs or lettuce indoors. Tomatoes, peppers or strawberries may work, too, if you have a patio or porch with enough sunlight. Schools, churches and other places may offer community gardens where you can participate in the growing process and share in the harvest. Not quite ready to get your hands in the dirt? Many local farms offer programs, which include “farm shares” of produce during a growing season. Depending on the farm, additional products such as eggs or meat might be included. Supporting farmers by buying locally grown and seasonal foods can help you eat with the environment in mind. Other steps include decreasing food waste at home by creating new dishes from leftovers or by composting. You also can add more plant-based foods to your meals and snacks. National Nutrition Month® is a great time to start thinking about how you can go Beyond the Table to improve both your health and the planet’s. This tip sheet is provided by: To find a registered dietitian nutritionist in your area and get additional food and nutrition information, visit eatright.org. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.
Page 10 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association Elevate your student’s day with a BURST of Flavor and Energy! Product Code BULK Product Code IW Product Description Svg Size (oz.) Svg per case 80WBF M80WBF 3x5 WW Breakfast Flatbread (Egg, Sausage, Bacon, Cheese Sauce) 2.47 80 80WTBF M80WTBF 3x5 WW Turkey Breakfast Flatbread (Eggs, Trky Sausage, Trky Ham, Cheese Sauce) 2.47 80 80WS100 M80WS100 3x5 WW Sausage Breakfast Pizza 3.30 80 80WBTS100 M80WBTS100 3x5 WW Turkey Sausage Breakfast Pizza 3.63 80 80WTSG100 M80WTSG100 3x5 WW Turkey Sausge Gravy Breakfast Pizza 3.25 80 Product Code BULK Product Code IW Product Description Svg Size (oz.) Svg per case 96WBBS M96WBBS 4" WW Sausage Breakfast Pizza Bagel 4.00 96 96WBTS1 M96WBTS1 4" WW Turkey Sausage Breakfast Pizza Bagel 4.00 96 96WBTSG M96WBTSG 4" WW Turkey Sausage and Gravy Bagel 3.55 96 96WBR M96WBR 4" WW Breakfast Pizza Bagel (Eggs, Sausage, Bacon, Cheese Sauce) 3.42 96 96WTBR M96WTBR 4" WW Turkey Breakfast Pizza Bagel (Eggs, Trky Sausage, Trky Ham, Cheese Sauce) 3.42 96 Rise and Shine with Every Bite BREAKFAST PIZZA DELIGHT! We understand the importance of offering options that suit every student's preference. With our thoughtfully curated Breakfast Pizzas and Bagels, you can ensure that your menu accommodates both pork and turkey enthusiasts. From the allure of crispy bacon to the tenderness of turkey, our array of choices ensures that no student is left unsatisfied. Look no further – our enticing Breakfast Pizza and Bagel choices, available in both individual and bulk packaging, are here to transform school mornings into a culinary delight!
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 11 Seasoned, Sliced Beef Steak NEW FOR SCHOOL YEAR 24-25! J.T.M.’s Seasoned, Sliced Beef Steak is the perfect foundation for recipes from around the world. It’s great for gyros, Asian-inspired rice and lo-mein dishes, Philly cheese steak sandwiches, quesadillas, flat breads, salads, pasta bowls and more. Product Specs: #5891 | 30 lb case/6 bags | (183) 2.62 oz. servings per case | 2.0 M/MA • 290 mg sodium • 9 g total fat Features and Benefits: Fully Cooked | Reduced Sodium | Great for Speed Scratch Recipes | Versatile | Allergen Free | Gluten Free To request samples, please contact: Lisa Pline | [email protected] | (443) 994.7203
Page 12 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association Don Davis K-12 Specialist (443) 388-1976 [email protected] PROCESSING USDA COMMODITIES K-12 TO REQUEST SAMPLES RAISING the BAR on STUDENT NUTRITION
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 13 Hello MdSNA, “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” – Leo Tolstoy Spring begins this month! It is the perfect time to celebrate National School Breakfast Week (March 4-8) and National Nutrition Month! Both events can encourage your students to participate in the meal programs. I know your students will enjoy the fun events and healthy food you are planning for them. Spring is also the time to start thinking about serving your students during the summer months. With the new non-congregate meal service option for rural areas, I hope you will consider new ways to reach students with healthy meals this summer. Students who qualify for free and reduced-price school meals will also qualify for the new Summer EBT benefit. Please refer to the memos we have sent out for more information on both of these new programs. Spring time is a wonderful time to take training to keep up to date with program requirements too! MSDE will offer ServSafe Training at regional in-person classes this summer. Look for a memo with details in May. We will also host in-person culinary training on our new Team Nutrition Recipes this summer. Dates will be announced in June. Recipe Tasting Event Training with new resources and strategies to help you plan, promote, and hold successful recipe tasting events will be shared at upcoming trainings. Details will be shared in May. And training can be accessed anytime on our MSDE YouTube page. Three videos that are great for new employees or as a refresher are: CLICK LINKS BELOW • Point of Service • School Breakfast & Lunch • Smart Snacks And spring is a good time to start planning for fall and the next school year! Menus, recipes, theme days, serving line decorations – now is the time to look at your operation with a ‘fresh’ perspective to see how you can enhance the dining experience for your students. Remember that spring is a great time to make plans for your health and well-being also. Your ‘watering can’ needs filling before you can provide nourishment to others! I hope you find time to enjoy all that spring brings!
Page 14 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association Federal Legislative Update SAVE THE DATE: The School Nutrition Association has scheduled the annual Legislative Action Conference for March 3-5, 2024, at the J.W. Marriott in Washington, DC. The MdSNA will host our Legislation Action Conference on March 12. There's still time to sign up to participate and/or observe. Mary Klatko MdSNA Federal Legislative Chair The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is hosting their annual Legislative Action Conference (LAC) at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC from March 3-5, 2024. Representing Maryland School Nutrition Association (MdSNA) will be Cody Wilt, President, Eric Goslee, PresidentElect, Cherie Cotsonas, Vice President, and Jodi Risse, Food & Nutrition Service Director in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. The purpose of the conference is to go over the SNA Position Paper for 2024 in preparation for visits to members of Congress on March 5 or on zoom on March 12, 2024. There are three main priorities on the 2024 Position Paper: 1. Permanently increase federal reimbursement rates for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program (NSLP/SBP) by .40 cents per lunch and .15 cents per breakfast to help offset the challenges of increased costs to produce breakfast and lunch including the historically underfunded school meal programs plus loss of the KEEP KIDS FED ACT IN JULY 2023 combined with the end of SUPPLY CHAIN FUNDS IN SEPTEMBER 2024 which will force many school districts to tap education funds to cover meal program losses. 2. Ensure USDA maintains the current, successful school nutrition standards, rather than implementing additional rules. Additional sodium, milk and added sugars mandates are not necessary. Continued on next page.
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 15 3. Expand NSLP/SBP to offer healthy school meals for all students at no charge. This used to be the number 1 request on the SNA Position Paper for the last few years for the federal government.The federal response to this request was a provision called Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Schools who qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) get free reimbursement for all students over the 40% poverty rate which is now $4.25 reimbursement and very recently school districts could apply at the 25% and above poverty rate to get into the program but would still only get federal free reimbursement at the 40% and over rate for students because the multiplier does not change at the 25% rate. Those students below the 40% poverty rate would have their lunch reimbursed at the paid rate which is .40 cents. For most school districts that is too much of a gap in reimbursement so they cannot afford to go into the program. What has happened recently is that 8 states have chosen to pay for all breakfasts and lunches with state money for every school student in their state The 8 states are California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Vermont. There are 27 states including Maryland and the District of Columbia (DC) who have bills before their State Legislatures requesting that school lunch and breakfast be reimbursed by the state for the difference between the federal reimbursement of .40 cents and the USDA designated cost of the lunch and breakfast. See the State Legislative Article in this edition to see the Maryland Bill written last year by Mary Klatko, MdSNA State Legislative Co-Chair. The Bill was heard last year, but not voted on in either committee so it did not pass. We brought it back this year. It is now being heard in the House and Senate on February 14, 2024, simultaneously at 1:00 PM. You will see the bill, testimony and attachments concerning this Maryland State Bill (SB 579 and HB 696 which are identical). Back to the Federal Legislative Report: On March 5, 2024, four members of MdSNA are staying in Washington to meet with our two Senators and /or their Aides. They are Cody Wilt, Eric Goslee, Cherie Cotsonas and Jodi Risse. They will present the issues on the Position Paper and talk about the importance of the NSLP/BSP to the Educational Process in Maryland and of course extend an invitation to them to visit one of the schools in their district at their convenience. On March 12, 2024, MdSNA will host a zoom call with our Executive Secretary Michele Switzer moderating the Zoom call. So far, we have 52 MdSNA members registered. It will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. so you are finished serving and can clean up late if needed. It is a very interesting process that I think you will enjoy watching and participating when you can or want to, but it is not necessary to talk if you just want to observe. There will be a Team Leader who Continued on next page.
Page 16 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association will do most of the talking during the call. There will be a member of Congress or an Aide hopefully from your district on the call but if not, they are all getting the same information. On another note, Maryland was re-districted this year. All Representatives in Maryland are in different districts, in different Washington DC buildings and offices with new phone numbers and many different Aides. It was a challenge to sort it all out. If you would like to attend the Zoom call on March 12, 2024, you can still do so by clicking here. We will provide the link closer to the date that you will click on to join us at 2:00 PM. Special thanks to our Team Leaders, Cody Wilt, Eric Goslee, Cherie Cotsonas, Jodi Risse, Karen Sarno, Eulalia Muschik, Scott Heckert and Kristen Sudzina, for presiding over the Zoom call meeting with Congressional Members and Staff. We look forward to seeing you all there. Mary Klatko Federal Legislative Chairman [email protected] 410-320-0317 If you would like to attend the Zoom call on March 12, 2024, you can still do so by clicking here. Federal Legislative Report continued from prior page.
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 17 February 2nd through May 31st,2024 CROSS-CATEGORY SCHOOL PROMOTION SOFT PRETZELS • FROZEN NOVELTIES • CHURROS BREAKFAST BARS • COOKIES Minimum purchase of 10 cases per category to participate. QUALIFYING PURCHASE DATES: 2/2/24 - 5/31/24 DOUBLE when purchasing from COOL SCHOOL POINTS 2 CATEGORIES TRIPLE when purchasing from COOL SCHOOL POINTS 3 CATEGORIES when purchasing from COOL SCHOOL POINTS 10 CASES OR MORE 3000 FOR MORE INFO, SCAN HERE
Page 18 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association MD State Legislative Update HB 386 SB 425 SB 579 HB 696 The 2024 Legislative session is off to a busy start. First there was a proposed change to the Maryland Meals For Achievement (MMFA) Bill which basically proposes that Elementary Schools have the same options of breakfast delivery methods in elementary schools that are available in middle and high schools. The most popular add to service options is the Grab and Go method. The first hearing was January 31, 2024. at 1:00 p.m. for (click link to view) HB 386 MMFA Flexibility Act of 2024 before the House Ways and Means Committee with Chairman Atterbeary presiding. MdSNA President Cody Wilt was there to testify but the hearing was cut short and he did not get called to testify in person. Eric Goslee, MdSNA President-Elect and Director of Wicomico County Public Schools Food and Nutrition, as well as Jodi Risse, Director Anne Arundel County Public Schools Food and Nutrition, were in attendance and submitted written testimony. Mary Klatko MdSNA State Legislative Co-Chair Barbara Harral MdSNA State Legislative Co-Chair Continued on next page. Barbara Harral testified on Zoom.
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 19 Written testimony was submitted by Mary Klatko, MdSNA State Legislative Co-Chair, Jaime Hetzler, Baltimore County FNS Director, Cherie Cotsonas, MdSNA Vice President and Jodi Risse, FNS Director, AACPS as well as President Cody Wilt. On February 7, 2024, SB 425 MMFA Flexibility Act of 2024 was heard by the Senate Education, Energy and Environment Committee at 1:00 pm. Jodi Risse, AACPS Director, was present to represent MdSNA but was not called to testify. Barbara Harral and Jamie Hetzler testified via Zoom. Written testimony was submitted by Cody Wilt, Jodi Risse, Mary Klatko and Cherie Cotsonas. This bill has a lot of support in the House, and will undoubtably pass the Maryland General Assembly because there is no cost to it - just an implementation change to the Breakfast Program delivery system to elementary students such as Grab and Go. On February 14, 2024 SB 579 The Primary and Secondary Education- Breakfast and Lunch Programs- Universal Expansion was heard in the Senate Committee on Education, Energy and Environment chaired by Senator Feldman and Sponsored by Senator Hettleman, which is under the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee chaired by Senator Guzzone who also sponsored the bill. See the above linked copy of the bill. The purpose of this bill is to provide breakfast and lunch to all students in public and private schools at no cost to the student or their family. We are asking the state government to pick up that cost for the students. See the infographic on page 19 developed by the Heart Association, summarizing the intent of the bill. Testimony on Senate Bill SB 579 was presented in person in the Senate by MdSNA President Cody Wilt and MdSNA President-Elect Eric Goslee. Barbara Harral and Jaime Hetzler testified on Zoom. Written testimony was submitted by MdSNA President Cody Wilt, MdSNA Immediate Past President Megan Doran, Director SMCPS F&NS and MdSNA Past President Scott Heckert, Director CCPS F&NS, Michael Embly, WCPS F&NS, MdSNA Legislative Co-Chair Mary Klatko, MdSNA Vice Continued on next page.
Page 20 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association State Legislative Report continued from prior page. President Cherie Cotsonas, MdSNA Board Members and Jodi Risse, AACPS F&NS Director. On February 14, 2024, there was a simultaneous hearing of the same bill HB 696 Primary and Secondary Education- Breakfast and Lunch Programs - Universal Expansion in the House. House Bill HB 696 has the same goal of state funding for School Breakfast and Lunch for all students every school day. Scott Heckert, MdSNA Past President and Director CCPS F&NS and Megan Doran, Immediate Past President MdSNA and Director SMCPS F&NS testified in person, Barbara Harral and Jamie Hetzler testified on Zoom. Written testimony was submitted by Mary Klatko and Jodi Risse, Cherie Cotsonas, and Michael Embly. Mary Klatko requested information on the potential cost through MSDE via the Public Information Act. The cost was determined to be $117.8 million dollars depending on total participation by the students. But the fiscal note attached to the bill is last year's $190 million. The Maryland General Assembly heard testimony on the Universal Free School Breakfast and Lunch Bills SB579 and HB696 which are identical. Cody Wilt and Eric Goslee testified in person and Barbara Harral testified on Zoom in the Senate Budget and Taxation Education, Energy and Environment Committee. Scott Heckert and Megan Doran testified in the House Ways and Means Committee. Both hearings were very late in the day, actually, last on the docket in each chamber. Our association representatives all did an excellent job of presenting the value of this program and answering questions. There was a PhD dietitian researcher from Johns Hopkins who presented excellent information on her research supporting school meal's importance to student's health and education. The chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Guzzone, chose to speak first and actually said that the School Meals Program should have been part of the Blueprint for Education which is verbatim of the conversation we had in the private meeting with him On February 4, 2024. This is a budget issue. As we testified, there was a lot of support by those listening and presenting. We have 61 co-sponsors in the House. Click this link to view both hearings which are recorded on YouTube. Scroll toward the very end of the recordings to hear our testimonies. You will find it interesting. Special thanks to each of the six who testified and also to all of you who submitted written testimony. We have a long way to go until April 8 but rest assured that we will be working hard to get funding for the Bill. Mary Klatko and Laura Hale, American Heart Association, and two members of Hunger Solutions who are all part of the coalition working on these bills met with the Governor’s staff on Education & Nutrition. We were told that the budget could not support the entire cost of the Universal Bill but perhaps we could do a phase in like we did with the reduced price cost. Mary Klatko and Laura Hale and a member of Hunger Solutions met on Zoom with Senator Guzzone, Chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, on Sunday February 4, 2024. The Senator said the same thing - they do not have the funding for the bill but he mentioned a phased in approach. My guess is it would go to the schools who can become CEP at the 25% level. We will have to wait and see where that goes if they do come up with any funding. The Senator mentioned $10-20 million phase in. If you have any ideas or wishes on where you would like to see the focus of new state support, please email Mary Klatko at [email protected] or Barbara Harral Continued on next page.
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 21 Improve school attendance and academic performance. Hungry children can’t learn! Nearly 200,000 children are food insecure. Most children get up to HALF their daily calories from school meals. Keep Our Kids Fed For Success School Breakfast and Lunch at no cost for all students During the pandemic, we kept HUNDRES OF THOUSANDS of children and families across Maryland from going hungry by providing school meals at no cost. No income limits, no forms, no questions asked. It’s our job to bring these meals back and make sure that no student goes hungry during the school day. DID YOU KNOW? HB 696 | SB 579 Provide equitable access to healthy school meals to all kids – making sure no student goes hungry during the school day. Support Maryland families by removing financial barriers and reducing administrative burden on schools. Hungry kids can’t wait! Providing Healthy School Meals for All is an Investment in Maryland’s Children and Families IN children face hunger. 1 8 Families who participated in school meal programs pre- and early-pandemic had a 80% reduction in food insecurity risk. In Maryland: THIS LEGISLATION WILL: SOURCE: Feeding America SOURCE: Feeding America SOURCE: NIH–National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information SOURCE: NIH–National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information SOURCE: CDC Healthy Schools Del. Palakovich-Carr Sen. Guzzone
Page 22 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association State Legislative Report continued from prior page. at [email protected] and let them know your thoughts on use of limited state funding. The MdSNA Legisative team has been following posts by the governor’s office on his priorities for the budget this year without any proposed increases in taxes. Two priorities are important: one is childhood poverty and the other is the continued funding of the Blueprint for Education. Current Research Review have found that the Universal Meals Program during Covid when it was federally funded and now in eight states opreating the Universial School Meals Program. Universal Free School Meals are associated with: • Better attendance • Less tardiness • Fewer trips to school nurse • More ability to focus on and participate in classes • Improved test scores • Improved diet quality The State of Virginia's Senate just passed The Free Meals Bill but they will only fund Breakfast this coming year. This still has to go to the House before it is finalized. It is too bad that school meals were not part of the Blueprint for Education Bill because our contribution to Education through meal service is noteworthy. We will continue to persue our goal of providing school breakfast and lunch to all students in public and private schools. We appreciate the help of all of the Directors who have testified in person or provided written testimony or participated in rallies or attended Lobby Day events and to all who are posting messages on social media and participating in coalition meetings and planning. We thank all of you most sincerely. We will keep advising you of progress through emails. The General Assembly finishes its work for this year on April 8, 2024. This budget is for FY2025 which starts July 1, 2025 and ends June 30, 2026. Mary Klatko, State Legislative Co-Chairman [email protected] Barbara Harral, State Legislative Co-Chairman [email protected]
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 23
Page 24 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association It’s Time for 2024 Award Nominations! Let’s produce a crashing “wave of nominations” for our gathering in Ocean City for the 2024 MdSNA Convention. Now’s the time for your local SNA chapter to select your nominees for: Due May 31 to local SNAs Nominations are due to the local chapter/county Food and Nutrition Service designee (chapter president typically) for: Manager of the Year in Honor of Louise Sublette Award Employee of the Year Award Rhonda Motley Gold Success Award Innovation Award Your county winners will be submitted for nomination of the state MdSNA awards and announced at the fall convention’s Awards Banquet. State winners will receive $1,000 toward registration and travel expenses for SNA’s next Annual National Conference. Due July 31 to MdSNA County chapter award winners and nomination forms due to MdSNA Awards Chair for state consideration. Director of the Year nominations due to MdSNA Awards Chair. Nomination forms must be emailed to [email protected]. State winners will receive $1,000 toward registration and travel expenses for SNA’s next Annual National Conference. NOMINATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE ON WWW.MDSNA.ORG (Main Menu: Education/Awards) Questions? [email protected] Or call Pia Puertollano, MdSNA Awards Chair, at (301)817.0535.
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 25 MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN OF THE MARYLAND SCHOOL NUTRITION ASSOCIATION APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT 100% MEMBERSHIP SCHOOL County: Date: Name of School (type or print clearly): Address: Name of Cafeteria Manager: Phone: Number of Regular Cafeteria Employees: Number of MSNA Memberships: Name of Member Address (Use the back of this form for additional names.) Signature of Cafeteria Manager INSTRUCTIONS: To qualify for the MSNA 100% Membership Certificate of Achievement, all regular food service personnel in the single unit/school unit shall be a member of MdSNA on or before May 31st of this year. One application for each school shall be completed upon meeting this level of achievement and mailed to: Email forms to: [email protected] Does your school qualify for 100% membrship? to join MdSNA RECEIVE RECOGNITION AT THE 2024 CONVENTION AND IN THE WINTER EDITION OF THE SERVING SPOON MAGAZINE.
Page 26 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association INSPIRES INFORMS INSTRUCTS K-12 FOODSERVICE Social media can be a highly effective recruitment tool for school nutrition programs. BY LIZ WHITEMAN ROESEL Brought to you by SNA with the generous support of Conagra Foodservice From “Help Wanted” to “Talent Found” “Talent Found”
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 27 2 | SN plffl | 2024 In School Nutrition’s May/June 2023 issue, “Fear Not the Trolls!” provided readers with a comprehensive overview on how to harness the power of social media without becoming paralyzed by concern for negativity from your audience posting in the comment section. (And if you do receive negative comments, you‘ll discover great advice for handling them!) Social media has become a highly impactful communications tool for strategic marketing campaigns, recognition and appreciation of your team, highlights of new menu items and updates when supply chain issues require a last-minute change. My philosophy is that if it’s educational or entertaining, you should post it! Now, I want to help you take a deeper dive into something that I have developed accidental expertise in: using social media to recruit for the vacancies on your nutrition team. A Spring 2022 survey of SEA Level Social clients revealed some surprising bene昀椀ts of sharing their stories on social media, among them the e昀昀ectiveness of sta昀昀 recruitment campaigns. Indeed, Misha Lawyer, Foodservices Coordinator at Kershaw County (S.C.) School District, credited social media for starting SY2021-22 with the fewest vacancies she’s seen in her entire child nutrition career. Wow! That really illustrated the power of such campaigns, and since then, we’ve helped most of our clients develop and conduct recruitment campaigns on social media at least once a year. It’s not just our clients; if you follow other school nutrition departments on social media, you’re probably seeing an uptick in posts announcing: “We’re Hiring!” Maybe you’ve tried this yourself! To make a social media-based recruitment campaign truly e昀昀ective, you need to take a strategic approach, rather than a check-it-o昀昀-the-to-do-list, one-and-done post. Using the example of Kershaw County Nutrition Services, let’s break down the elements involved. (Visual learners, check out Kershaw’s Facebook, Instagram and/or X feeds using @KCSDNutrition.) Kershaw County Nutrition Services Recruitment Campaign SY2021-22
Page 28 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association 3 | SN plffl | 2024 All In Start with the “All the Details Post.” You want to grab their attention with information that will inspire action. “We’re Hiring” and a link is less likely to compel someone to actually click on that link. Instead, in this 昀椀rst post, we summarize the position(s) available, along with noting the hours, compensation, key bene昀椀ts (like bonuses!) and where to apply. With all those details covered, you might be tempted to post that once, maybe twice, and stop—especially if it doesn’t seem to be working, with few applications coming in as a result. But as any social media expert will advise you, reminders are your friend! Not everyone in your audience will see all of your posts; the algorithms of di昀昀erent social platforms don’t show you everything about every friend, family member or entity that you follow. Exacerbating that reality is the fact that not everyone is on social media at the same time. And, most important, not everyone will respond to the same marketing message. So, we started with “all the details,” then broke those down to develop a series of posts. Divide and Conquer Lawyer provided our team with truly comprehensive information about the available positions in her department. This was wonderful! The more details you start with, the more ways you can divide them up, delivering essentially the same message in multiple ways. The “all the details” graphic was followed up with a post that featured a bare minimum of information. This approach was designed to capture the attention of someone quickly scrolling through their feed who might be interested, but will glaze over any post that has a lot of text. A third post in the campaign highlighted the department’s hiring bonus— money is a powerful incentive for action! A fourth post was addressed to current employees who also are eligible for a bonus when they refer a friend. And because there were several open positions, one post homed in on those, promoting that full-time and substitute positions were available. Remember that, in addition to the text used with your artwork, you can include more information in the post’s caption. We also kept to a limited color palette, so that there was consistency within the various posts of the campaign. But we also repeated some posts using the same statements while switching up the colors—again, all in an e昀昀ort to attract new eyes scrolling through a feed. You can see examples from the Facebook version of this campaign on page 2 and from the SY2023-24 campaign on page 5. Check the results graphic at left. You’ll see that each time we posted a graphic from the SY2021-22 series, we reached at least 1,500 people on Facebook. Reach relates to how many people saw your post in their social media news feed. The number of Engaged people are those who liked, Kershaw County Nutrition Services Recruitment Campaign SY2021-22
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 29 4 | SN plffl | 2024 followed, clicked a link in your caption or shared the post—essentially anyone that took action on your post. Imagine if we posted the 昀椀rst two posts and stopped— we would have missed out on reaching thousands and engaging hundreds of people! Subtlety Plays, Too! Your overall social media presence plays an indirect role in recruitment e昀昀orts, as well. When you regularly share posts that celebrate your team members, you are sending positive messages to prospective employees, promoting the fact that your department is a great place to work! The images above represent a broad spectrum of opportunity, from “Meet Our Team” mini sta昀昀 pro昀椀les to employees having fun with special cafeteria promotions to our series showcasing the valuable role school nutrition professionals play in supporting students. You can (and should) feature these types of posts all year long. And remember that School Lunch Hero Day is right around the corner on May 3! But also consider the added boost your direct recruitment campaign will receive if you time such fun workplace images in the days or weeks before and after your recruitment appeal. Fair Share Posting on your own school nutrition department social media accounts is important, but sharing recruitment posts in di昀昀erent local Facebook Groups is one of the easiest and most e昀昀ective ways you can organically get your posts in front of more people in your community. (Turning your posts into Facebook Ads is another option to increase potential views, but you do have to pay for those.) In fact, I would say that sharing in Facebook Groups is not just a suggestion, but a requirement that will be crucial to your success. A Great Place to Work
Page 30 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association 5 | SN plffl | 2024 Hopefully, you’ve already started exploring Facebook Groups dedicated to local news and events, neighborhoods, parents and parent-teacher organizations. Be sure to add the words “job” and “hiring” to your search for appropriate Groups. In some communities, there are Facebook Groups speci昀椀cally established to share employment leads. [Editors’ Note: “Fear Not the Trolls” in SN’s May/June 2023 issue includes more details about how to 昀椀nd, join and participate in these Groups.] Ask your school nutrition team to share the department’s recruiting posts on their own social media accounts, as appropriate within their own comfort level. You can explain that they are helping to reach a wider audience to 昀椀nd quali昀椀ed coworkers. And if your department o昀昀ers a referral bonus, their own social media shares can help facilitate the likelihood of earning one! Campaign Considerations One or more of the posts in your recruitment campaign should show the kind of work that new hires will be doing (cooking, serving, cashiering) and who they will be working with. Action shots of sta昀昀 preparing meals and team photos incorporated into graphics make an impact. I especially love showing a team photo when you are hiring for a speci昀椀c position at a particular school. A review of some of the recruitment posts shared by other school nutrition departments (see page 6) reveals a few other suggestions to keep in mind: Don’t forget to include your department’s branding (name, hashtag, logo). Consider using a QR code, especially if the link for more information or to the online application is long and unwieldy. Use a recruitment post as the cover image for your department’s page for a speci昀椀c period of time. As appropriate, translate your recruitment posts into other languages that are predominant in your community. Emphasize the positive impact of working in school cafeterias. If you have an auto response that sends initial replies to direct messages from Facebook sent to your program on any topic, consider adding wording about hiring. For example: "Good Day! We will respond to your request as soon as possible. If you're interested in joining our team, click this link." I’m going to close with a recruitment tip that has nothing to do with social media strategy, but is a critical step: I challenge you to personally complete the application Kershaw County Nutrition Services Recruitment Campaign SY2023-24
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 31 6 | SN plffl | 2024 process to determine if it’s straightforward and easy. I have seen district hiring websites that are quite complicated to navigate, especially if applicants must create an account simply to access details about the position or if they have to use multiple 昀椀ltering options to 昀椀nd foodservice-speci昀椀c positions in the sea of openings across the district. If you can provide a more direct link to your open position(s) or to the application process, make sure this is the one used in your marketing. Also, if it’s possible, create a landing page that provides clear instructions on the process. Take into account that you may have applicants who are not technically savvy or who have language barriers. You want to create an easy user experience with the fewest amount of clicks required in order to increase the number of candidates. If the link is long and therefore di昀케cult to share on an image/昀氀yer/graphic, use a QR code (as noted previously) and/or a URL-shortening website like tinyurl.com to create an option that is simple to use. Labor shortages continue to prove challenging across many business segments, including school foodservice operations. I hope you 昀椀nd some helpful takeaways in this article that you can put into action when crafting your next hiring campaign! SN+ Liz Whiteman Roesel is President and Co-Founder of SEA Level Social, providing social media services and strategy exclusively to school nutrition programs. Learn more about their team and services at www.sealevelsocial media.com and contact Whiteman Roesel directly at [email protected]. Other Examples Seen on Social
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Page 48 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association MdSNA IS ON THE WEB: Keeping Our Members Informed On the MdSNA website at the top there is a column marked Resources. There are lots of organizations and references for you to research information or just read about the Child Nutrition Programs. There is a topic called "About School Meals". For those of you who are new to the program and for those who are just interested in the History of how they were started and changed over time, this is the article for you. We are reproducing it here for you to easily read. Mary Klatko, MdSNA Webmaster School Food Programs in the United States reprinted from k12.academics.com Before the official establishment of the largescale government-funded food programs that are prevalent today in the United States, other small, non-governmental food programs existed. As early as the late 19th century, there were programs in cities such as Boston and Philadelphia that operated independent school lunch programs, with the assistance of volunteers or charities. Prior to the establishment of government programs, before the 1930s, most school lunch programs were volunteer efforts on part of teachers and mother's clubs. These programs drew on the expertise of professional home economics. For the people who began these programs, school lunchrooms were the perfect setting in which to feed poor children, but more importantly to teach immigrant and middle-class children the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Thus, the original intent of school meal programs was not to help expand the food security of those in poverty in order to alleviate educational issues, but to primarily instill cultural norms upon children. During the Great Depression, the numbers of hungry children coming for food overwhelmed lunchrooms. Thus, programs began to look at state governments, then the national government, for resources. The national government then began providing aid for lunches as early as 1932, but it began on a small scale.
Maryland School Nutrition Association Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 | Page 49 This funding originated from New Deal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, and the Civil Works Administration. The federal government monitored supplies from commercial farmers and purchased surplus commodities (Levine 6). Schools served as an outlet for federal commodity donations. Then, programs expanded in 1935 through the Works Progress Administration and the National Youth Association, both of which provided labor for school cafeterias. The War Food Administration (1943-1945) helped create School Lunch Programs during World War II. Eventually, the New Deal policies began to dissolve and farm surpluses were not as large. However, there was still a desire to keep school lunch programs in place, so federal cash assistance began to be appropriated on a year-to-year basis. The National School Lunch Program was subsequently developed. History of the National School Lunch Program The NSLP was created in 1946 when President Harry Truman signed the National School Lunch Act into law. By the end of first year, the program helped 7.1 million children. However, from the start, the program linked children's nutrition to the priorities of the agricultural and food interests, tied to the agenda of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In these early years, the program provided substantial welfare to commercial farmers as outlet for surplus commodities, but provided few free meals to those children who were poor, and fed a relatively small number of schoolchildren. In the 1960s, a group of mainstream national women's organizations focused their attentions on shortcomings of NSLP. The evidence they used became crucial to Senate and House debates on race and poverty. At the end of the 1960s, the Nixon administration was forced to expand access to free lunches for poor children. After the 1960s, the NSLP was struggling. Then, in 1966, the Child Nutrition Act was passed, which stated that educational progress was an objective of meal programs in the U.S. By the end of the 1970s, many school advocates saw privatization as only way to keep lunch programs going. Fast food from private companies began to be supplied in cafeterias. Schools continue to struggle with the nutrition of the meals served through the NSLP. However, by the end of the 20th century, the NSLP ranked as the nation's second largest domestic food program after Food Stamps. Although President Harry S. Truman created the NSLP on June 4, 1946, actual food service in schools had begun long before the official act; however, the NSLP was the first formal recognition of a food service program. The NSLP legislation came in response to claims that many American men had been rejected for World War II military service due to diet-related health problems: it was clear that America's children were malnourished.
Page 50 | Serving Spoon, Spring 2024 Maryland School Nutrition Association In 1962 the National School Lunch Act amended the funding of the NSLP from a state regulated grant aid to a permanently funded meal reimbursement program. The NSLP must update its regulations every five years under the Child Nutrition and Women Infants Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act. In the six decades since its creation, the NSLP has experienced several major changes. In 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Child Nutrition Act. This Act established the School Breakfast Program (SBP) as a federally assisted meal program that provides nutritionally balanced, lowcost or free breakfasts to public and nonprofit private school children. This Act was signed during National School Lunch Week and is an extension of the NSLP. In 1968 U.S. Congress created the Child Nutrition Act, which initiated a two-year pilot project School Breakfast Program and increased meals served to needy students. The Child Nutrition Act was also amended to create the Summer Food Service Program. Congress additionally established the National School Lunch Week. In 1969 President Richard Nixon said, "The time has come to end hunger in America." He then pushed Congress to authorize free and reduced-price lunches for needy children through sufficient funding in addition to the regular replacement program. In 1994 a number of changes were made to the NSLP primarily emphasizing the need to standardize the nutritional quality of school meals. Dietary guidelines were proposed to take effect in 1996. Also, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched the Healthy School Meals Initiative to improve nutritional education for school age children. In 2004, as the childhood obesity crisis came into national focus, new USDA regulations urged school districts to set up wellness policies and initiatives that would answer specific issues to their own needs. These USDA regulations aimed at strengthening nationwide nutritional education and to give schools the autonomy to decide what types of foods could be sold in vending machines and as a la carte items during lunch. In 2007 the USDA hired the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to oversee a recommendation for "bringing school food up-to-date with current science." (From the report it was concluded that,"Since the school meal programs were last updated, we've gained the greater understanding of children's nutritional needs and the dietary factors that contribute to obesity, heart disease, and other chronic health problems." (Virginia Stallings, MD, Jean A. Cortner Endowed Chair in pediatric gastroenterology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, head of the IOM team).