Number 25
A Publication of Food and Nutrition Management, Florida Department of Education
Winter 2005
Florida Spotlight
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Reprinted with permission from Sheila
Newsclips
CAFE CREATIONS:
An integrated school activity
focusing on the importance of good
nutrition.
After the winter break from school,
students at
Sabal
Palm, Lake Trafford, Shadowlawn,
and
returned to cafeterias decorated
with life-size grapes holding soccer
balls, green peppers lifting weights,
broccoli playing baseball and oranges
workers created the characters
the carrot “SeeMore” and the
teachers highlighted the program by
finding a carrot song and a story
family carrot recipes for a recipe
book they are developing (copies of
the recipes are available from the
district Communication &
Information Office by calling 239-
recipes will help to increase the
consumption of carrots at home.
Osceola teacher, Denise Blosser, has
integrated nutrition into her lesson
plans by asking students to wear five
colored bracelets on one wrist and
to transfer a bracelet to the opposite
wrist for each serving of fruits and
vegetables they consume during the
day.
As part of the program, each school
will receive a $150 check for its
physical education department to buy
a grant written by the Health
Education Division of the Department
of Health and sponsored by the
Collier Medical Society.
The check to Osceola Elementary
School was presented during an
11:00 a.m. presentation ceremony on
Tuesday, January 28
th, at the school.
To learn more, contact Sheila
Sheridan or Bill Goulding at 239-
377-0291.
hoping to spark some excitement and
to increase the consumption of
healthy foods, especially fruits and
vegetables.
If successful, Sheila Sheridan,
Director of Food Service, would like
to expand the program to all of the
elementary schools in the Collier
County Public School District.
Sheridan has been working to
develop recommended nutrition and
nutrition education standards for
the state of Florida in an effort to
combat the problem of childhood
obesity.
Spearheading the project to
increase fruit and vegetable
consumption in the five test schools
is Bill Goulding, Food Service
Supervisor for the school district.
“In an effort to make the characters
visible and part of the school
environment, we decided to ask the
students to name the characters. The
best part is, we are collaborating
with the physical education teachers
to include the characters in their
evaluate the success of the program
by conducting ‘plate-waste studies’
to see if fruit and vegetable
consumption increases.”
A perfect example of the
collaboration and innovation of
teachers to fight obesity can be
found at Osceola Elementary School.
Related Arts teacher, Lisa Braren,
and Physical Education teacher,
Denise Blosser, taught the
importance of eating a well-
balanced diet, the benefits of
carrots in the diet, and the history
of carrots in conjunction with the
contest to name the characters in
Features
Newsclips
Cafe Creations
Page 2
Page 3
Page 7
Training Update Page 4
Program Updates
NSLP
Page 5
Summer Food
Page 3
Healthy Meals
Intern Update
Resource Center
jumping rope. School Food Service
their cafeteria. The students named
about carrots. Students brought in
377-0180). The hope is that these
equipment. The money will come from
curriculum,” said Goulding. “We will
Sheridan, FS Director, Collier County
Osceola, Lake Park,
Naples Park Elementary schools
Page 1
Staff Changes
Staff Spotlight Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Spotlight on Child Nutrition
is published by
Food & Nutrition Management
Florida Department of Education
(850)245-9289 Fax (850)245-9290
Help Desk: 1-800-504-6609
Submissions subject to editing
Deadline for next issue
April 15, 2005
From the desk of Diane Santoro
Program Administration
Irene Wimbush, Coordinator
Cathy Reed, Program Director
Debra Stecklein, Training
Coordinator
Food & Nutrition Resource
Center
Britton Doner
Martha Brown, Supervisor
Jo Carrion
Jamie Mowry
Richard Parks
Reviews
Brenda Dekle, Supervisor
Stan Dantzler
Barbara Frazier
Heather Shrum
Program Operations
Nick Baldwin, Grants
Analyst
Reggie McNeal, Claims
Dave Whetstone, Procurement
NSLP/NSBP
Darlene Fowinkle
Suzanne Pridgeon
Jennifer Zimmerman
SFSP
Michelle Morris, Supervisor
Steven Burch
Lis Doren
Marjorie Williams
R
Who’s Who in FNM
Rosa Thomas
Rosa Thomas, Supervisor of Claims Processing
began working in the claims processing area
in 1980. She loved her work and enjoyed
assisting FNM staff and NSLP/SFSP sponsors
with claims-related issues. Rosa prided
herself on the claims area running smoothly,
tracking fund distribution, and submitting
some R & R and her new home. She plans to
pursue a job in the private sector.
(continued on page 3)
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treats are sometimes intimidating, especially the first
an opportunity for FNM staff to work on a strategic plan
in a place that would allow us to work together without
close, inexpensive, and could accommodate fifty people
our first session at Wakulla Springs State Park.
Before anyone gets the idea that we planned to have a picnic, let me assure you that
this facility provided the team a rustic setting with little heat - it was a cold December
day in northern Florida, a day that did not reflect “Chamber of Commerce” weather!
One of the key points to remember is that a plan is only as good as those who are willing
marks the difference between being told what to do and thinking about what needs to
interesting is that the group broke into areas that did not necessarily fit their job
reflected their enthusiasm.
We even celebrated a birthday with one of our many desserts!
long way to go, but working with our team, I know that we will get there.
Our plan is to meet outside of the work environment in the spring and finalize the
how long the journey takes, but that the paths taken lead to continuous growth and
overall improvement.
for FNM, retired December 31, 2004. Rosa
error-free reports to USDA. She certainly
will be missed at DOE. Rosa is now enjoying
one. We decided that it would be beneficial to provide
interruptions. We also needed a place that was fairly
of various ages and comfort needs. We decided to hold
to implement it. The basic framework had been created over a period of several staff
meetings. It was now time for participation, input, and commitment. Staff participation
be done. We discussed our goals and what is required to reach them. The staff chose
which goals they wanted to work on based on their passion and interest. What was
descriptions. As a result, there was a free flow of ideas and a camaraderie that
Being in food service, we decided to have a pot luck lunch that rivaled any caterer.
What did we accomplish? The beginning of a true, working team spirit in which
everyone felt ownership. We began to see a road map that fit our vision. We have a
strategic plan in the fall. In between these meetings, the team leaders are working
with their groups to move their suggestions forward. Will we be successful? Only time
will tell. However, I have learned that when a good manager listens to what staff
needs to get things done, there is a greater chance of success. It really doesn’t matter
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1032
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Website: http://www.myfloridaeducation.com/fnm
for space and clarity.
Diane Santoro, Administrator
Program Services/Reviews
Alfreda Parker, Admin. Secretary
Healthy Meals Team
Shelia Thomas, Admin. Secretary
Valerie Bius
Viva Henry
Pam Pratt, Admin. Secretary
Tom Hollern, Financials/Budgets
Michelle Armstrong, Systems
Robin Miles-Tennille, Supervisor
Shawn Yates, Admin. Secretary
Awilda Font
Cherry Parks, Admin. Secretary
Angela Voyles
Staff Changes at FNM
Florida Spotlight
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Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
Summer is coming faster than you know, and so is the Summer Food Service Program.
The SFSP staff are very excited about this year’s training in March and April. The
2005 training will be very memorable, so be prepared. Unlike past years, we are offering
seamless training in two locations.
The mandatory training dates and locations for 2005 are:
March 15
Deerfield (Seamless also)
April 5
St. Augustine
April 7
Destin
April 12
Palm Beach/Singer Island
April 19
Tampa
April
21
Orlando
April 26
Tallahassee (Seamless also)
In addition to providing training for our sponsors, the staff of the Summer Food Program
is expanding its program through outreach. Our goal is to increase participation through
community awareness with organizations such as WIC, Medicaid providers, and radio
stations. We are also developing management plans with sponsors to enhance our activity
in targeted counties. Through the help of these organizations, the community, and the
SFSP sponsors, the Summer Food Service Program will reach more children in the
upcoming years.
Also, the new summer food reimbursement rates are posted on the USDA web site
( http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer/Administration/
reimbursement_rates_current.html); a TA note will be mailed in the future.
We really appreciate all who have helped us continue to provide nutritious meals during
the summer. As always, the SFSP Staff is here to answer your questions and offer
technical assistance as needed. Please feel free to contact us at 1-800-504-6609.
-Steven D. Burch, II, FNM Staff
Staff Changes at FNM (continued)
Nick Baldwin has been with FNM since coming to DOE in the spring of ’86. Prior to that he
worked at the Department of Labor.
In the 60’s he taught at R. F. Nims Middle School (including night classes) and then taught
science for one year at Godby High School in Tallahassee.
Overall, Nick has worked 38 years and 8 months in the Florida system.
Nick Baldwin
While at FNM, he has worked in many areas, including Reviews and Summer Food Program, and has developed
training programs statewide and internally in FNM. He conducted Child & Adult Care Program audits, wrote SAE
State plans for both SFSP and Program Operations, planned Advisory Council meetings, and served on the FSFSA
board as PR Chair. He created the procedures manual for the Child & Adult Care Program Audits Resolution desk.
He co-chaired the FSEC campaign one year and served on the DOE Sick Leave Pool committee since being appointed
by Betty Castor in Dec. 1992. An avid photographer, he has had articles and/or photos printed in both the FSFSA
and ASFSA magazines. He was a founding member of DOERs and of the Health Fair Committee (having served there
for 7 years). Nick’s only parting comment: “Some of the most dedicated, caring, lovable folks I have had the
privilege to know work right here in FNM.”
We wish Rosa and Nick a wonderful and active retirement!
Florida Spotlight
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Food and Nutrition Management is sponsoring several training opportunities in 2005.
Nutrikid Software Training
Viera – Feb. 17 and 18, 2005
Gainesville – Feb. 22-23, 2005
Panama City – Feb. 24-25, 2005
Summer Food Service Program Training
Many locations throughout the state in March and April 2005
Public Sponsor CRE and SMI Training
(for districts that will have a review during 2005-2006 school year)
June 15, 2005 Orlando, Florida
Public Sponsor Update meeting for Directors and Administrative Staff
June 16 and 17, 2005 Orlando, Florida
Private Sponsor Food Safety Training Day
Many locations throughout the state during 2005
As plans are completed, sponsors will be contacted with details of the trainings that
Training Coordinator, Food and Nutrition Management, at 1-800-504-6609 x 59270
We look forward to seeing you at many of these wonderful training opportunities.
A goal of Food and Nutrition Management is to provide needed and worthwhile training
fiscal analysis.
Get ready for the journey of a lifetime!
The National School Lunch Team invites you to its annual NSLP Training for
private schools, charter schools, and residential child care institutions (RCCI).
This year our training will be held in May in nine locations throughout the state.
The planned locations are:
•
Tampa
•
Ft. Myers
•
Orlando
•
Melbourne
•
Miami
•
Palm Beach
•
Pensacola
•
Jacksonville
•
Tallahassee
Exact dates and locations within each city will be included in the invitation.
are specific to their needs. For other information please contact Deb Stecklein,
or by email at deb.stecklein@fldoe.org.
programs to districts and sponsors. Our team is available to develop training programs
in needed areas. We are compiling a list of proposed presentations and welcome your
comments. Future topics include procurement, the family application process, and
Training Update Corner
Training
Florida Spotlight
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National School Lunch Program
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Staff Spotlight
Updating Information
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on the CNP System
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O
ur new web-based Sponsor
Other Changes to the Applications
Application and Reimbursement
computer system (better known as
Once you have made changes to your
the CNP system) has been up and
contact information your application
running for almost a year now.
will become inactive. Whenever
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This system allows FNM staff to
online changes are made you must
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review needed information for
save and submit the application for
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any of the National School Lunch
approval. To do this, select “SAVE”
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Program sponsors.
at the bottom of the application, then
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select “FINISH,” and then select
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Contact Information
“BACK.” At the bottom of the page
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select “SUBMIT APPLICATION FOR
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An important section of the
APPROVAL.” If you encounter any
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sponsor application is the contact
error messages while making
information. It can be found on
the sponsor application in A8-A15.
We contact our sponsors on a
daily basis, so it is crucial that
the contact information (name,
phone number, fax, and email) be
correct on all sponsor and site
applications. So that we can
communicate important messages
to you when needed, please:
•
Do not leave email
information blank. You
must provide us with an
active email account
where we may contact
you.
•
Update contact
information as staff
changes.
•
Make sure your email
address is entered
correctly.
•
Make sure the email
account is active.
•
Make sure you check
your email on a regular
basis.
changes, contact your area
representative to assist you with
correcting the problem. Once you
have submitted your application for
approval, you may want to send your
area representative an email
indicating that you have made
changes.
Remember that you cannot
file a claim without your application
being approved!
Communication is key between FNM
staff and NSLP sponsors. It is our
goal to keep all of you informed and
in compliance with federal
regulations.
-Jennifer Zimmerman, FNM Staff
National School Lunch Program
Brenda Dekle
Brenda Dekle is the supervisor for
the Reviews section. She supervises
seven reviewers. Vacancies are
common, so that means Brenda is
often short of staff. This, however,
does not seem to faze her. She has
an easygoing temperament which is
well suited for the trials and
tribulations of program reviews.
At one time there were two
supervisors doing the job that
Brenda does now. She has always
been very willing to take on
additional responsibilities and
fulfills them in a very professional
manner.
There are two sides to our wonderful
Brenda. She is always the picture of
professionalism at work, but
occasionally a glint in her eye
appears when she talks about her
Harley!
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Updated SMI Materials
Training sessions were held in September and October
2004 to review USDA’s new SMI publications, “The
Road to SMI Success” and “Nutrient Analysis
Protocols,” as well as the changes to the DOE SMI
process.
√
“The Road to SMI Success” was created to help
foodservice directors, supervisors, and managers
successfully implement the School Meals Initiative
for Healthy Children regulations within the scope of
their daily practices. This manual includes SMI
information and resources, so you and your staff
can more easily provide nutritious meals and a healthy
environment for students. It replaces USDA’s
previous publication, “Healthy School Meals
Training,” and serves as a complement to USDA’s
“Menu Planner for Healthy School Meals.”
√
“Nutrient Analysis Protocols” was created to establish
a uniform approach to analyzing menus for an SMI
review. All SMI menu analyses, whether done by
the state agency staff or NSLP sponsor, should be
completed in the same manner. Special emphasis was
put on selecting age/grade levels that use the menu
planning option chosen and using the yield factor
method which converts foods to their cooked nutrient
values for analysis.
If you were unable to attend a session and would like a
copy of the workshop materials, please contact Martha
Brown, M.S., R.D., Supervisor, Healthy Meals Support
Team, at martha.brown@fldoe.org or (850) 245-9292.
Breakfast Calories - A SMI Challenge for Food-Based
Menu Planners
One of the changes effected by the new USDA materials
is that the nutritional analysis for NSLP sponsors using
a food-based menu planning option (MPO) will no longer
allow combining of breakfast and lunch meals.
The option to combine breakfast and lunch meals is still
available for sponsors using the nutrient-based MPO.
Unlike the food-based MPO, the nutrient-based MPO
requires analysis of meals before the meals are served.
This gives nutrient-based MPO sponsors the opportunity
to adjust menus to achieve age specific nutrient standards
prior to meal service. Sponsors who analyze their menus
and use a food-based MPO must change to a nutrient-
based MPO to take advantage of the combined analysis
option.
Since
most traditional breakfast items contain less fat (less
calories), the combined analysis allows sponsors to
serve a higher fat (higher calorie) lunch. Separating
the analysis often has two results: a breakfast that
does not meet calorie requirements and/or a lunch
that exceeds the fat percentages. Most menu planners
are sensitive to watching the amount of fat and
saturated fat in their meals, but the issue of
inadequate breakfast calories has surfaced with
recent SMI reviews.
The inadequate breakfast calorie issue is further
complicated because:
n
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Most food-based breakfast meal planners use the
K-12 age group, which has the same minimum
component and portion size requirements for all
students within the age grouping, and has a
minimum standard of 554 calories.
n
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Many sponsors’ menus offer traditional low
calorie breakfast items, such as toast (70
calories), cereal (100 calories), juice (60
calories), and milk (140 calories), resulting in
menus of 400-450 calories.
Menu planners face a dilemma. If the portion sizes
are increased in order to raise calories, the resulting
meal can be overwhelming for elementary students.
If elementary students cannot eat all the food served,
plate waste goes up, and so does the food budget.
What is the answer? Unfortunately, there is no quick
and easy solution. Sponsors who offer multiple
selections and items that are more calorie dense, such
as breakfast pizza, pancakes on a stick, PB & J, eggs,
and/or lean breakfast meats weekly seem to come
closer to meeting the caloric standards without
exceeding the fat content guidelines. If you feel
you have solved this challenge, please share your
success with the SMI Team so that we can better
assist other sponsors.
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Our fifth class of dietetic interns
graduated on February 4, 2005.
Jenna Brunaugh and Caitlin Moresco
successfully completed the
requirements of the American
Dietetic Association’s Commission on
Accreditation and Dietetics
interns were able to participate in
both a CRE and SMI review, thanks
to those districts that provided these
experiences for our students. In
addition, the interns developed a set
of menus, recipes, production
records, and grocery lists for use
material will be debuted in the May
private sponsor training sessions.
Caitlin will be returning to her home
in New York to pursue positions in
the northeast and may pursue her
Master’s degree at the University of
Delaware. Jenna has accepted a
position in Polk County. We wish
them both luck and happiness as they
pursue attaining the status of
registered dietitian and otherwise
follow their dreams.
Our sixth class of dietetic interns
began on February 7, 2005. At that
time Jaleena Wortham and Melissa
Corum began their six-month
these interns will appear in the next
newsletter.
DOE Dietetic Internship Program
—Richard Parks,
FNM Staff
Internship Director
Dorma Seago
With many mixed feelings FNM bids adieu to Dorma Seago, long
time editor of the Spotlight and Supervisor of the FNM Resource
Center. After nine years of dedicated service, Dorma has retired
from the Florida Department of Education.
During her tenure with FNM Dorma created, edited, designed,
and produced brochures, training manuals, reference manuals,
marketing materials, and our beloved Spotlight newsletter. Dorma
began her career with FNM as a distribution specialist. At that
time, the resource center was a simple lending library. It is because
of Dorma’s vision, hard work, determination, and perseverance
that our current day resource center is considered an invaluable
resource to parents, dietitians, and educators across the country.
Prior to her service with FNM, Dorma spent 20 years in the
classroom as a high school English, journalism, yearbook, and
speech teacher at Martin County High School.
Dorma has retired to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she will
be working for the Albuquerque Food and Nutrition Services doing
much of what she did with FNM. Additionally, she will be working
with two mobile units creating nutrition education materials to be
used in these rolling classrooms.
We will certainly miss Dorma; however, we wish her well in her
new endeavors.
Education (CADE). This year our
in small group RCCI settings. This
program. Photos and details about
Florida Spotlight
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What’s New in the Resource Center?
Fruits and Vegetables Galore:
Helping Kids Eat More
. Three
ringed booklets offer school food
service programs help enhancing the
nutrition values of meals by adding
plenty of fruits and vegetables.
This resource includes information
on planning, purchasing, protecting,
preparing, presenting, and
promoting fruits and vegetables,
while creating an enjoyable eating
environment through varying food
colors and offering customer
service. Encourage students to eat
and enjoy fruits and vegetables in
their school meals. [Order #: 2463]
Magic School Bus: Flexes Its
Muscles.
A video episode of a
popular television animated cartoon
show. In this installment, the
characters struggle to make a robot
do their chores for them, while
learning how joints and muscles
work together in the human body.
[Order #: 2466]
Food and Nutrition
Resource Center
just ask!
Britton Doner, Materials Manager
Food and Nutrition Resource Center
Florida Department of Education
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1032
Tallahassee, FL 32399
(850) 245-9291 or 1 (800) 504-6609
Fax:(850) 245-9290
The current working web address is:
http://www.firn.edu/webfiles/inmagic/
fnrc/
Magic School Bus: For Lunch
. A
video episode of a popular television
animated cartoon show. In this
installment, characters become
miniaturized and take a field trip
through the body of another
character, Arnold. Inside his body,
the classmates learn how the human
digestive system works. [Order #:
2467]
Public School District Materials
Mailing
The Resource Center is sending a
training kit entitled,
“Preventing
Childhood Overweight and Obesity:
Parents Can make A Difference,
”
to each district for use in speaking
to school, PTA/PTO, and community
groups. The materials include a DVD,
VCR tape, and printed information.
The kits were developed by Project
Pennsylvania and given to the state
of Florida. We hope that you will
review these materials and use them
in your district. We would also
appreciate hearing your comments.
Food and Nutrition Management
Florida Department of Education
1032 Turlington Building
325 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
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