Child Nutrition Summer Institute 2023

Summer Institute 2023 was held over three weeks in August to provide training for Vermont school food service staff, managers, directors, determining officials, and other administrators involved in school food service programs.

August 7–11, 2023: The Institute of Child Nutrition’s “Orientation to School Nutrition Management” session as a virtual, instructor-led training via Zoom. This training will not be recorded.

August 14 –18, 2023: In-Person Sessions in Montpelier. Culinary sessions will be held at Montpelier High School and all other sessions will be in the State of Vermont offices on the National Life Campus. Meals will be available for purchase in the cafeteria and space will be available for informal networking with other attendees during breaks. These trainings will not be recorded.

August 21 – 25, 2023: Live Online Trainings via Go-To Webinar. These trainings will also be recorded for later viewing. Please register to receive a copy of the recording.

All trainings are free of charge and will provide continuing education credits that count for the USDA Professional Standards Requirements.

Orientation to School Nutrition Management

Monday, August 7 – Friday, August 11, 2023

Monday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

This 5-day course is offered by experienced instructors from the Institute of Child Nutrition. It covers all aspects of managing the federal school nutrition programs, including:

USDA Regulations,
Reimbursable School Meals,
Marketing,
Food Production and Operation Management,
Human Resources,
Emergency Preparedness
And more.

This training is strongly recommended for all new and aspiring food service managers and directors, and those with less than 5 years of experience. If you are hiring a new food service manager or director, please plan to have them attend this session. This course will be held via Zoom, but it will not be recorded. Participants will be mailed materials ahead of time – please provide a summer mailing address when registering.

In-Person Sessions

Culinary sessions will be held at Montpelier High School, and all other sessions will be in the State of Vermont offices on the National life Campus. Meals will be available for purchase in the National Life cafeteria and space will be available for informal networking with other attendees during breaks. These locations are a 4-minute drive apart. If transportation between the locations is a difficulty for you, please contact AOE Child Nutrition Programs for help.

Knife Skills

Monday, August 14, 2023
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Location: Montpelier High School Cafeteria, Montpelier, VT

Please join us for a hands-on knife skills workshop at Montpelier High School. In this workshop participants will learn and practice fundamentals of professional knife skills. We will cover setting up a work station for safety and efficiency, using and maintaining knives, classic knife cuts practice and terminology and strategies to increase yield and speed. This session is recommended for any food service production staff who are interested in learning ways to make their knife work safer, faster and more efficient. This session is being taught by Chef Jim Birmingham, American Culinary Federation Certified Executive Chef and Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools Food Services Director. This session is limited to 12 participants.

Cycle Menus and More

Monday, August 14, 2023
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Location: State of Vermont Offices at National Life Campus, Montpelier, VT

This class will provide menu planners with a guide for where to start and how to proceed through the menu planning process using cycle menus. We will review the AOE-Child Nutrition VT Seasonal Cycle Menu Planning Tool and discover ways to adapt and change the menu to meet individual school or SFA culture. Menu evaluation and planning for special events, holidays, and cultural diversity will be discussed. At the end of this class participants will be able have a six week cycle menu ready to go. This session is hosted by Katherine Alexander, Director of the MAUSD/ANWSD School Nutrition program.

Meal Pattern Mania

Monday, August 14, 2023
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: State of Vermont Offices at National Life Campus, Montpelier, VT

This class is packed with activities that help participants really learn the NSLP and NSBP Meal Patterns. Learn what it means to "credit food", how to use CN Labels and Product Formulation Labels, using the Food Buying Guide, and what you just need to memorize. Leave the class with lots of ways to help you remember all the details and how to keep it all straight. This session is hosted by Katherine Alexander, Director of the MAUSD/ANWSD School Nutrition program.

Waste Reduction in the Cafeteria

Monday, August 14, 2023
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Montpelier High School Cafeteria, Montpelier, VT

Each year in the United States, we waste $161 billion worth of food—almost 40% of all the food produced (2010 study, usda.gov). Schools grapple with this challenge daily, spending precious funds on food that gets wasted—and then costs more money to compost or trash. In this session, you’ll learn strategies to reduce this waste and also get more of your quality leftovers to folks in your community who need food. We’ll cover topics ranging from food prep to share tables to student engagement and free assistance. We’ll also touch on ways to reduce overall waste throughout the cafeteria, including single-use packaging and improving recycling and compost programs. This session will be hosted by Anne Bijur and Emma Stuhl, staff from the Materials Management Section of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Both former educators, Anne also previously worked for Vermont FEED (Food Education Every Day).

Customer Service at Its Best

Tuesday, August 15, 2023
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: State of Vermont Offices at National Life Campus, Montpelier, VT

Come to this class to talk about and learn how school nutrition professionals can be at the top of their game with customer service in schools. Learn how the kitchen and cafeteria can become everyone's FAVORITE place, if it isn't already. We will cover topics of customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and build on our Active Listening skills for when things get tough. This session is led by Kathy Alexander, the Director of the MAUSD and ANWSD School Nutrition Cooperative.

ServSafe Food Protection Manager Training and Certification Exam (4 hours)

Sessions Thursday, August 17, or Friday, August 18, 2023 (Only register for one)
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: State of Vermont Offices at National Life Campus, Montpelier, VT

This free class is only open to those working in one of the federal Child Nutrition Programs.

The ServSafe program helps prepare you for the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification exam. Training covers these concepts: the importance of food safety, good personal hygiene, time and temperature control, preventing cross-contamination, cleaning and sanitizing, safe food preparation, receiving and storing food, methods of thawing, cooking, cooling and reheating food, HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control points), food safety regulations, and more. The certification exam will be offered following the training, and participants will be mailed the 7th Edition ServSafe Manager Course Book ahead of time. Please include a summer mailing address when registering.

Menu Production and Kitchen Efficiency

Thursday, August 17, 2023
8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Location: State of Vermont Offices at National Life Campus, Montpelier, VT

This class will focus on food production in busy school kitchens. We will talk about all the ways that you can improve efficiency, save time, increase quality, and stay sane. This session will be led by Kathy Alexander, Director of the MAUSD and ANWSD School Nutrition Cooperative.

Learning to Love Production Records

Thursday, August 17, 2023
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: State of Vermont Offices at National Life Campus, Montpelier, VT

Production records are a great tool and can help save time and help make decisions and plan. The key is learning to use them well. In this class we will review common pitfalls of not using production records or not using them well and see that they can be very useful in forecasting and planning if they contain the right information. We will also review weights and measures and talk about portion control. This session will be led by Kathy Alexander, Director of the MAUSD and ANWSD School Nutrition Cooperative.

Inventory Management

Friday, August 18, 2023
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: State of Vermont Offices at National Life Campus, Montpelier, VT

In this class participants will do a deep dive into how to manage food in school kitchens. We will cover best practices for receiving food, storing food, and using food on a daily basis. Taking inventory, traceability and managing food from a variety of sources will all be covered. This session will be led by Kathy Alexander, Director of the MAUSD and ANWSD School Nutrition Cooperative.

Live Online Trainings

These sessions will be offered live via Go To Webinar. Please register for each course individually by following the registration link following the course description. These trainings will also be recorded for later viewing. Please register to receive a copy of the recording. If you have watched a recording, please submit the Child Nutrition Certificate Request Form to receive a certificate.

Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals, Module 1: The Role of the Determining Official

Monday, August 21, 2023
9 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

This is the first of a virtual 3-part series of sessions on determining eligibility for free and reduced price school meals.. In this module, we will cover the responsibilities of the determining official, the timeline for the process, confidentiality and disclosure requirements, and where to find answers when faced with a unique scenario. Module 1 is designed for new determining officials and those who have not attended training for several years, although all determining officials are welcome! This series will be taught by Rosie Krueger, State Director of Child Nutrition Programs at the Vermont Agency of Education.

USDA Foods 101

Monday August 21, 2023
11 a.m. - noon

This class will start with the basics: what USDA Foods are, how to get setup in WBSCM and FFAVORS, how to find your entitlement, how to order them using the online WBSCM and FFAVORS ordering systems, and how to release them from the warehouse. We’ll then cover how to check the status of orders, how to run reports showing the value of your foods, and how to run reports that can be used to take inventory. If you’re a new food service manager or if you still feel a little wobbly with your USDA Foods, this class is for you!

USDA Foods Panel: Best Practices in Managing USDA Foods

Monday August 21, 2023
1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

This panel of seasoned School Nutrition Directors will offer tips and information about the best ways to manage USDA Foods. They will answer all your burning questions and offer ideas for how to best use these products in your program.

Provision 2 Base Year Training

Monday, August 21, 2023
3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

This virtual session will cover the basics of offering free meals to all students using Provision 2. We will cover how to complete the necessary paperwork, managing the application process, meal counting and claiming, and the state universal meals supplement. We will also discuss how future years of Provision 2 will work. This session is recommended for business officials, administrators, food service directors and managers, and determining officials. This session will be taught by Rosie Krueger, State Director of Child Nutrition Programs at the Vermont Agency of Education.

Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals, Module 2: Direct Certification

Tuesday, August 22, 2023
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

This is the second in a virtual 3-part series of sessions on determining eligibility for free and reduced price school meals. In this session, we will discuss what direct certification means and the different ways a child may be directly certified for free school meals. We will cover how to obtain information on directly certified students from the Agency of Education and other direct certification sources, how to extend benefits to other children in the household when allowable, and how to issue benefits and maintain the direct certification list and other required documentation. New this year, this session will cover Direct Certification through Medicaid. This session is intended for both new and experienced determining officials, as well as data managers.

Production Records Basics

Tuesday, August 22, 2023
11:30 a.m. – noon

Let’s take the stress out of Production Records. In this training we will be going over what they are, why we need them, and what documentation you need to complete them correctly. This session will be hosted by Denise Blankenship, Child Nutrition Consultant for the State of Vermont Child Nutrition Programs.

Procurement 101

Tuesday, August 22, 2023
1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

This class will cover everything you need to know about procurement! We will go over the different methods of procurement, as well as required documentation. This session will be hosted by Shawna Coutu, Vermont Agency of Education Child Nutrition Procurement Consultant, and Conor Floyd, Vermont Agency of Education Child Nutrition Grant Programs Manager.

Acing your Administrative Review

Tuesday, August 22, 2023
3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

This virtual session will set you up for success and cover all you need to know for your upcoming School Nutrition Administrative Review. This training is ideal for food service directors, kitchen managers, administrative staff, and business managers who are looking for a clear understanding of the Administrative Review process. At least one person from each School Food Authority (SFA) scheduled for a Child Nutrition Administrative Review in the 2023-2024 school year must attend this class. This session will be hosted by Amanda Vassallo, NDTR, Child Nutrition Consultant for the Vermont Agency of Education and Denise Blankenship, Child Nutrition Consultant for the Vermont Agency of Education.

Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price School Meals, Module 3 Processing Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications

Wednesday August 23, 2023
9 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

This is the third session in the 3-part series on determining eligibility for free and reduced price school meals. In this session, we will discuss how to process free and reduced meal applications, common errors, how to issue benefits to households, and how to maintain required documentation. This module will include a hands-on section where participants will practice processing several applications. Please have a calculator, pencil, and paper available for this module. A packet of sample applications will be emailed to participants ahead of time for those who wish to print them out and practice on a hard copy application.

Local Foods Incentive: Purchasing Strategies and Best Practices

Wednesday August 23, 2023
11 a.m. – noon

This virtual training will provide participants with a broad overview of the Local Foods Incentive Grant and then transition into a discussion with Food Service Directors whose programs are currently purchasing 15% or greater local foods. The speakers will discuss their general strategies as well as answer questions collected from other SFAs. There will be time during the session for participants to ask questions as well. The intended audience for this training is Business Managers, Food Service Directors, and Food Coordinators. This training is applicable to Supervisory Unions and Schools Districts (SU/SDs) that have already applied for a Local Foods Incentive grant and those considering applying. It is highly recommended that any SU/SD planning to apply for a Subsequent Year grant this School Year have at least one staff in attendance.

This session will be hosted by Conor Floyd, Grant Programs Manager for the State of Vermont Child Nutrition Programs and will feature:

Sarah Heusner, Programs Manager & Local Purchasing for the Burlington School Food Project;
Bob Hildebrand, Food Service Director for Central Vermont Supervisory Union; and
Harley Sterling, Food Service Director for Windham Northeast Supervisory Union.

Navigating the School Breakfast Program

Wednesday August 23, 2023
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

This virtual session will provide an overview of the School Breakfast Program and how to build a successful Program or improve participation in an existing Program. Topics discussed will include a brief overview of the SBP meal pattern and Offer Versus Serve (OVS), service models, assessing need and best practices. This session will be hosted by Amanda Vassallo, NDTR, Child Nutrition Consultant for the Vermont Agency of Education.

Preparing for Your Procurement Review

Wednesday, August 23, 2023
3 p.m.– 4:30 p.m.

This class will cover all you need to know for your upcoming Child Nutrition Procurement Review! Together, we will discuss what the CN Procurement Review looks like start to finish. Topic areas include: working through the Procurement Tool, required documentation, navigating SharePoint, and the on-site review visit. Participants are urged to also participate in the Procurement 101 class offered. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers, so please come prepared with any specific questions you may have about your upcoming CN Procurement Review! This session will be hosted by Shawna Coutu, VT AOE Child Nutrition Procurement Consultant.

Understanding the Professional Standards Regulations and Finding Training that Meets Your Needs

Thursday August 24, 2023
9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Since 2015, USDA regulations have required that staff involved in operating the school nutrition programs receive a minimum number of training hours per year. These regulations also instituted hiring standards for new food service directors. This session will start with an overview of these requirements. We will look at several available options for documenting annual training, and then we will spend the remainder of the session exploring a variety of free and low-cost training opportunities that would meet these requirements for staff at all levels.

Local Wellness Policies: Development and Use

Thursday August 24, 2023
11 a.m. – noon

This presentation will introduce the important elements of local wellness policy (LWP) development and use. Effective wellness policies, practices and procedures encourage students, staff, and families to make healthy choices. The development, use, and continual improvement of these policies/documents are vital processes in establishing a culture of health within a school community. During this professional learning opportunity, we will discuss LWP development and implementation (not just product) and important considerations in each stage (e.g., team forming, messaging, etc.). We encourage nutrition, health, and educational leaders to attend.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Thursday August 24, 2023
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

This virtual class will take a deep dive into the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). We will be covering the requirements for elementary schools that are eligible for participation. Participants will learn all about the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, best practices, how funds are allocated, application and claim tips, rules and regulations of the program, and more. This session will be hosted by Denise Blankenship, Child Nutrition Consultant for the State of Vermont Child Nutrition Programs.

Child Nutrition Basics for Business Officials and Administrators

Thursday, August 24, 2023
2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

This virtual session is designed for business managers and other administrators who oversee or interact with the Child Nutrition Programs. New Food Service Directors may also find this session helpful to gain a high-level understanding of administering the programs. The session will provide an overview of the child nutrition programs, information on staffing and training requirements, a discussion of how child nutrition funding works, a timeline of important dates and required reporting, and information on where to go for additional help. This session will be led by Rosie Krueger, State Director of Child Nutrition Programs at the Vermont Agency of Education.

NSLP After School Snack Service

Friday, August 25, 2023
9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

This session will be an overview of the requirements for operating the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Afterschool Snack Service. This session will be taught by Jamie Curley, Child Nutrition Coordinator for the Vermont Agency of Education Child Nutrition Programs.

Operating CEP

Friday, August 25, 2023
11 a.m. – noon

This virtual session will cover the basics of offering free meals to all students using the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). We will cover how schools become eligible for CEP, how to complete the necessary paperwork, meal counting and claiming, and the state universal meals supplement. We will also discuss how future years of CEP will work. This session is recommended for business officials, administrators, food service directors and managers, and determining officials in School Food Authorities (SFAs) where at least one school is planning to operate CEP in School Year 22-23. This session will be taught by Rosie Krueger, State Director of Child Nutrition Programs at the Vermont Agency of Education.

Civil Rights Requirements in Child Nutrition Programs

Friday, August 25, 2023
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

This virtual session will cover how to operate your Child Nutrition Programs in a compliant and accessible manner, including providing reasonable modifications to accommodate disabilities, handling complaints of discrimination, and training requirements. This is applicable to operators of School Meals, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). This session will be hosted by Jamie Curley, Child Nutrition Coordinator for the State of Vermont Child Nutrition Programs.

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