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Community of Practice Call March 4, 2021
Community of Practice Call March 4, 2021
About this Series
The Center for Ecoliteracy and LunchAssist host regular Community of Practice calls where we review the latest policy updates and highlight tools, best practices, and lessons learned from school districts and allied organizations across the state of California. This free series offers an opportunity for districts to connect with one another, share ideas, and build connections with community partners and government agencies around the state.
March 4, 2021 Call
Guest Speakers: Neha Kanade Cramer, MPH and Brianna Dumas, MPH, RDN, LD from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- wide
Chat: Community of Practice Call March 4, 2021
Welcome! Please introduce yourself by typing your name, position, and where you work into the chat box.Jamie Phillips-Director of Nutrition-Vista Unified- Going on VacationNatalie Lareau, program assistant at F2I Center. My favorite Spring activity is gardening :)Good morning Galina Flury, Green Technical Education & Employment, Program ManagerRobin Hernandez, No Kid HungryGood morning! Paloma with LunchAssistKarina Apodaca from the Center for Healthy CommunitiesGood Morning! Nicole Hite, Operations Supervisor for San Dieguito UHSD. I'm looking forward to being outside and hiking more!Barbara Hughes, CalFresh Healthy Living Nutrition Policy Advisor, County of San Diego HHSA; stand up paddleboarding!Morning everyone! Abby Halperin, Policy and Grants Manager at the Center for Ecoliteracy. Excited about spring wildflowers.Debbie Austin, Director of Child Nutrition, Mountain View Whisman School DistrictHi Everyone. Caitlin Merlo, CDC Healthy School Branch. Looking forward to relaxing in my new hammock.Hello, hello! Alexa Norstad, Director of Programs at the Center for Ecoliteracy. I’m looking forward to planting out my vegetable garden this spring.Brendan Shields, Director of Food Services Magnolia School District. Looking forward to cooking and eating outside, by the pool.Maureen Pisanick, Pisanick Partners - preparing our garden for spring flowers and veggie plantingJill Whittenberg, La Mesa-Spring Valley Child Nutrition Director,Leslie Pring, Nutrition Director, Twin Rivers USD, Sacramento CA. Looking forward to watching baseball!Celeste Reynoso, Student Achievement and Wellness- Orange County Department of Education. Looking forward to biking!Alyce Hernandez Cloverdale food service directorGood morning everyone - Tara Thatcher with Darlington Snacks, Regional - West. I am looking forward to warm bike rides with my dog!Sally Spero, retired but still school lunch nerd, being able to go to more places since I have both my shots!Michelle Hernandez- Director of Food Service - Carpinteria UnifiedHello! I’m Libby Lyon, Operations Specialist at Fairfax County Public Schools. Can’t wait to go for walks and watch everything bloom!Cindy Long Loleta Elementary School gardeningLaurel Goins Lucia MAr. Im excited because I got a vaccine appointment!Debra Garza, Parkrose SD Nutrition Director. Luau, Spring Break MealsDawn Stone Escondido Union School DistrictHello! Amber Watson, Director of Nutrition @ Marysville Joint Unified SD; I am looking forward to hiking and kayakingChela Cooer, Md State Dept of Ed, School Nutrition Operations. Good morning!Colleen Robinson with SDUSD F& N ServicesMaddy Moritsch, Alliance for a Healthier Generation; excited to get out in the sunGood morning!! Sandra Banuelos Senior Accountant at Lake Elsinore USDWelcome! Please introduce yourself by typing your name, position, and where you work into the chat box. What spring activities are you looking forward to?Hollie Hillard, Sand Creek Elementary, Michigan Looking forward to lake time!!Michael Ackley-Grady, CDFA - Office of Farm to Fork, Farm to School Marketplace LeadGood Morning Everyone Ana Grajeda Parent Coordinator/Food Service from Los Angeles Academy of Arts & EnterpriseGina Pierce Nurition Services Supervisor SDUHSD..Hi everyone..Cassandra Bahr, School Lunch Program Director, Elevate SchoolJoyce Walker- Nutrition Services Supervisor-EDUHSDJoin the LunchAssist community here: [link]Vickie Bunnell, Curwensville ASDSusan Dalandan, Lehigh Valley, PAGood morning Sharon Antiste here from Lummi Nation School cookRosie Robles, Southern Kern USD Food Service SupervisorNancy Deming, Oakland Unified, sustainability mgr, and a few other districts in the bay area. more kayaking!Good morning .Christina Cazares-Supervisor-Escondido Union High School District. Looking forward to summer.Emily Cena, Director of Food & Nutrition, Ramona UnifiedGeri Lorenzana, Mountain View SD Nutrition Specialist, looking forward to hiking.Alicia Pitrone, Student Nutrition Director Escondido Union High School DistrictSneh Nair, Nutrition Services Director,San Juan Unified CAHope everyone is doing wellGood Morning, Sarah Doherty - Nutrition Director at North Monterey County USDLooking forward to no more snow and outdoor gardening!Brian Chiarito - Director of Child Nutrition at Madera USDLisa Seiber-Garland, School Nutrition Director for Trenton Special School District. I'm looking forward to being able to travel again.Good morning, Rosa Rubio from Calistoga USDKrysta Williams, Program Manager. I’m really looking forward to wildflower hikes!Chat box: If there is another topic you’re interested in, please let us know in the chat box.Hello from Deirdre Kleske, County of San Diego HHSA!Hi Everyone! Jen here from LunchAssist - so happy to be here with all of you. My favorite part of Spring, like many others, is definitely the wildflowers!Susan Delgado, Mountain View School District, El Monte, CAHello! Amanda Bast from SFE in partnership with Ferguson-Florissant School District in Missouri! :)Lisa White, CN Area Supervisor SRVUSD. Love the green hills and spring flowers.Hello - Cathy Paredes from Sunny Borrego Springs; Food Service Director for Borrego Springs USD and so looking forward to a Spring Break this year!!What is everyone going to do when the waivers expire 6/30? We will have been feeding the community for 17 months straight and then we just stop?Hank Stelzl. Bella Mente Academies, Love getting the new season in the garden started.FoodCorps Action Alert: [link]I've been doing cooking classes with our parents twice a week Wednesday/Friday 1230-100^Ana that is awesome! Maybe you can share resources next call?Hopeful they will be extendedyesThat's awesome, Ana G! Thank you for sharing, yes! we would love to learn more to share on the next callFoodCorps Action Alert: [link]Great Tool for CEP: [link]Sorry, I was multi tasking do we have to apply for this waiver?CA has said that we can not use this for renewing our or extending our bids. Have you heard any different for CA??FRAC’s summary of the Omnibus Funding for Child Nutrition: [link]New SNA Report, School Nutrition Reimbursement and Meals Served in 2020: [link]oh I love a good graph!Not to mention loss of a la carte, catering and other sources of incomeGood point Sally - the additional funding doesn’t cover a la carte, catering, or other sources of revenueCould you please clarify whether those emergency operational cost reimbursements are specific to Child Nutrition, or will be paid to the District (Fund 1)?@Jamie - no waiver for you to apply for@Emily - this will be paid to Fund 13 and allocated as restricted funds that cannot be used for sources outside of the Child Nutrition ProgramsRead more about the reports from the Center for Ecoliteracy and the School Nutrition Association on California school meal budget deficits: [link]@Stephanie - the emergency procurement cannot be used to extend or renew a bid… it has to be a NEW one time contract and NEW emergency non-competitive solicitation. Its just a minor nuance in how your phrase it. But it cannot be used to extend - it must be a new one time emergency non competitive procurement, but it can be with an existing vendor….To learn more about the School Meals for All advocacy efforts, read the Center for Ecoliteracy’s press release: www.ecoliteracy.org/mediaIf you would like to support School Meals for All in California, please sign and send a support letter to Senator Skinner at: [link]This would be spoecific for California. The federal funding is the biggest chunk of our funding on meals. Is California looking to pay us what we get Federally and State funding?Love the veggies meals we use a lot too! Your meals look great!Erin is sa rock star!!^ so true!Chef Ann Home Recipe Video Series [link]@Kim, great question! Yes, the details are still be worked out, but the idea is that California would first help school districts maximize any available federal programs (like CEP) and then make up the difference of what you’d normally get from state and federal funding so that schools can provide all students with free meals.Friends of the Earth is also offering direct technical assistance for school districts looking to increase plant-forward menu items!!WOW! We love to see it :DWhat new thing are you wanting to try this month?So amazing. So glad to see this type of food out there.Thank you Krysta - LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!We're celebrating National Nutrition Month with a drive-thru BINGO event!! This will be NEW & FUN!super excited for the plant forward cooking classes!Family cooking classes with more bean protein. Stews/soups etc.At home - I’m trying roasted radishes! I don’t like raw radishes, but they taste completely different when they are roasted and drizzled with a little honey!Great job Erin!Jen is the funding you were eady submitted last fall?Roasted radishes are delish.almost all of my team will be fully vaccinated by march 22nd :)chilled pasta/soba noodles with a thai lime sauce and fresh veggies this month's cooking it up class recipe.@Jamie, that’s great! What are some favorite veggie recipes from your district?@Hank that sounds deliciousMiguel Cadrona, new Secretary of Education: 5 Point Plan for Safe Reopening [link]Let me try again. Is the funding you were talking about in the beginning of the call in addition to the claim / funding we submitted last fall?@paloma Thank you. I could share my recipe if you send me your emailSide note - I haven't received the follow up emails the last few callsPlease share how school reopening is going for you! Have you found strategies that work well for your schools? What model are you using and why?Drive thru onlyGrab and Go as students leave campuswe are taking our breakfast in the classroom model and updating for improvements.getting ready, opening next weekMeal distribution amongst bus routesWhat menu item are you using to celebrate earth day?Thanks for flagging, Tara. I will follow up with you 1:1 about follow up emails!Second reopening as of Feb 1. Offering hybrid on campus meals in the classroom at all campuses (2 days a week/half days). Moving to 5 days a week in a couple of weeks. Curbside, neighborhood deliveries once a week with 5 days of meals continue.We have been open since September 9th! Virtual learners as well. We provide frozen , hot on campus and drive through.We have been open in a blended model since October. Students attend in-person 2 full days per week (cohort A or B), and learn from home 3 days. We serve breakfast and lunch on campus to those who are present. On the one day each week when no students attend, we do drive-through weekly meal bags.^and yes, we only give 5 days in our meal bagsIs anyone whos back in school providing fresh fruits and veggies on garden bars?we provide a daily bag breakfast, off campus we provide a 7 day meal bag kids on campus take 5 days home at the end of the first on campus day@Mary MR, the funding is separate from the Prop 98 Disaster Claims and the supplemental 75 cent rate increase if those are the ones you are referring toBSUSD began in person Hybrid Model in October with Distance Learning as an alternative, District Wide. In December, the District went to 4 days a week for all student already on campus and promptly closed campuses due to some positive COVID cases. In the 3rd week of January, the Hybrid Model was offered and this week the District has returned to 4 days a week with Distance Learning as an alternative. As far as meal services, it's been a continual roller coaster!Kids in school are getting and eating meals in classroom. If anyone needs to move class to class, it is the teacher.From Texas here.. We have been on campus since August. We have virtual students and open sites. Each campus has a different meal model and we have been successful in our feeding models and have ZERO Covid illnesses in the last month!Our drive thrus are open every day at every school@Tanya -- we don't have any self-service items (no salad bars, no condiment pumps, no self service milk coolers)Hybrid model grab n go breakfast for those on campus rest included on meal kits 5 day meal kits include distance learner breakfast, 5 day of lunch & FFVP snackServing on site since August/September with virtual learners. Simplied choices daily and 2 week cycle menu for OVS. Breakfast in classroom for all and K-8 eating lunch in classroom while High School in cafteriaGreen Schoolyards America will be having a section on meal service for outdoor service released soon. Many of these can be used for a classroom and grab n go set ups.@Jill WOW! Thank you for sharing. Thanks for sharing everyone!@Paloma, yes that is what I was referring to. Thank you. Where can I find more information? I had just signed on. Mary@mary we can send more information on the call follow-up resourcesWe continue with all distance learning. Delivering meals via bus route 2 days per week 5 meals total. As we move in to phase 1 hybrid learning. We will continue with home deliveries. No more than 1 hour 55 minutes of instructional time spent on campus.School Nutrition Checklist - CDC: [link]Safely Distributing School Meals during COVID-19 - CDC: [link]@mary, here is also FRAC’s summary of the Omnibus Funding for Child Nutrition:LOVE Donna Martin!!!!!!!!!!!!Can Confirm Donna is amazing!Will let you know when the other resources post!We’re excited to be a part of the March issue of Served Digizine! [link]Cafeteria Team Checklist: [link]Sharing the link where the outdoor meal service resource will be on Green Schoolyards America: [link]HACCP Plan Supplement: [link]Culinary Institute of America | Global Plant Forward Culinary Summit [link]CDFA| Farm to School Network Conference [link]Eatright.orgWhole Kids Foundation Garden Grant [link]CDE: NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant [link]Hi Everyone - we will transition to Q&A in a few moments, so feel free to pop any questions into the chat box, especially if you have any questions for our wonderful guests, Neha and Brianna!Celebrate NNM with SLCUSD! [link]Use your favorite emoji in the chat if you’ve seen or experienced burnout.For Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics members, the Academy is requesting stories about federal nutrition programs to support our advocacy efforts, so would be great to hear stories from this group about child nutrition programs. You need to be a member to submit, but an Academy member can submit on behalf of a non-member. Here’s the link: [link]We are returning to school 3/9/2021. I find talking with each principal and reviewing our plan for each school has proven to be helpful. Sometimes simple is best :)To help food service professional foster self-care and wellness with their staff, Healthier Generation has a 2 part webinar to called Fostering a Culture of Wellness, Gratitude, and Self-Care: Strategies for Food Service Directors (Part 1) [link]? @laura hard to use emojis if using zoom in the computer ?Fostering a Culture of Wellness, Gratitude, and Self-Care: Strategies for Food Service Directors (Part 2): [link]What are tumbleweed projects? That's a new term to me!Agreed - different question - how have you energized your team? What do you find is effective for them?@Bethany - you are so right. Simple is best! Those 1:1 conversation are gold. Nice work, chef!@Paloma, it is on the bottom of the screen, a pop-up labeled reactions.We see resilience from farm-to-school procurement and community partnerships. What else are you doing now that could be an advantage later?@Susan, ahh reactions! awesome, thank youchange up from sitting to standing with your computer or laptop. i like 20-20-20 2o minutes work 20 second break look 20 feet awayIf you are interested in talking self-care with your staff, this wellness wheel might help facilitate the conversation: [link]In CA, has there been any guidance yet regarding the emergency operational costs? I'm wondering if I missed something...@Hank, I like that, but I like the 20 minute break! lolI'm in California - we serve curbside B&L 5 days a week. What can I do to be able to serve suppers in the to-go bags? We also have kids on campus 4 days a week. Would I be able to offer them suppers?Thanks all - great content as always! More free recipes available @ [link]Additional information on Emergency Operational cost reimbursement?Does anyone have any specific questions for the CDC team?Does a District need to be participating in CACFP to offer supper?@ Paloma -- I'd love to hear their thoughts about whether it is realistic to expect school to go back to "normal" in the Fall. With students at school 5 days a week.For the CDC, is there a template of talking points that we can share on websites, etc. to let parents know that the CDS backs the safety of school meals? That explains there is no evidance of contrcting the virus from food or food packaging? It is one thing to say it to parents, but they would trust it more coming directly from CDCWant to confirm that for CACFP dinners that I'm sending home via drive thru I need a roster from my surrounding districts or can I use my POS? CA cde contact didn't give me a good answer.it is waived for nowgive them handouts to take home@Catherine - yes, you do need to be operating CACFP to participate in supperHere in PA, our districts are providing take home enrichment materials from partners (fire safety from the Fire Department, library things, etc.) and also offering on-line virtual enrichment activities.Jill - a district roster that includes your schools should be sufficientHi everyone. We have had our CACFP Audit and we offered online enrichment activities and have handouts. We also have signage at meal pick up locations as to where the enrichment activities can be found.Thanks Mickinzie, for every Monday's handout correct?Also, check with your sites cause many teachers are offering tutoring options for students. :)@Jill - you shouldn’t need to get a new roster every week. Just pull one district roster and keep it on file for your next audit. :)I am in a district in California. For those of us in with students learning in-person 2 half-days per week, is it allowable for us to serve meals curb-side only on a daily basis to meet the daily meal requirement for in-person learners?We are in Rialto, CA just for reference.@Adriana - the students need to have access to the meals on their own campus, so as long as they can access the meals without having to go to another campus, that should be fineThe only studies I have seen on virus exposure through food were veterinary and customs documentation for large scale frozen handling (like bulk imported frozen seafood). This was discussed at some length by state departments of agriculture at their winter policy conference.Thank you @Fausat for sharing!^ to add @Adriana, at the last CDE TownHall meeting, they answered this questions: Q. Should meals served to students on campus be To go sack lunches? A. Schools can continue to offer meals to go, even if students are receiving instruction on campus. However, itIs anyone doing something different next week for National School Breakfast Week?If anyone is interested, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture just released a NASDA Food Security Tool Kit, a resource for state commissioners, secretaries and directors to partner with communities:[link]would you please send out some talking points for the Emergency bid process Jenn just covered? I could not write fast enough! :)Is there an emergency procurement bid form available on CNIPS download forms?Since we can't do 'lucky tray' we are doing 'lucky car'Working with local donut shop to give away local donuts (free) for parents who drive through our distribution sites!@Rebecca we are going to send the webinar recording + chatbox!We are using USDA Blueberries to make homemade blueberry cinnamon rolls.@Rebecca - yes, we can also share a handout :)We are going to wear costumesThat's nice Michael!Love these ideas. Thank you for sharing ^what funding do you use for that? costumes, prizes, etc.I'd like to know about the funding as well for the costumes and prizes and donuts!Thank you Jen and everyone else for your input. :)our school is mall enough that we hand them to the students as they exit the classroomOffice supplies.thanks MichaelCan Kristina K share that produce market box pack list for the 7 day spring break meal distribution?Thank you!Yum, yum seasonal strawberries!I just want to be mindful of time. We scheduled to end at 10:15 PT/1:15 ET. Thank you all for the wonderful discussion and community today. We love this group and are going to stay on a bit longer to continue the discussion.Kristina Kraushaar Rialto Unified School DistrictGreat job Kristina. She is from Rialto Village in California>:)Great Job Kristina Keep up the Awesome workThank you for the opportunity to share out and hear all the amazing work!Thank you Ana. We have a great leader.Thank you for having us!So inspiring!Thank YOU all! :)Big thank you to Neha and Brianna! Looking forward to connecting with you both again soon!Thank you so muchWe love inspire stay safeThank you CDC for all your support.And big thanks to Abby as well for the updates!Thank you for the updates.thank you all!Great meeting and very informative! Thank you everyone.>:)Thank you very imformative discussion.Thank you have a great day0
