SNA Recognizes Professional Accomplishments

FM Staff

Three school FSDs received national recognition in July at the SNA Annual National conference for their superior accomplishments in school nutrition.

The National Louise Sublette Award of Excellence went to JoAnn Kilby, foodservice manager at Sedalia Park Elementary School District, Marietta, GA. Kilby was recognized for increasing school lunch participation by 14% in half a year. She also worked with over 250 students to sign a pledge to eat healthier and exercise more daily. With the help of high school students, volunteer parents and the PTA, Kilby developed and implemented an after school program known as the Fitness and Nutrition Club.

Lynnell Grumbles, foodservice director for Visalia Unified School District in Visalia, CA was awarded the National Outstanding Director of the Year Award. When Grumbles started at VUSD, the district faced, among other problems, a deficit and low employee morale. Grumbles got to work on a mission statement with five and 10 year plans to give employees vision and direction. Menus were developed to mesh student preference with USDA guidelines.

Grumbles implemented a school breakfast program and negotiated a purchasing co-op with neighboring districts to increase their buying power. Employees were offered training to improve their skills Grumbles herself went into classrooms to teach age-appropriate nutrition lessons to students , working with teachers and administration on school gardens and "kids cooking programs."

The National Heart of the Program was awarded to Mary VerHaagh, a foodservice employee at the De Pere Middle School in the Unified School District of De Pere, WI.

During her time at USDDP, Ver-Haagh has helped create a positive environment for all of the staff and students that come into her kitchen and is known to all as the "go to person".