Fall is just around the corner with the weather cooling and flowers fading. Kids are back in school to learn and so are we. You should have received an email from "Instructure" with a Canvas course invitation. We do this required training as a department on the September 29 half day during work. Please don't do this on your own. Watch for instructions from your manager. Training and professional growth are important elements of our jobs. Keeping up with ever changing technology, health codes, equipment and federal regulations is a challenge. In fact, it's so important that USDA requires you to complete a set number of training hours each year (called professional standards) in order to keep your job in child nutrition. If we don't learn new things, we won't be able to keep pace. Loyal "Jack" Lewman wisely said, "Never stop learning; for when we stop learning, we stop growing."

With gratitude,

Kathy

Our new Vector oven at VHS is an awesome piece of equipment! It is unlike anything we've ever had and training was in order. Corporate Chef Vlad Bora was wonderful to work with. He looked over the menu and made suggestions to improve quality and shorten cooking time.

You are doing a great job using True Time! When you request time off, you need to add Laura Tharp at the bottom of the screen. Click "select employee" and start typing in her last name. Once you see Laura's name, click the box next to her name and then click save. This sends a notification that Laura uses for payroll. **Always** verbally tell your Manager when you are requesting time off. If you have any questions, please give Laura a call.

Rachel Pitt did an amazing job introducing her students to Central's kitchen with a Back of the House tour. She provided each student with a chef hat, spoke about her culinary training and told students that she uses math and science every day. She asked them, "What weighs more, a pound of trays, a pound of ketchup packets or a pound of silverware?" The trick question was an effective way to illustrate the difference between weight and measure. This is a perfect example of telling your story!

Two cities in Belgium are known for waffles. The Brussels waffle (what Americans call a Belgian Waffle) is made with batter. Liege (pronounced "lee - edge") waffles are made with a much denser brioche-like yeast dough and are studded with pearl sugar. Pearl sugar holds its shape as the waffles cook, leaving crunchy bites of sugar. The sweet, crunchy crust means syrup isn't needed.

One of the tools we use to gauge financial stability, is the monthly Meals per Labor Hour (MPLH) report. This is the August 2023 report and overall lunch participation is up 1% from the same period last year, with more than half of schools seeing individual increases (circled in red). When a school is in the "green," it is an indicator that the number of staffing hours is appropriate and affordable for the meals they are producing.

Shout out to Nancy Moore, Laurie Boynak, Susie Milcarek, Patty Jordan, Ashley Taylor and Maricarol Gora who spent the summer feeding kids. Ashley did a great job as administrator of the School Food Service Program (SFSP) and she undergoes the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) review next week.

NSLW will be here before you know it! This year has a gaming theme, trying to get students to "move up a level" with school lunch. Stay tuned, all K-8 schools will celebrate this!

Any permanent employee (including substitutes) interested in any of these positions can apply by emailing a brief letter of interest to Kathy Kane, Director at kkane@valpo.k12.in.us.

Non-employees can apply by completing an online application as an External Applicant here: https://www.applitrack.com/valpo/onlineapp/

FS Tech, TJM, 4 hours

FS Tech, BF Middle, 4.5 hours

FS Tech, Central, 4 hours

FS Tech, VHS, 6 hours *new*

FS Tech, VHS, 6 hours *new*

September 29, 2023 Half Day K-12 (Regular Work Day)

October 16-17, 2023 Fall Break (No Work)

October 26-27, 2023 Half Days K-8 (Regular Work Days)

November 7, 2023 eLearning Day (Regular Work Day)

November 22-24, 2023 Thanksgiving Holiday (No Work)

Past issues of Friday Focus are posted on our department website on the Staff Training page here:

https://www.valpo.k12.in.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1221036&type=d&pREC_ID=1455849

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Our mission is to support academic and lifelong success by nourishing students and building healthy eating habits.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Email: kkane@valpo.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.valpo.k12.in.us/apps/pages/nutrition
Location: 2727 N. Campbell St., Valparaiso, IN 46385
Phone: (219) 531-3050
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValpoSchoolFood
Twitter: @ValpoSchoolFood