THE HCS CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM

Happy New Year!

We hope that you have had a wonderful holiday break. However, it is back to work for the Child Nutrition Program. Numerous changes will be on the horizon as the Huntsville City Schools Capital Plan begins execution. Several of those projects entail slight changes that will impact the Child Nutrition Program throughout the district.

As we look forward to our district's growth, we also need to be mindful of weather changes. Please ensure you are prepared for the cold and any unexpected meteorological conditions. Your safety is our priority, and we want to ensure the continuity of the Child Nutrition Program. Stay warm and enjoy the start of the 2025 new year.

-H. Ward

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.”

– Melody Beattie

Positions available:

• CNP Substitute Worker

To apply for a position with Huntsville City Schools, you must complete an online application with the Alabama State Department of Education. Just Click the Link below to start the process

Job openings (hiretrue-prod.com)

We are excited to announce that we have elevated the dining experience in three of our district high school lunchrooms by incorporating vibrant graphics. These enhancements not only beautify the space but also boost school spirit and pride, creating an uplifting atmosphere for students during their mealtime.

Ms. Mirtha Petty, the CNP Supervisor at Blossomwood Elementary, was selected as the Support Person of the year. We appreciate Blossomwood Principal Dr. Brad Scott and his staff for choosing to honor Ms. Petty for her tireless efforts and commitment to providing school meals to the students at Blossomwood Elementary School. This recognition is a testament to the collective support and dedication of our staff, students, and parents.

We are thrilled to announce that Mrs. Remithia Strickland, the CNP supervisor at James Dawson Elementary, has been awarded the prestigious title of Staff Support Person of the Year. This remarkable achievement reflects the deep connection and mutual respect between Mrs. Strickland, the James Dawson administrators, and community.

Ms. Shayla Ghoslton, a promising Dietetic studies student, holds a Master's in Family and Consumer Sciences from Alabama Agricultural and Medical University. She is currently undertaking a 1000-hour internship with the Nutrition Ink Dietetic Internship Program, with a portion of her internship completed at Jones Valley Elementary School.

Her journey to us was facilitated by Nutrition Ink, a distance learning program developed to meet the growing demand for accessible programs. Upon completing her rotation, she will be eligible to take the Registered Dietitian Nutrition Certification exam.

This internship program has been instrumental in helping her accumulate the necessary hours for food service management. We are confident that her professional goals align with the needs of Huntsville City Schools and we look forward to the value she will bring to our institution. We wish her the best in her future endeavors and career aspirations.

USDA: School food supply chain issues slightly better

(RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post Via Getty Images/Getty Images)

The USDA reports that 95% of school food service authorities faced supply chain challenges in the 2023-24 school year, with high food costs, staffing shortages and product availability as the top issues. Food service materials were more readily available than the previous year and cost concerns had decreased, but staffing remained a significant issue, with the number of schools reporting shortages staying the same as the previous year at 57%. The percentage of school food service authorities reporting that they were operating at a surplus or breaking even had declined notably.

Full Story: K-12 Dive (1/3)

RDs say walnuts are a top protein for lowering cholesterol

(Pixabay)

Walnuts are a powerful protein that can help lower cholesterol, according to registered dietitian nutritionist Wendy Bazilian and RD Samantha DeVito. Research shows that consuming 1 to 2 ounces of walnuts daily can reduce total and LDL cholesterol by about 4%. The benefits are attributed to walnuts' fiber, healthful fats, antioxidants and their positive impact on gut health. These nutrients help bind cholesterol in the digestive system, promote heart-healthy fat metabolism, and support beneficial gut bacteria, contributing to overall heart health.

Full Story: EatingWell (1/7)

Help spread the word about the benefits of healthy school meals

Did you know 1 in 8 kids in America live in a household without consistent access to adequate food? School lunches don’t just keep kids healthy–they keep kids from being hungry so they can learn. The Made with School Lunch campaign, from SNA and the National Dairy Council, brings awareness to the massive need for school meals—and how school meals make it possible for all kids to do the most important thing of all... grow up! Check out the videos, graphics, posters and social media posts to help you get the word out.

Key Findings

Almost all (95%) of school food authorities (SFAs) reported at least one supply-chain related challenge during school year (SY) 2023-24.

However, there are signs of improvement from SY 2022-23:

Compared with SY 2022–23, SFAs were less likely to report increased overall program costs, increased staff stress or workload, reduced student participation, and difficulty complying with meal pattern requirements in SY 2023–24.

One notable exception: SFAs were more likely to report increased labor costs as a challenge (40% of SFAs in SY 2023-24, up from 31% in SY 2022-23).

Bar chart showing the top 5 challenges reported by SFAs in sy 2023-24 and compares to sy 2022-23. The most common challenge was high food costs, with only a slight decrease of 2 percentage points from 2022-23 to 2023-24. The largest decreases were in reporting "incomplete orders with missing items" and the "high cost or limited availability of food service materials" as challenges. There was an increase in reporting "high labor costs" as a challenge.

SFAs are using various strategies to address challenges:

Almost one third (32%) of SFAs increased their use of scratch cooking.

Over one in five SFAs (21%) increased local food purchases.

You can explore key findings over time and by SFA characteristic using a new interactive data visualization.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/research/schoolmeals/sfa-survey3-scd

Non-Discrimination Statement

The Nondiscrimination Statement (NDS) is for use by state and local agencies and their subrecipients for all FNS programs. It states that In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Mrs. Michelle Bunnell has been employed with Huntsville City Schools for 8 years. She is originally from Birmingham, Alabama, and she has also lived in Arkansas. Michelle has been married for 13 years and has four children named Baila, Abrey, Colton, and Delyiah. She considers herself to be a kindhearted and loving person.

Before embarking on child nutrition, Michelle worked in the retail industry. She explains that the thing that she likes most about her job is making a difference in Kid’s lives. Michelle says that her secret talent is that she has a photographic memory, and when she is not working, she loves to spend time with her family and read. Michelle’s favorite place to go is Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and she has several pets, which include a cat, a bunny rabbit, and two guinea pigs.

Michelle’s favorite food to eat is Mexican cuisine, and she enjoys listening to all types of music. Michelle expresses that if she were not working in Child Nutrition, she would be a SAHM or a stay-at-home mom. Her favorite hobby is reading, and her favorite sport is basketball, where she cheers for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Michelle hopes to open a restaurant one day, and in the next five years, she plans to put her children through college. Michelle’s words to live by are, “All the hardest, coldest people you meet were once as soft as water, and that’s the tragedy of living which is a quote by writer Lian Thomas

"Bussapha is an awesome employee. She is dedicated and hard-working. She shows up to work every day ready and prepared. She always completes her tasks. She always takes the initiative to help her teammates without being asked. She has a positive attitude, works well with her teammates, and the kids love her."

-Chanell Holt, CNP Supervisor at Sonnie Hereford Elem.

"Janet's hard work and dedication are shown in what she does on a daily basis. Janet always goes the extra mile to reach her goals day after day. Janet takes pride in the service she provides to the students and the community. She has a great working relationship with her staff, faculty, principal, and assistant principal.Janet, it is an absolute privilege to have you on my team, and I want you to know that you are a valuable part of The Child Nutrition Program.

- Diann Bentley, CNP Area Supervisor

Shantina McCaulley 1/1

Annette Paul 1/2

Beverly Hargrove 1/10

Greyson Gilbert 1/10

Infinity Grays 1/10

LaShunda Freeman 1/12

Fanny May 1/14

Robin Freese 1/15

Tish Lowman 1/19

Keith Cantrell 1/21

Sukanya Shaddrix 1/25

Belinda Anderson 1/27

Kim Riley 31 years

Connie Harper 23 years

Martha Mangrum 8 years

Priscilla Barker

Tracy James

Tenisha Williams

Email: Childnutrition@hsv-k12.org

Address: 714 Bob Wallace Ave. S.W., Huntsville, AL 35801
Phone: 256 428-6955

Website: https://www.huntsvillecityschools.org/departments/child-nutrition-program

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