With just single digit work days left, remember to look at the upcoming events calendar below. Note the dates for the ServSafe certification course, the managers' BTS leadership meeting and the mandatory BTS workshop for all employees. Plan your summer vacations around these important dates. Professional standards training is federally required for all employees in order to work in child nutrition programs. Most of the hours you need for your jobs are included in the paid BTS workshop and your attendance is critical. And... it's fun! Lifelong learning is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself...no one can take it away.

With gratitude,

Kathy

Did you know that half of the world's 8.1 billion population eats rice every day?

Test your rice IQ by answering the questions below.

Last Week's Challenge Answers:

Indiana ranks #3 in the U.S. tomato production.

Indiana grows 11.2 million pounds of tomatoes per year.

Brown rice is minimally processed (just washed and packaged), so it is still a whole grain containing all of its original fiber, vitamins and minerals, including:

• Selenium, which supports our immune systems, and protects against cell damage and infections.
  
• Magnesium, which helps our blood clot when we’re injured, improves muscle health and aids in bone development.
  
• Folate, which helps create genetic material and supports cell division, among other things. Folate is often recommended for pregnant women, but it’s good for everyone.

Brown rice is also rich in dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, lower high blood pressure, supports the good bacteria in your gut and promotes weight loss by helping you feel full longer. There are only 10 mg of sodium in a 1 cup serving. Rice is naturally free of the top nine allergens.

Because everyone matters to us, we strive to offer multiple choices that are vegetarian, gluten free and more. The new edition of SN Magazine (below in digital resources) focuses on how to make the cafeteria a safer, healthier and more welcoming place for students with special diets. An informed staff is the greatest service we can provide. Allergen reports are printed for all menu choices and Cafe Managers review this information with staff. MySchoolMenus is updated almost daily to keep parents, students and school nurses informed. MSM creates a Nutrition Label for every item. How well do you know the foods you prepare?

Participation continued to rise overall in April. As the year winds down, I wanted to compare breakfast participation pre and post Covid. We were at a solid 10% for two straight years before Covid. During Covid free meals, participation more than doubled. Now, post Covid, participation is still higher than it was before the pandemic and is continuing to climb. Each overall percentage point increase represents about 1600 daily meals and is a big deal! You are doing a great job growing this important program. On average, the students YOU fed had 17.5% higher math scores than those who didn't eat breakfast.

The year end is quickly approaching and you will be doing your FINAL Inventory for the year!!! It is very important to go through and mark ALL items that need to be "removed" from your sheets and to please make sure that you are assigning "Unassigned" items to their appropriate locations. If you have concerns about anything on your sheets, please let me know. Using this new inventory program from GFS was a learning process for me! By cleaning up your inventory sheets, we can make things easier going into next year. I would greatly appreciate hearing any suggestions that you might have, too. Thank you for your patience this year.

May is Mental Health Awareness month and a good time to check in on your own well being. Finding happiness makes you healthier, more productive and leads to better immune functioning. Did you know happy people are more resistant to colds and experience faster wound healing? Take Gretchen Rubin's short quiz and see what new habit could lead to your greater happiness.

https://gretchenrubin.com/quiz/the-habits-for-happiness-quiz/

The final Thank a Farmer Thursday of the school year features beet hummus with local carrot sticks for dipping. Special shout out to Rachel Pitt for providing students with beautiful creations each week. I appreciate her using her talented culinary skills and willingness to talk and teach students in order to bring this nutrition education project to life. And she does it all in a regular day's work. I wonder how many dinner table conversations were sparked by this project?

Luda is creating her own field day competition with a Lucky Tray picnic. Winners receive a back of the house kitchen tour.

Rachel is joining the entire school's end of year celebration next week by creating a Fancy Farewell Feast featuring a "Taste of Italy" menu. Benissimo!

• As we count down the last 10 days or so of school, be extra careful with ordering. If you find yourselves needing 5 more servings of a product to reach your forecasted numbers, ask within the managers group if someone has any extra they can part with! Your chances are very high that someone will be able to help you out. Sharing is caring!!
• Little by little your team should be knocking some heavy duty cleaning out of the way to reduce the workload at the very end of the school year. Pull out your retherms, clean under them, wipe the outsides and the top, take all of the shelves out and run them through your dishwashers, or soak them if needed. Wash rinse and sanitize the inside of your retherm. Don't forget to remove the well cover at the bottom and wipe out the water well! Little crumbs will sneak their way in there! If you notice lime scale build up in your well, vinegar and water is a great way to break some of that up. Serving line wells should always be kept clean and free of burned on debris. By closing off the drain, you can leave a vinegar/water soak to sit overnight. When you return in the morning, drain the vinegar/water from the well and wipe clean. This is an easy way to keep those wells looking good as new!

• Any products stored in your serving line (paper boats, trays, utensils, etc.) should be stored in your locked storeroom over the summer. You should NOT have very much left....right everyone? There is no reason anyone should be hoarding trays or utensils over the summer. Everything should be cleaned out and organized. Cash register drawers should be organized and cleaned out. Discard any class lists, allergen reports or price lists from this school year.

May 27, 2024 Memorial Day (No Work Day)

May 30, 2024 Half Day, K-12 (Regular Work Day)

May 31, 2024 End of Year Breakfast, VHS, 8:30-9:45 am

May 31, 2024 No School/Kitchen Shutdown (Regular Work Day)

June 3-20, 2024 Summer School Session I

June 4, 2024 ServSafe Certification Class

July 8-25, 2024 Summer School Session II

July 29, 2024 BTS Leadership Meeting

August 12, 2024 Back to School Workshop (Mandatory)

August 13, 2024 Open Kitchens and Prep (Regular Work Day)

August 14, 2024 First Day of School

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

FS Tech, VHS, 6 hours

FS Tech, VHS, 6 hours

FS Tech, Heavilin, 4 hours

FS Tech, BF Middle, 4.5 hours

FS Tech, Central, 4 hours

All VCS employees, whether they have Anthem insurance or not, are eligible to use Immediate Care of St. Mary's Medical Center for non-life threatening emergencies. The visit is free for employees with Anthem insurance and $93 for employees without Anthem. Considering that the average ER visit in Indiana costs $1,618.00, this may be a good option for you and your family. Read more below and contact Haley Jones, Benefit Assistant at ext. 1136 if you have questions or need more information.

Not feeling well and don't want to leave the comfort of your home?

LiveHealth Online is a great option. This service offers a $0 copay to all Anthem subscribers and covered dependents. Doctors are available 24/7 on your computer or mobile device. This is for non-emergency medical issues only.

Click HERE to create an account online or go directly through your Sydney App to access LiveHealth Online. (Please be sure to have your Member ID available.)

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

219-531-3000 ext. 1136

Do you need help or a refresher on how to log in to Skyward Employee Access? The file linked below will take you step by step (with pictures) through this easy process. You need to be able to log in to Skyward Employee Access to request time off, print your check or tax forms. When you view your check, you should review the deductions and be sure they are correct based on what you chose during your enrollment appointment with American Fidelity.

Your Perspectives EAP is here to provide confidential, no-cost support for you and your family 24/7.

• Call or text 800.456.6327 to schedule an appointment with a counselor or contact us for in-the-moment support.
  

• Use the “Live Chat” feature on your Perspectives Online Portal to instant message with a counselor 7 a.m.-9 p.m. CST Mon.-Fri. (Remember to use your unique Access Code, and your Password is perspectives

Resources

• Grief Handout
• Stress Response Guide
• Collective Trauma & 10 Tips for Coping

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

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