MONDAY, JULY 16
COMMODITIES

DOD Fresh: Changes and Updates
Are you using commodity entitlement funds to purchase fresh produce through the Department of Defense (DOD)? Come learn about the changes that DOD has implemented in procuring produce for school districts and how to place produce orders through DOD’s web-based ordering system.

ECOS: Manage Commodities Online and Lose the Paper
This session will provide an overview of USDA’s Electronic Commodity Ordering System (ECOS), with an emphasis on the operational benefits it can provide to state agencies, recipient agencies, processors and distributor/ warehouses.

Integrating Processed Commodities: Successful District Strategies
Representatives from large, medium and small districts will share their successes and the challenges of integrating processed commodities into meal programs. Topics covered will include nutritional initiatives, commodity processing, procurement strategies and culinary standards.

Life Cycle of a Commodity Delivery Order–Explore 12 Steps in Commodity Ordering and Procurement
If you receive commodities directly from vendors, then you won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn more about how to distinguish a planned commodity delivery order from an actual delivery order, as well as how to track your inbound commodity shipments. Also, find out how to best use commodities in your menu cycle.

Sharpen Your Commodity Ordering Skills–Getting the Biggest Bang for your Commodity Buck
New USDA funding, ordering and entitlement policies, combined with new technology, allow for more demand-driven and cost-effective commodity ordering. This session will show you how schools can get the maximum benefit from their commodity planned-assistance levels, as well as how to make smart ordering decisions.

On the Road to Professional Food Preparation–BLT, 2nd Edition
Learn more about this tool for training school nutrition professionals on using standardized recipe components and adjustments that benefit staff in preparing and serving quantity meals using portion control utensils. Audience participation will enhance this discussion.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Direct Certification and Verification
This presentation will provide insight into the development of policies and procedures for direct certification and direct verification, as well as an update on studies evaluating direct verification and administrative errors.

Discovering the Building Blocks to Success
Come hear how a district moved from 30% meal participation and thousands of dollars in debt to 80% meal participation and positive financial health. Then, use identified strategies to assess your district program and create a plan for improvement.

Farm Bill 2007
Food and agricultural policy is at a critical crossroads. Federal budgets have moved from surplus to deficit. The increasing integration of the world agricultural economy presents challenges in trade, food safety, animal health and food security. SNA has been actively working to influence agricultural and food policy issues as part of the efforts by Congress to rewrite federal farm policy for 2007. Come and learn what the Association is doing to address food, nutrition and agricultural policies.

Practical Ways of Implementing Biometrics in School Foodservice
This session will cover the “hot” technology in school nutrition—biometrics. This is your opportunity to learn more about biometrics, including privacy issues and practical ways to implement this technology.

When Construction Becomes a Four-Letter Word
Intimidated by new construction? This presentation will use handouts, photos and humor to expose common errors in kitchen plans and construction and show what you can do to avoid such slip-ups.

If It Doesn’t Make Dollars, It Doesn’t Make Sense
This session will provide participants with everything they need to know about profit & loss statements, meal equivalent statements and staffing concerns. (Two sessions on Monday)

LEADERSHIP
Fundraising for Your State Association
Take a look at your state association’s fundraising initiatives and learn about new fundraising ideas that can increase the amount raised each year. Attendees will have the opportunity to share their ideas.

Marketing YOU from Start to Finish
Marketing yourself as a professional is important for getting any job. Come gain ideas for making your best impression and highlighting the wonderful things you are doing in your programs, as well as in your current position. (Repeated Wednesday)

SNA Certification & Credentialing: Your Path to Success
If you have committed to making school nutrition your career, SNA's Certification or Credentialing Programs can be your key to success. Learn how to set your path to become SNA certified or credentialed and how these two professional development programs enhance your knowledge, effectiveness and career.

Watcha Gonna Do When they Come For You
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be more involved with the Association at the local, state or national level? If you feel you don’t have the time or the expertise to run for office but would still like to dip your toes in to try it out, don’t be afraid to answer the call to get involved. Come to this fun and informative session to learn more about ways to get more involved and the different levels of commitment.

MARKETING
Adults Are Customers, Too!
This session will help you create a warm relationship between teachers, support staff and the school nutrition staff. Also, learn tips and tools on helping teachers and support staff understand your programs.

“Come and Get It!” Put Your Breakfast Promotion in Motion
Come hear how the “Eat to Be Smart” project helped a Missouri school district bring more students to breakfast. Apply these simple marketing techniques to develop and customize resources to make your breakfast program more attractive to students.

Going for the Gold
If silver is not your color and gold makes you sparkle, this presentation will provide the resources and motivation you need to go for USDA’s HealthierUS Gold Award. Participants will gain creative ideas to meet menu planning, nutrition education and physical activity criteria.

Vote for School Lunch
Lunch Week 2007 is all about new candidates, new promotional ideas and lots of great ideas from members about how to make Vote for School Lunch a success. As a special treat, expect personal appearances from this year’s five new candidates.

IOM Report on Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools
The IOM report gives credence to the wellness policies and a general focus on childhood obesity and the life-long effects of poor nutrition. The speakers will discuss the IOM process and reason for the study, then review and discuss the key recommendations of the report and applications for districts and schools. The audience will participate in a question and answer question and then brainstorm in small groups as to how to support, implement and assess the guidelines.

You, Too, Can Be a District of Excellence
This session will review SNA’s Keys to Excellence recognition program and give the participants information on how to apply.

Marketing School Meals for Education and Wellness
This interactive session will explore innovative marketing techniques that will fit in any cafeteria’s budget, use readily available resources and little to no extra staff time. Come learn how to turn your cafeteria into a learning laboratory by using menus to market items in coordination with USDA’s MyPyramid and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

SAFETY AND SECURITY
Examining the Food Manager Certification Exam
Food-safety certification of managers is a risk-management measure. Experts in Massachusetts collaborated with state and national partners to examine barriers to passing the food manager certification exam, including language and comprehension difficulties. Attendees will discuss educational and policy implications.

Learning from Experience–Disaster Management
A panel will share personal experiences in order to provide front-line information for disaster planning and response.

Risk-Management Practices
This presentation will provide a summary of risk-management practices in a foodservice environment. Topics will include the review of safe working procedures, ergonomic analysis, risk exposures and controls that will eliminate such risks and increase foodservice efficiency.

HACCP Tools of the Trade
During this session, you will learn about various HACCP tools (from thermometers to integrated temperature systems) and how these tools can be used in a school nutrition operation to support a food-safety program.

Food Safety Bingo
Participants will review critical limits of food safety by playing Food Safety Bingo, with food-safety principles being reviewed before numbers and terms are called.

What’s Correct When it Comes to Corrective Actions and SOPs
This session will review the purpose and contents of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and provide methods of implementing corrective actions as part of a district’s HACCP plan.

WELLNESS
An Alternate Menu Planning Option
Ten operations have joined to use an innovative alternative menu planning system under development: Pyramid Partners. This option includes corresponding nutrition education and marketing materials based on USDA’s MyPyramid guidelines. Audience participation is encouraged.

Bridges to Wellness
Come learn how to enhance colla- boration between school nutrition professionals and classroom teachers to meet the nutrition education goals in your local school wellness policy. Presenters will share tips to connect the classroom and the cafeteria, as well as free tools for interactive nutrition education in Grades 5-10.

Champions for Healthy Kids
This session will provide a case study to share how the school program lead and key team members are helping children develop eating and exercise habits that will have a positive and lasting impact.

Changing the Way We Think About Fruits & Veggies: Make More Matter
To improve consumption, it’s time to change the way we think about fruits and vegetables. Come take part in a stimulating, hands-on activity that encourages participants to learn and apply three key elements of consumer messaging.

Move Forward with Wellness
Use your wellness policy as a springboard to build a collaborative team in your school to provide comprehensive, coordinated nutrition and physical activity programs. Also, learn how to gather valuable low- or no-cost resources.

Unveiling the Secrets to Successful Wellness Policy Implementation and Evaluation
Developing and adopting a policy is the first step to achieving a healthy school environment; implementing and evaluating the policy is the next step and requires careful planning and cooperation. Building on the experience and tools from California Project LEAN and Samuels and Associates, this session will share successful strategies
that affect food and beverage offerings; physical activity practices; student engagement; communication with stakeholders; and marketing healthy choices.

Whyville: A Delivery Mechanism for Educational Outreach
This session will focus on how Whyville, the leading educational virtual world for kids, teaches nutrition in an innovative, hands-on, inquiry-based way. Also, learn why organizations such as NASA and Toyota are using Whyville as a highly efficient delivery mechanism for their educational outreach efforts.

Eat Smart, Get Moving!
SNA launched this innovative, interactive 39-week personal wellness program in 2006. Come learn strategies that winning teams used to help team members practice positive behaviors and lose weight. Learn how you can sign up to participate in next year’s program.