Education Sessions for Monday

12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Idiot’s Guide to Financial Survival
Are you looking for ways to tighten up your budget and stay on target? This “guide” will review key tenets of financial management, identify the most visible financial hurdles in school nutrition operations and provide possible solutions to overcome them.
Intended Audience: M, DDS, MC, SA

1:15 pm–2:15 pm
Make Your Program Solvent Through P&L Tracking
Do you currently track profit and loss (P&L) per school with food cost, labor and inventory measurements? Participants will leave this session with the know-how to conduct a P&L statement and track labor productivity. Also, learn creative ideas to keep your program fresh while maintaining profitability.
Intended Audience: M, DDS, MC, SA

Think You Know Me? What Do Your Customers Want?
Attract the elusive teen into your cafeteria with lunch options that create excitement. Increase ADP and revenue by capturing teen customers who leave campus to spend $5 for lunch. Get results from recent “dine-a-long” research and learn how you can affordably offer quality, on-trend foods teens want, in an atmosphere that meets their need to socialize.
Intended Audience: M, DDS, MC

12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2009: SNA Activities and Update
With the 111th Congress in full swing, opportunities for advancing a strong Child Nutrition agenda are well underway. Come and learn the latest, get a report on where the Association stands, and where Congress is heading regarding the rewrite of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act. You also will learn how your efforts can play an integral role in supplementing the SNA’s activities.
Intended Audience: M, D, MC, S, I

1:15 pm–2:15 pm
Farm to School…Nourishing Communities
This session will focus on the action steps needed to get your schools involved in the Farm to School movement. You will see how these new partnerships will help you to "grow" participation and community support.
Intended Audience: M, D, MC, S

Within Reach: An Efficient School Nutrition Supply Chain
SNA’s Board of Directors has identified supply chain efficiencies as a top priority issue. In response, a task force of directors, state agency personnel and industry members was assembled to develop tools and resources that will help in planning and procurement along the school nutrition supply chain. Come to this session to hear about these efforts and learn successful practices to lower your supply chain costs.
Intended Audience: M, D, MC, S, I

12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Stirring the Pot...Pet Peeves that Raise Our Boiling Point
Pet peeves are those small personal annoyances that can lead us to distraction, raise stress levels and decrease team effectiveness. This session will explore four common pet peeves; explain how these aggravations impact work performance; and provide approaches to control or avoid adverse effects.
Intended Audience: E, M, DDS, MC, SA, C, I

1:15 pm–2:15 pm
SNA’s Internship Program: Developing Future Directors
As many directors are retiring, there is a critical need to develop new leaders through structured training. Come learn about SNA’s internship program to train future directors. The partnership between Dallas (Texas) Independent School District and Texas Woman’s University will be highlighted.
Intended Audience: DDS, MC, C

12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Taking the "School" out of School Nutrition
Looking to kick up your entire program a notch? This session will offer tips for attracting new customers to your cafeteria and will help you explore alternative ways of producing revenue. Learn the importance of effective focus groups, glean ideas for marketing food products to your students and get inspired to enhance your current menu in new directions.
Intended Audience: M, DDS, MC, SA, C

1:15 pm–2:15 pm
7 Steps to Creating a Web Strategy
An easy-to-use, professional website is essential in today’s—and tomorrow’s—successful school nutrition operation. A good website positions your program as a community leader, facilitates effective communication, provides nutrition education information, increases awareness and can even offer revenue-sharing opportunities. Come learn how to brand your program, boost your professional image and make money in ways you may not have considered before!
Intended Audience: DDS, MC

12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Every Child, Every Day: Rethinking School Breakfast
Are you looking to implement a barrier-free and cost-effective breakfast program that reaches 80-99% of students? This session will examine techniques used in model breakfast programs, identify creative systems for serving breakfast and consider methods for pricing breakfast.
Intended Audience: E, M, DDS, MC, SA, C

Utilizing the Kid Appeal of Cheese in Menu Planning
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans define food groups to encourage as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat free or lowfat milk products. Learn how to increase students’ consumption of these important food groups by adding cheese to various menu offerings. You will glean practical tips for modifying menus and applying the results in your school cafeteria.
Intended Audience: E, M, D, MC

1:15 pm–2:15 pm
Deciphering Nutrition Misinformation
Health fraud, particularly nutrition-related products, costs consumers billions of dollars every year. Since knowledge is your best protection, learn how to recognize health fraud before you waste your money—or endanger your life. Get the scoop on the language of fraud and common methods usesd to convince consumers to buy.
Intended Audience: E, M, DDS, MC, SA, C, I

YUM Without the Sodium
Whether you are in industry or school district operations, find out the latest research related to sodium/salt. Suggestions for identifying the various sources of sodium in menus and specific food items—from product labels and manufacturer information—will be discussed, along with hands-on culinary tips from a certified chef for reducing sodium in school-prepared foods.
Intended Audience: M, DDS, MC, SA, I

12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Welcome to Vegas! Get the Most From ANC and SNA
Is this your first ANC? Come get tips on working through the program to make the most of the conference—from finding out how to get around the Convention Center to knowing what events you should not miss. Also, get the scoop on everything SNA has to offer so that you can win big on your membership.
Intended Audience: E, M, DDS, MC, SA, C, I

12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Now that the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is nationwide, USDA will review current guidance. Challenging areas will be discussed, such as the funding-cycle timeline and the school selection process. Topic areas and the evaluation process also will be covered.
Intended Audience: M, DDS, MC, SA

USDA Foods 101
Are you a new director or supervisor, new to the school nutrition industry or just new to the USDA Commodity Program? Come get the basics and be on your way to working with commodities in your operation or business.
Intended Audience: M, DDS, MC, SA, I

1:15 pm–2:15 pm
Move Whole Grains to Center Stage
Learn innovative and effective methods to include whole grains in your menus, while appealing to kids at the same time. Get tips and resources to help meet recent recommendations.
Intended Audience: E, M, DDS, MC

Make “PAL” Your Friend
Maximizing your planned assistance level (PAL) is an essential tool to minimize food costs. Learn how to compare the cost of processing a raw commodity versus ordering a finished product to be delivered directly through your state distribution system. Presenters will explain USDA’s purchase plan and time frames for delivery. Use a step-by-step analysis to determine the right choices for you and get the greatest value from your PAL.
Intended Audience: DDS, MC, SA, I

12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Global Child Nutrition Foundation Update: Getting Involved
The Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF) provides SNA members with far-reaching opportunities to become involved in the Foundation’s work. Here you will learn about becoming an ambassador to create awareness of global child hunger, how to help with fundraising, and use your professional skills to provide technical assistance for GCNF’s efforts here in the United States and in developing countries.
Intended Audience: E, M, D, MC, S, C, I