As a result of a Team Nutrition Training (TNT) Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Child Nutrition Unit (CNU) will be hosting two (2), regional Whole Grain Workshops to train child nutrition professionals. Each workshop will provide two (2) separate sessions. The first session will be aimed at child nutrition workers/assistants, managers and directors. The second session will be aimed at child nutrition directors and managers or personnel responsible for food purchasing, menu planning, recipe adjustment and crediting food to meet requirements.
A total of six (6) workshops will be held. Two (2) will be this spring and four (4) next school year. To reduce travel costs child nutrition professionals will want to attend workshops in the region designated for the school district. Please see Attachment 1 for a map of regional workshops that each county should attend.
The workshops will be designed to increase understanding of whole grains and encourage child nutrition professionals to increase the amount of whole grains in recipes and served as part of school meals. Workshops will consist of interactive, hands-on practices that will be applicable in schools. Please note: The curriculum for each workshop will be the same.
Training topics may include, but are not limited to:
• Identifying what constitutes a whole grain
• Identifying the steps in the milling of grains and relationship to whole and processed grains
• Identifying the health benefits of whole grains
• Determining how much whole grains is recommended
• Identifying whole grains on food labels and ingredient labels
• Writing whole grain food descriptions for procurement
• Adapting recipes to increase whole grains
• Identifying whole grain resources applicable to schools
WHOLE GRAIN WORKSHOP A
Whole Grain Workshop A will take place on May 11 thru 12, 2009, at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The workshop will be held at the Convocation Center in Centennial Hall. This workshop will target child nutrition professionals in the following counties: Randolph, Clay, Sharp, Lawrence, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Craighead, Poinsett, Cross, Woodruff, St. Francis, Crittenden, Lee, Monroe, Phillips and Mississippi.
SESSION ONE (1):
Child nutrition workers/assistants, managers and directors are invited to attend a 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm session on Monday, May 11, 2009. Registration will begin at 2:30 pm. Registration fee will cover cost of the break beverages, etc.
SESSION TWO (2):
Child nutrition managers and directors are invited to attend a 9:00 am to 2:00 pm session on Tuesday, May 12, 2009. Registration will begin at 8:30 am. Lunch and a break will be provided as part of the registration fee.
WHOLE GRAIN WORKSHOP B
Whole Grain Workshop B will take place on May 13 thru 14, 2009, at Jacksonville Community Center. This workshop will target child nutrition professionals in the following counties: Pope, Van Buren, Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, White, Perry, Yell, Pulaski, Lonoke, Prairie, Garland, and Saline.
SESSION ONE (1):
Child nutrition workers/assistants, managers and directors are invited to attend a 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm session on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Registration will begin at 2:30 pm. Registration fee will cover cost of the break beverages, etc.
SESSION TWO (2):
Child nutrition managers and directors are invited to attend a 9:00 am to 2:00 pm session on Thursday, May 14, 2009. Registration will begin at 8:30 am. Lunch and a break will be provided as part of the registration fee.
Please send one registration form per district. See Attachment 2 and 3 for registration forms. Participants attending session one (1) will have a REGISTRATION FEE OF $10. Participants attending session two (2) will have a REGISTRATION FEE OF $15. Those planning to attend both sessions will have a REGISTRATION FEE OF $25.
Please mail registration form and fee, made payable to ADE Child Nutrition Unit, BY APRIL 17, 2009, to:
Pam Jackson, Area Specialist Secretary
ADE Child Nutrition Unit
2020 West 3rd St. Suite 404
Little Rock, AR 72205
For more information please contact Alicia Casteel, TNT Grant Coordinator, or the assigned ADE CNU Area Specialist for the school district at 501-324-9502.