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 target child nutrition workers/assistants, managers, and directors. The second session will target child nutrition directors and managers or personnel responsible for food purchasing, menu planning, recipe adjustment, and crediting food to meet requirements.
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 are 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 consist of interactive, hands-on practice 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 are 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 available to schools
WHOLE GRAIN WORKSHOP “E”
Whole Grain Workshop E will take place on April 12 thru 13, 2010, in Van Buren, Arkansas, at the King Opera House. This workshop will target child nutrition professionals in the following counties: Benton, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Madison, Scott, Sebastian, and Washington.
SESSION ONE (1):
Child nutrition workers/assistants, managers, and directors are invited to attend a 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. session on Monday, April 12, 2010. Registration will begin at 2:30 p.m. 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 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. session on Tuesday, April 13, 2010. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Lunch and a break will be provided as part of the registration fee.
WHOLE GRAIN WORKSHOP “F”
Whole Grain Workshop F will take place on April 14 thru 15, 2010, at the North Arkansas College Durand Conference Center in Harrison. This workshop will target child nutrition professionals in the following counties: Baxter, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Izard, Marion, Newton, Searcy, and Stone.
SESSION ONE (1):
Child nutrition workers/assistants, managers and directors are invited to attend a 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. session on Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Registration will begin at 2:30 p.m. 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 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. session on Thursday, April 15, 2010. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. 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. Confirmation of payment and directions to meeting sites will be mailed to registering districts.
Please mail registration form and fee, made payable to ADE Child Nutrition Unit, by April 2, 2010 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.