School nutrition staff come back early for training day

When teachers head back to the classroom, they spend their time getting everything set up and decorated for students to return for the first day of school.

When the staff inside of cafeteria’s return, their main focus is on the safety and health of the children they provide food and drink to on an almost daily basis from August to May.

That’s why they spent their first day back in a kick-off training event at Rockmart Middle School, according to a release from School Nutrition Director Dr. Linda Holland.

Guest speakers who took part included Lydia Martin. Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Consultant, Rachel McCollum, Polk County Environmental Health, Holland, and Sue Cuzzort, Polk County Farm Bureau.

According to her release, school nutrition staff participated in Flash Course on topics of school garden to school table, USDA meal patterns, food preparation, and safety.

The day concluded with a large group presentation by Jon Samples of Samples Food entitled Target 165 Degrees for meat cooking. This year Polk School Nutrition will go beyond the Georgia 20/20 Vision, beyond Georgia 50/20 Vision to a 90/20 Vision of Georgia Grown menu items.

By the year 2020 ninety percent of the menu items in the Polk School Nutrition Program will be grown or improved within Georgia.

Holland is a registered dietitian with a career passion of preventive nutrition for school lifelong learners.

Research backs her anticipation of 90/20 Vision resulting in better tasting, more nutrient dense and healthy food choices for students while promoting agriculture economics in Georgia.

Polk School District students will truly be Georgia Grown Kids. It is a win-win for all involved parents, students, staff and farmers.

/ Contributed GIVING BACK: Employees at the Chick-fil-A of Rockmart took part in a national day of providing meals to those who are in need in July by partnering with local law enforcement to get out into the community and serve the restaurant’s signature sandwiches...

/ Contributed Guest speakers came to provide information to Polk School District’s School Nutrition staff during an Aug. 1 training day at Rockmart Middle School.