WHITEVILLE — Whiteville City Schools will participate July 19-21, 2016 in the statewide K-12 Culinary Institute. School cafeteria managers from Whiteville City, Columbus County, New Hanover, Hoke and Bladen County Schools will come together for the training. The regional workshop designed to enhance nutrition offerings is funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture Professional Standards Training Grant received by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) School Nutrition Section.
“We care about the health and well-being of our students. The K-12 Culinary Institute is one step that we are taking to equip our school nutrition professionals for their important roles in the schools,” said Kathryn Faulk, director for Whiteville City Schools, School Nutrition Program.
The face to face and virtual institute was developed by the NCDPI, School Nutrition Section, and Chef Cyndie Story’s K-12 Culinary Team, in order to meet five core objectives:
- Improve student health, well-being and academic success through nutritious, appealing meals at school,
- Increase participation in high quality, enticing school nutrition programs,
- Expand capacity of local school nutrition programs to purchase, prepare and serve fresh, locally grown produce,
- Increase consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grain-rich foods, and
- Provide continuing education opportunities for school nutrition personnel.
The menus and recipes developed for the K-12 Culinary Institute include:
- Scratch, convenience, and modified scratch products and techniques,
- Instructions written for production amounts consistent with pack or pan sizes commonly available in school kitchens, and
- Nutritional analysis files for easy import into software programs and adjustments for standardization in Local Education Agencies (LEAs).
Instructional segments are planned for topics such as knife skills, weighing and measuring accurately, preparing foods for just-in-time service, work simplification and scheduling, effective use of equipment, and quality food preparation and service for a variety of meats, grains, fruits, vegetables, and condiments.
North Carolina K-12 Culinary Institute graduates become chef ambassadors prepared to teach other school nutrition professionals at the Local Education Agency/school level.
The NCDPI, School Nutrition Section is the State Agency (SA) administering the USDA School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program, After School Snack Program, Seamless Summer Option, and Summer Food Service Program in North Carolina. Additional information regarding school nutrition programs in North Carolina can be found at http://childnutrition.ncpublicschools.gov. Whiteville City Schools administers school nutrition programs at the local level.
About the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction:
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provides leadership to 115 local public school districts and 160 charter schools serving over 1.5 million students in kindergarten through high school graduation. The agency is responsible for all aspects of the state’s public school system and works under the direction of the North Carolina State Board of Education.
About the Whiteville City Schools School Nutrition Program:
Whiteville City Schools currently serves all students enrolled in the Whiteville City Schools District both breakfast and lunch meals daily at no cost to students through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision as well as after school snacks at no cost to students at approved sites. Whiteville Primary and Edgewood Elementary Schools have been awarded the USDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Grant for the 2016-17 school year which provides a fresh fruit or veggie snack three days per week to all students enrolled in the two schools; and the USDA Summer Food Service Program is in full swing through the county also providing meals at no cost to all students at approved meal service sites.
For more information:
NCDPI Communication and Information Division, 919-807-3450.
Whiteville City Schools Public Information Office, 910-641-6439.
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