Nominate a Colleague You Admire!

There is no time like the season of giving to recognize the hard work of our colleagues in the school nutrition profession who go above and beyond. The SNA Awards program highlights the outstanding and important work of SNA members and state affiliates. Members and state associations are eligible for a variety of honors that recognize their achievements in school foodservice, leadership, membership recruitment and professional development. Nominations must have been submitted online by March 2024.

Employee of the Year Award
Manager of the Year Award, in honor of Louise Sublette
Director of the Year Award
National Industry Member of the Year Award  

SNA’s CEU bundling policy changes in January

What’s new: SNA is simplifying its Continuing Education Unit (CEU) bundling policy to allow for more flexibility and make it easier for SNA members to count CEUs obtained from applicable training.

Effective January 1, 2022:
• CEUs no longer have to be a minimum of 1 hour to be accepted for the SNA Certificate Program and SNS credential renewal requirements.
• You do not need to bundle shorter training sessions in the same subtopic code to reach 1 hour. However, a training session must be a minimum of 15 minutes to be accepted.
• Though not a requirement, SNA still encourages training to be at least an hour.

MSNA Members in the News!

10/19: Alexandria School District switched from cartons of milk to a bulk milk system to reduce waste and save costs. Read the Echo Press article to learn what School Nutrition Director, Janeen Peterson has to say about this positive change.

10/10: MSNA President-Elect and Nutrition Director for Prior Lake-Savage Schools, Emily Malone, was invited to speak on WCCO-TV to promote healthy school meals as a part of National School Lunch Week. Check out what was shown during lunch tray show-and-tell!

9/9: Minnesota is one of nine states that are picking up the tab for students’ breakfast and lunch in many of their schools. Hear what MSNA President and Nutrition Director at Tracy Public Schools., Michele Hawkinson, has to say to about free meals in Minnesota. Check out the CNN politics' article.

9/5: MSNA Public Policy Chair and nutrition director in Mankato Area Public Schools, Darcy Stueber, joined Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan and Leah Garden from Hunger Solutions on Minnesota Public Radio to discuss the start of the Free School Meals for Kids program. Listen to the interview here and check out photos here.

8/24: Julie Kronabetter, MSNA Nutrition Chair, and Nutrition Director for Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191, is pleased that Minnesota is the fourth state to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. Read more in the Sun This Week article. 

8/24: "Since I’ve taken this job in 2020, every year it’s changed." Katie Wahl, director of nutrition for Robbinsdale Area Schools was interviewed by CCX media on free meal preparation.

8/20: MSNA Public Policy Chair and Nutrition Director at Mankato Schools, Darcy Stueber, spoke with the Mankato Free Press on participation in the free meals program.

• During the Annual Conference, WCCO-AM radio interviewed past President Cheryl Pick on meal budgeting.
• WJON-AM provides exhibit show photos and insights from MSNA members Cheryl Pick, Noah Atlas, and Michele Hawkinson.
• KTSP (FOX) News spoke with MSNA President Michele Hawkinson regarding the start of school preparations with the start of free meals.
• MSNA Member Sarah Motl and the owner of Deeply Rooted discussed plant-based option lunch options. Check it out on St.Cloud Live.
• KARE-11 (NBC) News interviewed MSNA Board Members Emily Malone, Jess Pena and Chery Pick about sampled exhibit show items and preparations for free meals.

7/17: Congratulations to MSNA President, Cheryl Pick, for receiving the President's Award of Service at the School Nutrition Association Annual National Conference (ANC) in Denver! Check out the other winners here.

6/28: Winona Area Public School (WAPS) district is serving up food and fun for the summer. Check out Lunch Bus & Beans!

6/13: MSNA President-Elect and School Nutrition Director for Tracy Area Public Schools, Michele Hawkinson, speaks on the shortage of food service workers in this StarTribune article.

5/31: MSNA Public Policy Chair and director for Mankato Public Schools, Darcy Stueber, was featured in a Civic Eats article, discussing her challenges ensuring students are fed, as well as her journey in advocating for free school meals in Minnesota.

5/2: Jess Pena, MSNA Nutrition Chair and School Nutrition Director for Red Wing Public Schools, has been appointed by SNA to be the Midwest Region Representative for the Public Policy & Legislation Committee.

3/17: Walz signs universal school meals bill into Minnesota law. Read what Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said, as well as learn about the bill's implications, in this MPR News article. 

3/9: Mankato Area Schools nutrition director and MSNA Public Policy Chair, Darcy Stueber, urged congress to fund school meal programs. Read what Darcy had to say here. 

3/6 In honor of National School Breakfast Week, Jess Pena, MSNA Nutrition Chair and School Nutrition Director for Red Wing Public Schools shares with CBS News popular items for high school breakfasts and how it impacts students’ health. Watch the video here.

3/6: Cheryl Pick, MSNA President and Foley Public Schools nutrition director, was interviewed by WCCO-AM on current challenges in school nutrition and details of the Legislative Action Conference in Washington D.C. Read her interview here.