Quick News  

  • MSNA Public Policy Chair and director for Mankato Public Schools, Darcy Stueber, was featured in a May 31 Civic Eats article, discussing her challenges ensuring students are fed, as well as her journey in advocating for free school meals in Minnesota.
  • Governor Walz proclaimed May 5, 2023 as School Nutrition Lunch Hero Day. School nutrition professionals, thank you for your dedication in nurturing Minnesota's children. We honor and express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to you.

  • Registration for the Annual Conference is now open! Both attendee and exhibitor registration are now open for the MSNA Annual Conference on August 6-9, 2023 at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud, MN. Visit the events page for more information about the conference and to register. The theme for the conference is "Adventure Awaits with MSNA." Where has and where will your adventure with MSNA and SNA take you?
  • MN Passes Free Meals for All Starting SY 23/24: MSNA commends Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Legislature for moving to permanently offer all students breakfast and lunch at no charge starting in SY 2023-2024. The MSNA 2023 Position Paper, released in January, underscored the need for all students to have equal access to school meals and for necessary reimbursements and funding to be directed to school nutrition programs to ensure long-term sustainability... continue reading here.
  • Two Minnesota districts were awarded the silver Turnip the Beet award for Summer 2022 meals. Congratulations Foley Public Schools and Lake City Public Schools! Read a full list of winners here.
  • Read MSNA's 2023 Position Paper

  • Interested in attending MSNA or National Conferences? Two MSNA members, Lori Landowski and Vickie Speltz, share their experience attending conferences and discuss how important it is to always keep learning. Watch the video here!

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 Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

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!

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. 

 

1/30: Prior Lake-Savage schools share flavorful lessons in healthy eating. Read what school nutrition director, Emily Malone, has to say about trying new foods in the lunchroom. 

1/24: Angela Richey, nutrition director for the Roseville and St Anthony-New Brighton school districts, was quoted in the Associated Press article "No More Nuggets? School Lunch Goes Farm-To-Table — For Some" regarding school lunch debt.

1/12: Mankato Area Schools nutrition director and MSNA Public Policy Chair, Darcy Stueber, explains the importance of pushing for free school meals for all. Read and listen here. 

1/10: Emily Malone, Prior Lake-Savage schools nutrition director and MSNA vice president, was invited on CBS-Minnesota to discuss healthy new year tips in the lunchroom, including "Try it Tuesday" in which new students have the opportunities to taste new foods.