PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

Maine

Child Nutrition

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

• USDA has established minimum professional standards requirements for school nutrition professionals who manage and operate the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

• EFFECTIVE DATE: 07-01-2015

Professional Standards for school nutrition professionals is a key provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

(HHFKA). It requires a minimum amount of annual training hours for all school nutrition

program directors, managers, and staff. Required training topic areas will vary

according to position and job requirements. There are also minimum hiring standards for

new school nutrition program directors.

WE ARE PROFESSIONALS

• Masters of finance

• Expert in menu planning

• Wizard in human resources

• ETC

WILL ALWAYS BE A PROFESSIONAL

• A professional is a member of a profession or any person who earns their living from a specified activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skills necessary to perform the role of that profession. In addition, most professionals are subject to strict codes of conduct enshrining rigorous ethical and moral obligations. Professional standards of practice and ethics for a particular field are typically agreed upon and maintained through widely recognized professional associations. Some definitions of "professional" limit this term to those professions that serve some important aspect of public interest [1] and the general good of society.[2][3]

YES I AM

Professional standards

• Create minimum hiring standards for new school food authority (SFA) Directors based on a school district’s size

• Require minimum annual training for all new and current school nutrition professionals in current year

Hiring Standards

• Hiring standards

– Teachers

– Transportation

– Administration

• We are no different

Food Service Directors (FSD)

• Hiring standards are based on 3 LEA size categories:

– 2,400 or less student enrollment – 200 Districts

– 2,500-9,999 student enrollment – 13 Districts

– 10,000 or more student enrollment- none in Maine

• Current directors are grandmothered

ME Food Service Professionals

Director/Supervisor FS I 109

Director/Supervisor FS II 16

Food Service Manager I 314

Food Service Manager II 37

Food Service Staff 1,444

Director/Supervisor Assistant fo FS 22

1,942

• Dir I: 2 or more kitchens, enrollment >2,500

• Dir II: 2 or more kitchens, enrollment <2,500

• Manager I: has a Director

• Manager II: single unit District Manager

FSD Hiring Standards

• For mid-size LEAs (2,500 -9,999 students):

• Bachelor’s degree with specific major, OR

• Bachelor’s degree with any academic major, and a State-recognized certificate; OR

• Bachelor’s degree with any academic major and at least 2 years of experience, OR

• Associate’s degree with specific major and at least 2 years of experience

FSD Hiring Standards

• For small LEAs (≤2,499 students):• Bachelor’s degree with specific major, OR

• Bachelor’s degree with any academic major, and a State-recognized certificate, OR

• Associate’s degree with specific major and at least 1 year of experience, OR

• High school diploma (or GED) and 3 years of experience

FSD Hiring standards (FSD)

• District Smaller than 500:

– The law provides State discretion on education requirements

– Districts need to contact to State Agency for approval

Food Safety Training

• New Directors SFA Directors in All LEAs:

– At least 8 hours of food safety training within 5 years prior to the starting date, or completed within 30 days of the starting date

Position-required hours

Director 12 hours yearly

Manager 10 hours yearly

Staff work over 20 hours weekly 6 hours yearly

All other part-time staff 4 hours yearly

Staff hired after January 1st of each year Must only complete half the hours above for their position.

Volunteer Staff

• Not a regular position

• District will have a volunteer substitute training program

Director or Manager ?

• Person doing duties not title

• General statement:

– a director develops, creates, plans,

– A manager implements the plan.

• Which one are you?

• Detailed samples on our web page

• Possible for two directors or managers

Key Learning Areas

• Nutrition

• Operations

• Administration

• Communications/Marketing

NUTRITION

• Menu Planning

• Nutrition Education

• General Nutrition

OPERATIONS

• Food Production

• Serving Food

• Cashier & Point of Service

• Purchasing/Procurement

• Receiving & Storage

• Food Safety & HACCP

ADMINISTRATION

• Free & Reduced Price Meal Benefits

• Program Management

• Financial Management

• Human Resources & Staff Training

• Facilities & Equipment Planning

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

• Communications and Marketing

Helpful Hints

• Workshops and meetings

• Webinars

• Other online trainings

What does not count

• Training not related to food service operations

• Self directed training without prior approval

• Food and Vendor shows

• Beginning of SY District in-service days.

More Information

• https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/nutrition/laws/professionalstandards

• Links to other sources as well.

Training from NFSMI

• NFSMI offers FREE training

– In-person

– Webinars

– On-line

• https://theicn.org/

ICN Child Nutrition Resources

• pdf

• Powerpoint

– A – Z

Tracking Training

• How do I keep track of training and what documentation is required?

• Copies of the following documentation is acceptable:

o Training Agenda

o Sign-in sheets

o Certificate of Completion

o Other paper documents

Tracking Training

• In house training

– Create an agenda - topics

– Date and time

– Sign in sheet

• Staff meetings work as long as the above is completed.

Each SFA must decide how to maintain the records that document training completion. The school nutrition program director is ultimately

responsible for demonstrating, during the administrative review, that the SFA is in

compliance with the professional standards.

Tracking

• Documentation is required.

• Not just the tracking tool.

– Participation Certificate

– Sign in sheets

– First screen shoot of an online training

– Self directed must be approved by Director

USDA Professional Standards training tracker

• https://pstrainingtracker.fns.usda.gov/

• eAuth User Account

USDA Professional Standards training tracker – Maine Version

• Excel spreadsheet

– Maine Professional Standards Tracking Tool (excel)

CURRENT DIRECTORS

• A current director who moves to a different district within the same size bracket will not be required to meet the hiring criteria, however if moving to a higher bracket the new requirements must be met.

Online Help:

• http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/professional-standards

A comprehensive Professional Standards Web site provides a database of training options. School nutrition staff can search for training that meets their learning needs in one easy-to-use location

• http://professionalstandards.fns.usda.gov/