Maine DOE Child Nutrition Program staff will be offering training sessions this summer to update local school unit nutrition program staff on federal and State improvements to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). A regional training schedule will be available in June and published in the Commissioner’s Update and on the Department’s professional development calendar.
Continue reading “Maine DOE to offer trainings on National School Lunch Program improvements”
Ron Adams, food service director for the Portland Public Schools, has won the School Nutrition Association (SNA) Outstanding Director of the Year Award for Maine. Adams will be honored at a red carpet awards ceremony in July at SNA’s national conference in Boston.
Continue reading “Portland food service director wins state award”
Maine schools are invited to attend the 29th Annual Maine DOE Schoolsite Health Promotion & Wellness Conference, to be held Tuesday, June 24 through Thursday, June 26 at Sugarloaf.
Continue reading “Schools invited to June wellness conference”
TURNER – Tripp Middle School is the first middle school in Maine to earn a Gold Medal in the US Department of Agriculture’s HealthierUS School Challenge.
Students and staff at the RSU 52 school were presented the prestigious award last week by USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon at an assembly also attended by Maine DOE’s Gail Lombardi.
Continue reading “Tripp Middle School wins top nutrition award”
March 19 marked the 19th annual Kick Butts Day, a nationwide celebration of youth leadership and activism combating tobacco use.
Over 1,400 events took place across the country in cooperation with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, including in Maine where 21st Century Community Learning Center afterschool programs stepped-up to help youth educate their peers and communities about the harmfulness of tobacco and the industry’s marketing practices.
Maine has received $73,808 in National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grant funds. These funds from the United States Department of Agriculture will assist school food authorities (SFAs) in purchasing equipment needed to meet the new nutritional standards for schools as required by the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Continue reading “Equipment grants available for Maine food service programs”
Maine is now accepting applications for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for the 2014-15 school year. Applications must be completed for each school that is eligible for participation. Continue reading “Applications open for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program”
The United States Department of Agriculture is proposing a rule that would establish minimum professional standards for school nutrition personnel who manage and operate the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Continue reading “USDA proposes standards for school nutrition professionals”
There has been increased discussion recently about how schools should appropriately handle parents owing money for their children’s school meals. Continue reading “Guidance on unpaid school lunches”
Households can apply anytime throughout the school year for meal benefits provided through their district’s School Lunch Program. A family may apply for any reason at any time, including a change in employment or household size, gaining guardianship of a child, or simply if they have never applied before. Continue reading “Rolling admissions for School Lunch Program”
Maine DOE Newsroom 