As summer ends and a new school year begins, we acknowledge the hard work of summer meal sponsors and advocates to bridge the gap to keep children healthy, connected, and ready to learn. Just last summer in 2024, summer meal sponsors served millions of meals to children across the country – a powerful illustration of the impactful work of community organizations. School nutrition staff are truly our hunger heroes! After their hard work throughout the summer, they have immediately dived into the swing of things at school.
Barrow County Nutrition
Barrow County Nutrition showed off the finishing touches of their cafeteria at an Open House today! From bright, clean spaces to nutritious meal options, they showcased that their cafeteria teams are ready to serve and support their students every day.
At this open house, they even had staff on hand to answer questions and share what’s new this year! An open house is a great way to get face time with families and answer any questions. This will raise awareness of school meals and hopefully increase participation for the school year!
Gordon County Nutrition
Gordon County kicked off the school year with delicious, culturally inclusive trays – Chicken Enchiladas with a double drizzle of sour cream and enchilada sauce, lettuce and tomato to top it all off, Refried Beans with Melty Cheese, Tropical Fruit Salad, Fiesta Rice, and a nice cold milk to get that protein. The staff wore matching, vibrant shirts to get kids excited about school meals!
Coffee County Nutrition
Coffee County had their first day of school on #NationalChocolateChipCookieDay! 🍪
To celebrate, students were welcomed back with this freshly-baked treat during lunch – a sweet start to what we hope will be a fantastic year for all! Coordinating with holidays is a great way to make school meals fun and exciting for students.
Brantley County Nutrition
Last week, Brantley County School Nutrition had their Back to School meeting. They received a refresher course on the health codes and the new USDA sugar standards for the year! The start of the year is a great time to innovate training, bond as a team, and meet new leadership and members.
Wayne County Nutrition
Wayne County High School Manager Tennille Cravey Wall and her dedicated staff serve up delicious meals with a smile every day, but today’s highlight was the burger. As Wayne County describes it, “Hamburgers with all the trimmings, golden French fries, baked beans, a variety of fresh fruits, and strawberry milk.” Choosing culturally familiar foods is another way to make school meals more interesting and delicious for students.
Glynn County Nutrition
Glynn County School Nutrition has revealed the theme and accompanying theme song for their 2025-2026 school year at their Back to School Managers meeting. “WE ARE 5 STAR!” is the focus and goal throughout the year. They are determined to continue to bring students and stakeholders their very best. Come see them “Shine Bright Like a Diamond” for breakfast and lunch at no cost this year!
Creating a theme and vision statement for the year is a great way to boost team morale, innovate service, and just create a great culture. Broadcasting this vision is another way to connect with families via social media and in school, to hopefully increase participation in school meals!
Dublin City Nutrition
Today Dublin City attended their annual In-Service training where their staff received their required annual training along with 11 other districts. A western theme with “Saddle Up for a Great Year” followed. They also had guest speakers who covered valuable learning topics:
☘️Tessany Lockhart-Houston County Mgr-Work Ethic & Attitude
☘️Victoria Thornton & Madeline McCullers- Health Department-Common Findings
☘️Director Led-Reimbursable Meals & Offer vs Serve☘️Stella Greene-Greene Acres Farm
☘️Director Led-Civil Rights Training
☘️Chandra Hooks-Emanuel County-Beyond the Check Box, GSNA Local Scroll Actions 1-b, McKinney Vento, Migrant
☘️Alisha Cheek-Dodge County-Line Design
☘️Will McWhirter-Dairy Alliance-Strive for 35
☘️Kelly Schlein-SCDE Education Associate-Service that Sells.
Incorporating sessions, guest speakers, and trainings are always beneficial every year. The beginning of the year is a great time to do this, so information stays fresh and the year is off to a great start!
