School Nutrition Director Certification

1. School Nutrition Director Certification University of Georgia College of Family & Consumer Sciences Department of Foods & Nutrition

2. Conceptual Framework • The Department of Foods and Nutrition in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences is adapting the College of Education’s conceptual framework for the School Nutrition Program: … prepares exemplary reflective professionals to serve a diverse, global community; it achieves that end through teaching, scholarship, outreach, and partnership at local, national, and international levels.

3. Mission Statement:Department of Foods and Nutrition The mission of the Department of Foods and Nutrition is to prepare students to function as professionals, to meet changing needs of society and industry in the areas of foods and nutrition, to generate scholarly work in our discipline, and to educate the public about special issues in nutrition and foods.

4. Mission Statement:School Nutrition Program The mission of the School Nutrition program is to prepare a diverse group of students for successful careers in school nutrition and encourage students to assume leadership roles in their profession and in society.

5. Program Goals • Goal 1: The program will prepare graduates to be competent entry level school nutrition directors or professionals in fields related to school nutrition • Goal 2: Program faculty and staff will provide guidance and support that will motivate a diverse group of students to complete the school nutrition program and to assume leadership roles in school nutrition profession and society. • Goal 3: Students will demonstrate proficiency in understanding and communicating relevant nutrition issues within the school and community

6. Program Outcomes • Goal 1: The program will prepare graduates to be competent entry level school nutrition directors or professionals in fields related to school nutrition • Outcome measure: At least 90% of candidates will be rated as “above average” or “average” in their Teaching Unit • Outcome measure: At least 90% of candidates will have a GPA of at least 3.0 for school nutrition coursework upon completion of the program

7. Program Outcomes • Goal 2: Program faculty and staff will provide guidance and support that will motivate a diverse group of students to complete the school nutrition program and to assume leadership roles in school nutrition profession and society. • Outcome measure: The school nutrition program will maintain a diversity of our program that is equal to or greater than the diversity of the University of Georgia student population. • Outcome measure: Ninety percent of candidates will rate the School Nutrition program as Excellent or Above Average in training for the seven SND content standards

8. Program Outcomes • Goal 3: Students will demonstrate proficiency in understanding and communicating relevant nutrition issues within the school and community • Outcome measure: At least 90% of candidates will be rated as “above average” or “average” in their Teaching Unit • Outcome measure: At least 90% of candidates will receive a grade of 85% or better on their Assessment Report • Outcome measure: At least 50% of alumni will rate their overall education at University of Georgia as “excellent” or “good”, and 100% will rate their education at least “average”

9. Program Context • The Department of Foods & Nutrition offers Undergraduate degrees • Consumer Foods • Dietetics • Nutrition Science Graduate degrees • Masters in Foods & Nutrition • Doctoral in Foods & Nutrition • Accredited Dietetic Internship for masters students wanting to become a Registered Dietitian

10. Program Context • Our faculty unanimously voted to accept the transfer of the SND certification from the College of Education to the College of Family and Consumer Sciences based on: • The substantial coursework base and faculty expertise already existing in our department to support the program • The current high demand for qualified School Nutrition Directors

11. Program Context • Candidates are non-traditional students who: • Live throughout the State of Georgia • Are older and already working in the area of school nutrition • Logistically, cannot take traditional classes on the Athens campus • Take most courses via a distant learning format

12. Program Context • Upon completion of the program candidates will be eligible for certification in the School Nutrition Director program • Graduates of the program will be prepared to successfully manage the largest and/or most challenging school nutrition programs in the state

13. Program Context School Nutrition Director job description: • Essential Functional Areas of Responsibilities • Customer Service • Sanitation, Food Safety, and Employee Safety • Financial Management and Recordkeeping • Food Production & Procurement • Program Accountability • Nutrition and Menu Planning • General Management • Facility Layout and Design and Equipment Selection

14. Program Context School Nutrition Director job description: • Essential Functional Areas of Responsibilities • Marketing • Computer Technology • Nutrition Education

15. Standard 1Candidate Knowledge, Skills, Dispositions • Content knowledge, skills and dispositions are acquired through both coursework and field experiences • Coursework provides the theoretical framework and application of knowledge for the content standards for School Nutrition

16. Standard 1Candidate Knowledge, Skills, Dispositions • Coursework will support candidates to: • Demonstrate a thorough understanding of their field of nutrition • Collect data relevant to their work, reflect on their practice and use technology to support and improve their practice • Establish environments that support learning and employ strategies to improve learning within their jobs and schools

17. Standard 1Candidate Knowledge, Skills, Dispositions • Fieldwork will support candidates to: • Apply knowledge to school lunch environment; specifically by developing and implementing curricula for nutrition education with students, staff, and parents • Utilize outcome of nutrition education to support and improve learning environment in school nutrition setting

18. SND-Standard 1 Standard 1: Broaden candidates’ knowledge in areas of food, nutrition and/or institutional management • Coursework that supports this Standard will include: • FDNS 2100 (Human Nutrition and Food) • FDNS 6050 (Optimal Nutrition through the Lifespan) • FDNS 6660E (Food and Nutrition Education Methods) These courses will broaden basic nutrition knowledge of the school nutrition candidates

19. SND-Standard 2 Standard 2: Prepare candidates who have the essential basic and foundational skills to plan, design implement and evaluate school nutrition programs that meet the school day nutritional needs of the child, help build healthy food habits, and prepare children for the classroom.  • GACE Basic Skills and GACE Computer Competency will ensure candidates have the basic skills for performance as school nutrition directors • ServSafe Certificate Will ensure candidates have basic knowledge of food safety

20. SND-Standard 3 Standard 3:Prepare candidates to design, implement, and evaluate financial and operational practices for School Nutrition Programs that are educationally, financially, and nutritionally accountable. • Coursework that supports this Standard will include : • EDAP 7060 (School Business and Resource Management) • FDNS 6770E (Managing School Nutrition Programs) These courses will enable candidates to manage both the nutritional and business aspects of the school nutrition programs.

21. SND-Standard 4 Standard 4: Prepare candidates who are able to work with administrators, teachers and lay people to define individual responsibilities and goals of the school nutrition program. • Coursework that supports this Standard will include : • EDAP 7030 (Organizational Leadership in Schools) • EDAP 7050 (Personnel Administration and Staff Development)

22. SND-Standard 5 Standard 5: Prepare candidates who promote and maintain good interpersonal relations between school nutrition personnel and students, faculty, school administration, and community. • Coursework that supports this Standard will include : • FDNS 6660E (Foods and Nutrition Education Methods) • Clinical practices are linked to the majority of the required courses. In addition, since the vast majority of our candidates are currently working in a school nutrition setting, they are in the clinic on a daily basis.

23. SND-Standard 6 Standard 6: The program shall prepare candidates who implement processes for continuous professional growth of school nutrition personnel. • Coursework that supports this Standard will include : • EDAP 7030 (Organizational Leadership in Schools) • EDAP 7050 (Personnel Administration and Staff Development)

24. SND-Standard 7 Standard 7: The program shall prepare candidates who design, conduct, and interpret appropriate research projects for the improvement of the school nutrition program. • Coursework that supports this Standard will include : • ERSH 6200 (Methods of Research in Education)

25. Standard 2Assessment System and Unit Evaluation • The assessments are aligned to the standards for the School Nutrition Certification and multiple evaluations are made at various points before program completion • Assessments include: • Exams • Class presentations • School/Community presentations • Reflective journals

26. Standard 2 Assessment System and Unit Evaluation • Assessments (cont’d) • Unit-level assessment on program quality, conducted annually • Department-level assessment on program quality, conducted continuously

27. Scoring Guide for Teaching Unit

28. Score Card for Evaluating Food Demonstrations

29. Exit SurveyDepartment of Foods & Nutrition

30. Standard 3Field Experiences and Clinical Practice • Clinical experiences • support and enable candidates to demonstrate content knowledge, skills and dispositions • allow for development and implementation of evidenced-based projects • promote interaction with diverse groups across race, gender, age, and socio-economic status • allow for interaction of departmental faculty and school personnel

31. Standard 3Field Experiences and Clinical Practice • Field experiences: • While there is limited formalized field experience in the curriculum, most candidates are currently working in the field, i.e. school nutrition

32. Standard 4Diversity • Program content instructs candidates in accommodating students of diverse backgrounds, including, but not limited to: age, gender, culture, race, religion, exceptionality • Department faculty represent diverse backgrounds and bring unique and varied experiences to the learning process

33. Standard 5Faculty Qualifications, Performance and Development • Faculty hold relevant terminal degrees and have significant classroom experience • Faculty model best-practices in teaching and scholarly work and are leaders in their field • Faculty promote diversity, collaboration, and utilization of relevant technology • Faculty have professional experience with PreK-12 schools, through interaction with school nutrition personnel or nutrition education

34. Standard 5Faculty Qualifications, Performance and Development • Faculty are annually evaluated for their scholarship, teaching, leadership, collaboration, service and professional development • Annual evaluation allows for continuous professional development to support and enhance the goals of the program

35. Standard 6Professional Education Unit Governance and Resources • To be covered by Associate Dean Jan Hathcote

36. Standard 7Requirements and Standards Specified in rule 505-3-.01 • Not applicable to School Nutrition Director Certification program

37. Standard 8Alignment with PSC-Adopted Program Content Standards • Grades in courses • The coursework will cover, in depth, the content standards and require evidence of knowledge as well as demonstrate application of the standards. Courses cover broad areas such as: basic nutrition, lifecycle nutrition, nutrition education, management of school nutrition programs, human resource management, budgeting and accounting, leadership, and research methods. • Courses use varied approaches of knowledge assessment including exams, class presentations, school/community presentations, reflective journals

38. Standard 8Alignment with PSC-Adopted Program Content Standards • The GACE – Basic Skills Test • All of the coursework requires basic math and verbal skills that are necessary for successful mastery of Standards 1000 – 7000. • The ServSafe certification • Will ensure that all applicants have adequate basic skills needed for successful mastery of Standards related to food and food safety.

39. Standard 8Alignment with PSC-Adopted Program Content Standards • Exit surveys • Provides feedback to certification program administrators on the strengths and weaknesses of the program. Student will comment specifically on program content as it relates to program Standards 1000 – 7000.

40. Conclusions • School Nutrition Director program certification serves a unique and diverse pool of candidates living throughout the State of Georgia. • We accommodate our candidates by providing alternative courses via distance learning. • Our program contributes to meeting the State’s mandated goal of having a certified school nutrition director in every county.