GENERAL INFORMATION

PURPOSE

The Minnesota Professional Development Plan for School Food and Nutrition will provide for professional growth by establishing education and training opportunities for all School Nutrition Programs personnel to acquire and further develop skills, knowledge, and a professional image.

The Plan will enable personnel in maintaining high quality programs with a greater degree of competency and professionalism. The Plan will also assist employers in identifying qualified School Food and Nutrition personnel.

THE PLAN

The Minnesota Professional Development Plan for School Food and Nutrition is a program of education, training, and certification at ten levels for School Food and Nutrition Programs personnel. You can apply for any level for which you qualify regardless of your job title.

The Plan consists of three general categories of requirements: Area Requirements (refers to number of clock hours of coursework),  Academic Requirements (refers to formal education), and Food Service Experience Requirements (refers to years of food service experience).

Clock hours are obtained in nine Areas. The nine Areas include School Nutrition Programs, Sanitation and Safety, Service/Merchandising, Communications/Human Relations, Nutrition/Nutrition Education, Quantity Food Production, Menu Planning, Food Service Management, and Electives (Job-Related).

For each of the above nine Areas, there are five options available for you to obtain education and training clock hours. The five education and training options are 1) courses at technical and community colleges, state universities, University of Minnesota, and private colleges; 2) courses taught by trainers from the Trainer Network 3) inservice sessions presented by personnel in your district/school; 4) independent study courses; and 5) approved education and training activities at workshops, seminars, education sessions at conferences, conventions, chapter meetings, etc. (FOR RENEWAL ONLY: Three additional options for obtaining renewal clock hours are (1) initial teaching of approved education and training activities; (2) clock hours awarded through professional association journals for reading professional development articles and successfully completing required testing; and (3) poster sessions-completing and facilitating your own poster sessions.)

Certification (and/or renewal) is awarded upon successful completion of the requirements specified for each of the ten levels in the Plan.

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION 

*  Assists School Food and Nutrition Programs personnel in achieving higher levels of pride and self-worth in their pursuit of professionalism.

 *  Shows the education community that School Food and Nutrition Programs personnel have achieved recognized levels of excellence.

 *  Assures School Administrators that education and training will help personnel reach a standardized level of achievement.

*  Assists in justifying expenditures to School Boards for professional development activities for School Food and Nutrition Programs personnel.

* Provides School Board members with confidence that personnel    who are certified will provide high quality services to students.

 *  Raises the level of awareness and professionalism for School Food and Nutrition Programs

*         Districts/schools with 100% certification are recognized by MSFSA with an award presented at the Annual State Conference.