no slowing down and inputting num- bers and stuff like that,” said John Chiu, food and nutrition services administra- tor for Huntington Beach Union High School District in Huntington Beach, Calif. 2 DISTRIBUTORS AND OPERATORS COMMIT TO DOUBLING DOWN ON COMMUNICATION Due to current supply chain issues and the impending changes to the school nutrition standards, both operators and industry members agreed that com- munication needs to be top of mind for both parties. During a panel, National Vice Pres- ident of Education for Sysco Nicole Nicoloff shared that operators should be open to speaking with industry part- ners about new ways of working togeth- er, especially when it comes to figuring out delivery times. “One thing to consider, for those of you who have not looked into this, may- be look at nighttime delivery or week- end delivery,” she suggested. In a separate panel, Patti Bilberry, food service director for Scottsdale Unified School District in Scottsdale, Ariz., also encouraged her peers to reach out to their industry partners and ask them what they need and how they can improve their partnership. 3 TELLING THE SCHOOL FOODSERVICE STORY WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER In a similar vein, increasing commu- nication between nutrition teams and their district at-large also came up at various points during the conference. Speakers shared the different ways they try to connect with community, includ- ing remembering students’ birthdays and sending out newsletters to parents. During a panel, Krista Hamilton, food service director for Stillwater Pub- lic Schools in Stillwater, Okla., also add- ed that school nutrition leaders should make a point to get involved with their district outside of school by attending sporting events and more. “I think three of my school board members’ phone numbers are in my own because we’re in different things together,” she said. “I think it will help your relationship with your school board and with your other administra- tors if you are working to be involved with your school outside of your job.”
SNIC ATTENDEES MET IN ORLANDO EARLIER THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS HOW THEY COULD TACKLE TODAY’S CHALLENGES IN K-12 FOODSERVICE AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. 3 TAKEAWAYS FROM SNA’S SCHOOL NUTRITION INDUSTRY CONFERENCE OPERATIONS
Panelists discussed supply chain challenges, meal participation and more during the 2024 School Nutrition Industry Conference.
I nnovation was top of mind for at- tendees of the School Nutrition As- sociation’s School Nutrition Indus- try Conference (SNIC) held earlier this week in Orlando. As school nu- trition operators continue to face a myr- iad of challenges, conference attendees discussed ways they could solve today’s obstacles and also plan ahead for the future. Here are three takeaways from the event. 1 READY OR NOT, AI IS HERE AI and its effect on K-12 foodser- vice was top of mind for attendees. During a general session, technolo- gy author and speaker Beth Ziesenis walked operators through the many ways they could immediately begin us- ing the tech to improve their day-to-day tasks, including menu planning and drafting emails to parents. While the capabilities of AI are ex- citing, Ziesenis warned that because BY BENITA GINGERELLA
the technology is so new and is growing at such a rapid pace, companies are still figuring out how it should be used in a work environment. She encouraged at- tendees to go home and work with dis- trict leaders and their IT team to set up AI policies so that they can be prepared as AI becomes further integrated into their jobs. Attendees also took time to think how AI will continue to impact their industry going forward. During the closing general session, a panel of op- erators shared their thoughts on how AI will transform the K-12 space, with most coming to the conclusion that the tech will allow them to set up cashier- less systems that are similar to the ones already being implemented at colleges, hospitals and sports stadiums. “I envision a future down the road where students can enter our cafeterias and they have some kind of face recog- nition or a way where the student can be recognized and [students] can just pull anything of the shelf and that will be accredited towards that meal and they can pass right through and there’s
FSD QUARTERLY
Q1 2024
6
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BENITA GINGERELLA
Powered by FlippingBook