One Member’s Journey to Career Advancement via the ISNA/IDOE School Nutrition Certificate Program By Tami Scalzo, Food Service Coordinator, Centerville-Abington Community Schools
parked in a church parking lot in the center of our little town distributing meals. I couldn’t have done it without the amazing support from my staff. They saw my vision and helped make it happen. There were teachers, administrators, coaches, local authorities and principals that all came together to help get the meals together to feed our students. Fast forward…back to school and finding our new “normal.” I wasn’t sure what that
As I sit here in the airport terminal praying my flight won’t get canceled again I have plenty of time to reflect on my experience and why I am even sitting here. In November of 2019 (pre-Covid) my school district took a chance on me. I was hired to be Centerville-Abington’s Food Service Coordinator. I had been with the corporation for almost six years beginning as a substitute custodian and dishwasher. I then became a cashier at the district’s K-2 building and loved it! While working as a cashier I also helped in the kitchen. Cooking quickly became my passion and I enjoyed being the Head cook for almost 6 years. Then one day the then food service director, Amanda Stout, now Director at Greenfield Central, announced that she was leaving the district. Amanda told me at that time that she thought I should apply for the Food Service Coordinator position. Say What?! I wasn’t sure at first, but with much thought and consideration I did apply and now here I sit at Amanda’s old desk continuing to learn new things about this position daily! Upon taking this new position, my school corporation asked if I would be willing to work at continuing my education in school nutrition. Of course I agreed, especially since it came with a pay raise. This is when my participation in the ISNA/IDOE School Nutrition Certificate Program began. The first two courses that I took were held on the same day in Indianapolis and taught by Becky Landes, Food Service Operation Manager for Manchester Community Schools. She was a wealth of information and such a pleasure to speak with. My thought at the time was, “These courses are great and I can’t wait to take more!” Then, the dreaded phone calls began coming in to myself and other Food Service Directors in the room with me that day. “We are closing indefinitely after school tomorrow,” and “We will assess the situation and go from there.” So, I sprang into action and we were serving quarantine meals by Wednesday out of our school’s “Blue Bus.” Literally, a bright blue bus
“The courses were so rewarding. Every time I finished a course I felt a sense of accomplishment.”
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