“As leaders, we should embrace change and make it comfortable for our teams to navigate within.”
Sustainability Whenever we are looking to add a program, process or feature, I ask my team “how will we sustain this”. Having a school garden is outstanding, but who is going to keep that garden alive and thriving in the years to come? We do not have budgets that are elastic enough to have more and more positions to manage the expansion of programs that may or may not take off. What has made St Vrain successful is by partnering with teachers and existing education programs throughout the district. Each year there is a new group of students to maintain, expand and sustain our goals. For instance, our Future Farmers of America students raise Duroc hogs and lambs that we send to processing and gardens that provide a variety of produce to use in our menus. Our ProStart students work for us in our production kitchen to help us scratch make select local items to go to schools. Finally, our advanced technology students are working with us on some innovative projects. The key to convincing these programs and teachers to work with you is to put the focus back on the students: [ 4 ]
• Gives them real world experience • Always room for growth to add to their curriculum • Provide a career pathway Final thoughts Change is hard yet inevitable. Providing a process in which you undergo change instills trust and faith in your team, which in turn keeps them engaged and motivated. Be an effective leader by investing in these building blocks to provide a healthy environment for your staff to evolve, grow, and thrive.
Katie is passionate about serving delicious and nutritious meals to all children while “breaking the mold” of the typical lunch tray. As the Director of Nutrition Services and Warehouse at St. Vrain Valley School District in Longmont, Colorado, she’s dishing up innovative food systems, a professional atmosphere and career path for staff, and new age technology for nutrition education. Katie was a chef in the private sector for a decade before coming to school nutrition. She holds an AS of Culinary Arts and BS of Culinary Nutrition from Johnson & Wales University, and during the pandemic obtained a Masters of Dietetic Administration from Utah State University. St. Vrain Valley School District (CO) Katie L Cossette, MDA, RDN, SNS
Powered by FlippingBook