School Nutrition Director Certification

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School Nutrition Director Certification

• University of Georgia
• College of Family Consumer Sciences
• Department of Foods Nutrition

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Conceptual Framework

• The Department of Foods and Nutrition in the
  College of Family and Consumer Sciences is
  adapting the College of Educations 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.

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Mission StatementDepartment 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.

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Mission StatementSchool 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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Program Context

• School Nutrition Director job description
• Essential Functional Areas of Responsibilities
• Marketing
• Computer Technology
• Nutrition Education

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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

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Standard 2 Assessment System and Unit Evaluation

• Assessments (contd)
• Unit-level assessment on program quality,
  conducted annually
• Department-level assessment on program quality,
  conducted continuously

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Scoring Guide for Teaching Unit
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Score Card for Evaluating Food Demonstrations
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Exit SurveyDepartment of Foods Nutrition
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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Standard 6Professional Education Unit Governance
and Resources

• To be covered by Associate Dean Jan Hathcote

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Standard 7Requirements and Standards Specified
in rule 505-3-.01

• Not applicable to School Nutrition Director
  Certification program

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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

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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.

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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.

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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 States
  mandated goal of having a certified school
  nutrition director in every county.