Child Nutrition Training Academy

School Nutrition Association Year 1 & 2 Certification Training

Mission:    To provide training for school nutrition professionals to build accountable, healthy school nutrition environments that promote students’ nutritional well-being and academic achievement.

For 56 years, the Nebraska Department of Education and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln have delivered quality educational experiences for school nutrition professionals. This tradition continues to address professional standards and education requirements through the Child Nutrition Training Academy.

The Training Academy is designed to fit the needs of new and experienced school nutrition professionals and provides a learning environment that strengthens professionalism, builds confidence, inspires critical thinking, and cultivates creativity through experiential learning. Your district will benefit from a better understanding of program regulations to ensure integrity.  Attendees will create S.M.A.R.T. goals to encourage accountability for changes they would like to implement in their food service operation.

Year 1

• Recommended for school food service personnel, including directors, managers, and staff.
• School Food Service Managers/Directors must complete the ServSafe Manager or AlwaysFoodSafe course on their own or must have completed and passed one of these courses within the last 5 years.
• Topics include basic culinary math, Buy American Provision, financial management, food allergies, personnel management and a culinary experience.
• Provides professional development hours.
• Coursework eligible for Level 2 School Nutrition Association (SNA) Certification*

*Earn 36 hours – must have high school diploma or equivalent.

Year 2

• Recommended for staff responsible for day-to-day management of school meals program, such as food service managers or directors, supervisors, head cooks, production and service staff and potential managers.
• Prerequisite: Prior completion of Year 1 is REQUIRED.
• Topics include menu development, team building and communication, job descriptions and interviews, food defense, and a culinary experience.
• Provides professional development hours.
• Coursework eligible for Level 3 or 4 SNA Certification^*

*Earn 80 hours over 2-year period – must have high school diploma or equivalent.

Please refer to the 2025 CNTA flyer for schedule details.

Registration

To register, please utilize this link:  Child Nutrition Training Academy Registration

Participants must be at least 19 years of age to attend the Child Nutrition Training Academy. All payments must be postmarked by May 23, 2025. No refunds will be issued after May 8, 2025.

For questions about the training, please contact Beth Haas, Program Specialist – NDE Nutrition Services at 402-417-3324 or beth.haas@nebraska.gov.

School Nutrition Association (SNA) Certification

For more information about SNA Certification visit the National School Nutrition Association’s website at Certificate Program – School Nutrition Association.

Classes

Classes are designed to include demonstrations, group activities and lectures. Class content includes federal and state regulations applicable to the school meals program, food safety, menu planning, purchasing and marketing.

Some of the classes we have offered in the past are:

Table Top Food Defense Training : Tabletop Exercise involves key personnel discussing simulated scenarios in an informal setting. May be used to assess plans, policies, and procedures. Training exercise provides suggestions for preventive measures and various resources for developing food defense and emergency preparedness plans.  Facilitated by Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN).

Managing Personal Conflict: Participants will identify the many factors that may influence the way people interact and/or respond to conflict. Self-reflection is a critical component of this training that aims to help participants identify characteristics of their own personalities and attitudes, in addition to any existing biases and stereotypes they may have. Finally, participants will engage in identifying non-productive behaviors and in building skills that will help promote successful conflict resolution.   Facilitated by Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN).

Mock Food Inspections:  An interactive, activity-based training utilizing the concept of a mock health inspection. Participants will be able to explain why health inspections are conducted at least twice a year in schools and the role of periodic inspections and self-inspections to enhance the effectiveness of food safety management programs. Participants will be able to identify risk-based food safety practices and conduct a risk-based inspection.  Facilitated by Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)

Fun with Dry Beans: An interactive class on fun ways to introduce dry beans to students.

Norovirus:  Norovirus is very important because more than half of all food-related outbreaks of gastroenteritis is caused by norovirus.  Every school nutrition employee plays an important part in norovirus control to prevent foodborne illness.  Facilitated by Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)

SPECIAL ASSISTANCE
If any participants require a sign language interpreter, alternate formats of print materials or wheelchair accessibility, please notify Beth Haas at least two weeks prior to the workshop date at (402) 417-3324.