Quick News  
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  • Congratulations to Royal Dahlstrom, Curate, for being awarded MSNA Industry Partner of the Year! Royal was awarded this honor at the SNIP Conference on October 23-25 at the Grand View Lodge.
  • Interested in attending a local or national school nutrition conference but need assistance in getting there? Apply for an MSNA scholarship! Four school nutrition members will receive up to $500, and applicants can choose from five different conferences.
  • Earn CEUs in the comfort of your own office or home. Learn more and register for the November webinar "From Hire to Retire."
  • Need assistant in attending SNA’s 2025 Legislative Action Conference in Washington, DC? The School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) is offering fifteen scholarships to help SNA members offset the costs of attending.
  • Couldn’t make it to SNA’s Annual National Conference in Boston, or eager to dive deeper into some top-rated sessions? Join SNA for the Best of ANC24 Webinar Series, where the most popular conference presentations are brought directly to your screen. Webinars are free for members.
  • In August, ten individuals were installed into the 2024-2025 Executive Board. Two of these individuals were elected during the spring election. Read more about Ashley Schneider and Jess Peña.

Member Spotlight

Cassi O’Meara, Management Assistant, Food and Nutrition, Richfield Public Schools. Read about Cassie here.

To read past member spotlights, click here. 

Nominate a Colleague You Admire!

There is no time like the season of giving to recognize the hard work of our colleagues in the school nutrition profession who go above and beyond. The SNA Awards program highlights the outstanding and important work of SNA members and state affiliates. Members and state associations are eligible for a variety of honors that recognize their achievements in school foodservice, leadership, membership recruitment and professional development. Nominations are closed for 2024 and will open this fall for 2025 nominations.

Employee of the Year Award
Manager of the Year Award, in honor of Louise Sublette
Director of the Year Award
National Industry Member of the Year Award  

MSNA Members in the News!

10/18: In honor of National School Lunch Week, Jess Peña, School Nutrition Director for Red Wing Public Schools and MSNA Secretary/Treasurer, shared with CBS News Minnesota how schools have stepped up their lunch game.

10/14: Glen Ritter, Food Service Director for St. Michael-Albertville Schools and MSNA President-Elect, was interviewed by Fox 9, discussing what's on his schools' trays, the menu planning process, and more. Scroll to the 21:00 mark to watch.

10/3: Students at Humboldt High School in Saint Paul Public Schools are participating in a gardening program that provides fresh produce for their school cafeteria and local community. Watch the video here, which features Lynn Broberg, Assistant Director of Nutrition Services for the St. Paul School District.

6/1: MSNA is pleased to announce the outcome of the 2024 Board Member Election. Learn more about our new Board members, Ashley Schneider, Jess Peña, and Kristi Frank.

5/23: Julie Kronabetter, Food and Nutrition Services Director for Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 and MSNA Nutrition Chair, was featured in the Sun Thisweek for her efforts in diversifying menu offerings to students. These efforts helped her win the 2024 MSNA Director of the Year award.

5/21: Brooklyn Middle STEAM School’s nutrition manager, Sandra Hirdler, is highlighted in the Sun Post for being named School Nutrition Association 2024 Midwest Region Manager of the Year.

5/15: MSNA President Michele Hawkinson, President-elect Emily Malone, and Vice President Glen Ritter presented at the Minnesota Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) conference on "What's Next in Free School Meals: Seeing Down the Line for your District". MSNA also hosted a booth at the exhibit show. Check out photos here.

Find past news stories here!