MINNESOTA SCHOOL NUTRITION ASSOCIATION

AREA OF FOCUS I: VOICE OF SCHOOL NUTRITIONTHE MINNESOTA SCHOOL NUTRITION ASSOCIATION (MSNA) HELD ITS ANNUAL DAY AT THE CAPITOL IN 2025 WHERE SCHOOL NUTRITIONAL PROFESSIONALS WERE ABLE TO VISIT WITH STATE LEGISLATORS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL NUTRITION AND FOCUS ON WHY ALL STUDENTS IN MINNESOTA SCHOOLS SHOULD HAVE FREE MEALS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO FUEL OUR STUDENTS SO THEY CAN CONCENTRATE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS. OUR PPL CHAIR, DARCY STUEBER, AND OUR LOBBYIST, SAM WALSETH, HAVE TESTIFIED NUMEROUS TIMES IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS THE SENATE TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA FOR STUDENTS.MSNA CONTINUED TO BE THE ADVOCATES FOR FEEDING MINNESOTA'S CHILDREN AND WORKED TO ENSURE THAT MSNA MEMBERS ARE ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE EXPERTS ON SCHOOL NUTRITION BY ADVOCATING ON CAPITOL HILL AND SPEAKING AT CONFERENCES SUCH AS THE MN SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION AND THE MN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS. MSNA PROVIDED RESOURCES TO OUR MEMBERS TO ASSIST THEM IN PROVIDING INFORMATION ON SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS TO THEIR FAMILIES, STUDENTS, AND SCHOOL BOARDS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND FAQ'SAREA OF FOCUS II: CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTHMSNA CONTINUED OFFERING ONLINE VIRTUAL SESSIONS, WHICH HAVE PROVEN TO BE A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR OUR MEMBERS. IN 2024-2025 INCREASED THE NUMBER OF ONLINE SESSIONS OFFERED. MSNA WAS ABLE TO BRING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF STAFF TO PARTICIPATE IN PLANNING COMMITTEES, STRATEGIC AND AD HOC COMMITTEES WITH A GOAL TO HELP MEMBERS FOR FUTURE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS. OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE ONE HAND-ON SKILL TRAINING FOR FRONTLINE SCHOOL NUTRITION STAFF AT OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN AUGUST 2025. THE MENTOR PROGRAM HAS BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS. WE AIM TO EXPAND IT FURTHER TO ENSURE THAT EVERY MEMBER HAS ACCESS TO GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT FROM SEASONED PROFESSIONALSAREA OF FOCUS III: STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITYWE DEEPENED OUR COLLABORATION WITH OTHER PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE, RESOURCES, AND BEST PRACTICES. THIS NETWORK HELPED US STAY AT THE FOREFRONT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN SCHOOL NUTRITION. MSNA WORKED WITH LEADERS FROM DIRECTOR'S GROUPS AND MN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SHARE MESSAGES IN FORUMS. OUR COMMITMENT EXTENDS TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN OUR NETWORK, FROM FRONTLINE WORKERS TO DIRECTORS, AND FROM LARGE DISTRICTS TO SMALLER ONES. WE VALUE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH MDE, MDA, FARMERS, AND ALL OUR INDUSTRY ALLIES. WE OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO CONVENE AND SHARE SUCCESS, CHALLENGES, AND EXPERTISE TOWARDS BUILDING STRONGER PARTNERSHIPSMSNA HAD ROBUST ATTENDANCE AT THE SNIP (SCHOOL NUTRITION INDUSTRY PARTNERS) CONFERENCE. BREAKOUT SESSIONS ALLOWED DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ADDRESSED SCHOOL NUTRITION CONCERNS IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS. THE COLLABORATION OF BOTH INDUSTRY AND SCHOOL NUTRITION PROFESSIONALS WORKED WITH BOTH NETWORKING AND TEAM-BUILDING EXPERIENCES. MSNA IS BUILDING A NETWORK WITH OUR INDUSTRY MEMBERS AS WELL AS OUR SCHOOL NUTRITION STAFF TO HAVE 1:1 CONNECTION. THE INDUSTRY MEMBERS ARE BRINGING THEIR SKILLS FORWARD TO ASSIST IN KITCHENS AS NEEDED WITH THE SCHOOL NUTRITION MEMBERS. THIS INCLUDES SERVING STUDENTS, OFFERING STUDENTS SAMPLES, AND SHOWING NEW FOODS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED FOR THE K-12 LINE. MSNA HAD NUMEROUS INDUSTRY MEMBERS AT THE LAC 2024 IN WASHINGTON DC. THEY WERE THERE ON BEHALF OF THEIR CONCERN WITH THE USDA STANDARDS CHANGE AND HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THEM AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS. SCHOOL NUTRITIONAL PROFESSIONALS WORK HARD TO MAKE NUTRITIOUS MEALS APPEALING SO STUDENTS CONTINUE TO CONSUME THEM. THAT IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO ACHIEVE IN THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS. MSNA WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT TO ALL 10 OF MINNESOTA'S CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS WITH THE CHANGES.AREA OF FOCUS IV: THRIVING ORGANIZATIONOUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP BY 2% AGAIN IN 2024-2025. WITH INCREASED WEBINAR OFFERINGS, MORE AND VARIED BREAKOUT SESSIONS AT OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE, WE WILL INCREASE THE RESOURCES FOR MEMBERS. WE REACHED OUT TO NON-MEMBER SCHOOLS AND OTHER ENTITIES WITHIN AND AROUND THE SCHOOL NUTRITION PROFESSION TO INVITE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR CONFERENCES AND WEBINARSA PROGRAM WAS SET UP FOR MEMBERS TO ATTEND A CONFERENCE WITH THE HELP OF A SCHOLARSHIP. AN EDUCATION RAFFLE IS DONE AT OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO MAKE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO DO THIS. FOUR MEMBERS WERE AWARDED $500.00 SCHOLARSHIPS. THE CONFERENCES MSNA INCLUDED WERE THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, SNIP (SCHOOL NUTRITION INDUSTRY PARTNER) CONFERENCE, LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE, AND ANC. MEMBERS WERE VERY PLEASED THAT MSNA COULD MAKE THESE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO HELP MAKE IT A REALITY.MSNA IMPLEMENTED A MORE INCLUSIVE PROCESS FOR THE SELECTION OF THE AWARDS. AWARD WINNERS WERE RECOGNIZED WITH AN IN-PERSON PRESENTATION FROM AN MSNA BOARD MEMBER, AN MSNA FACEBOOK PHOTO, AND A PRESS RELEASE THAT WAS WRITTEN UP ABOUT THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE PROFESSIONALISM THEY BRING TO THEIR DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. AWARD WINNERS WERE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED AT THE STATE CONFERENCE WITH A CERTIFICATE AND AN APPLE AWARD.MSNA'S MEMBERSHIP CHAIR, NUTRITION CHAIR, AND EDUCATION CHAIR WORKED TOGETHER AND CONTINUED THE LUNCH HERO CHALLENGE AT THE CONFERENCE LAST YEAR IN AUGUST. THIS GAVE MEMBERS A TEAM-BUILDING EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER COLLEAGUES TO SHOW OFF THEIR SUPERHERO SKILLS AND COMPLETE FOUR "WIN IT" CHALLENGES. THIS CHALLENGE WAS SO WELL-RECEIVED THAT THEY ASKED TO HAVE IT BACK IN AUGUST AT OUR NEXT CONFERENCE.