President’s Message
President Elect’s Message
OFFICERS
OFFICERS
Happy Spring Everyone! It is hard to believe that we are closing in on the end of another school year. I am always amazed at how quickly time passes, but this year was lightning fast. I found myself, as I am sure many of you also found yourselves, scrambling from day to day just trying to get everything done. As I approach the end of what has arguably become my most challenging year, I am reflecting on the good things this school year seemed to bring about. First, in providing meals to students in a virtual mode, I was able to engage with the community like never before. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled across a community Facebook post that centered and focused around my school’s food service department and the food we were preparing and sending out to our students. I originally was a little frightened, expecting and preparing for the worst, but found just the opposite. My next steps were to engage with the page’s administrator and use it as a platform to engage the community in what they would like to see in their school meal programs. The collaboration has been such a positive and welcoming new aspect to my program. Please see pictures below and give it
As I write this article one thing keeps coming to mind, I wish I could meet with everyone in person so I would have a chance to hear what is happening with all of you. I am curious to know how all of you are faring, how your programs are doing, what creative new ideas you have come up with. I can tell you this, the Association is missing everyone but due to the professionalism of the headquarters staff, it is doing great. Jennifer, Alyssa and Ashleigh continue to think outside of the box and push each other to constantly improve on what has already been done. The upcoming year may hold many surprises for us but one thing we can count on is NYSNA offering us plenty of interesting content.
SUSAN BELL President
President Elect
DONNA RIVIELLO
In May we will be having our first NYSNA Virtual Spring Workshop. This will be filled with great speakers and up to date information.
a try. I have learned how parents perceive our meals; how they are using the ingredients to prepare meals at home; created contests with the community to create recipes that are then featured on the menu and prepared for the virtual students, etc. It has been a huge success and I find myself checking the page after each week’s delivery anxiously waiting to see what everyone thinks.
I hope you are enjoying the new digital format of our award winning Fresh Bites magazine. As a bonus we are offering a contest in each issue. Make sure you find “Ashleigh and Alyssa” and get your entries in to win great prizes. We are looking forward to seeing Fresh Bite articles submitted from all of you. We love to see what is happening in your districts and areas. Can you believe the incredible election slate? We are so fortunate to have so many members that are eager to begin their leadership journeys! I am so proud to see members from all over this state becoming involved in NYSNA. Through inclusivity, we will continue to grow as an Association.
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I am so proud to see members from all over the state becoming involved in NYSNA. Through inclusivity, we will continue to grown as an association.
Although this year has looked very different from an Association view, we have still been very busy and active at NYSNA trying to find ways to keep everyone engaged and inspired. I thank the Universe every day that we have such a dynamic staff at headquarters constantly innovating and creating content and material to stay engaged with our members and industry partners. We are so fortunate to have this team of forward thinking, positive individuals. I look forward to working with them in the coming weeks on how we can engage our national leaders to take a stand for Universal Feeding when I attend the National School Nutrition Association’s annual Legislative Conference in its first ever, online platform. I look forward to engaging with our new representatives and showing them just how relevant and important school meals were throughout this pandemic. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy spring. I hope you are all planning your summer meals programs and anxiously awaiting some much-deserved time off. I cannot wait for the day we can all be together again. Until that time, stay healthy and safe.
Please reach out with any questions, concerns or suggestions that you may have.
I hope you enjoy a wonderful Spring!!
- Susan -
- Donna -
SUSAN BELL NYSNA President Susan Bell is the Food Service Director for Wilson Central School District, located in Wilson, NY! She has been in Child Nutrition for 22 years and loves school meals. Sue’s goal is to make the Association inclusive to everyone! NY is full of amazing Child Nutrition personnel and they can always turn to NYSNA for all of their School Nutrition needs.
DONNA RIVIELLO NYSNA President Elect Donna Riviello has been a school Food Service Director for the past 11 years currently employed through Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES and working with the Clyde Savannah and North Rose Wolcott Central School Districts. She has been a NYSNAmember for all of my eleven years and she looks forward to serving this organization for the next two years as the current President Elect and future President.
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FreshBites
SPRING 2021
FreshBites
SPRING 2021
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