Neville, school staff enhance food service expertise

Since December 2015, Kelley Neville has been at the helm of Groton Central School’s (GCS) cafeterias as its food service director in both the elementary and junior/senior high school buildings. Every year since, she has brought innovative ideas to enhance school nutrition with the expertise to implement them and the drive to pursue numerous competitive grants to supplement the district’s food service budget.

The first of many grants Neville successfully garnered in 2018, in coordination with Superintendent Margo Martin, resulted from Neville’s interactions with Sue Kittel of the Park Foundation. Kittel wanted to partner with GCS and the Groton community to help promote well-being for children and families through healthy eating and physical activity in a district-wide culture of wellness.

That very generous multi-year “Groton HARVEST” grant through the Park Foundation has been focused on healthy eating both in and outside of school for the entire Groton community ever since, including partnering with the Groton Public Library, Groton Recreation, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County and key leaders from the Park Foundation.

Those involved have also implemented a plan of action for building a community-driven, sustainable nutrition project that improves access throughout Groton to nutritious meals, educational programs and wellness activities for current and future families.

One of the first opportunities through the connection to the Park Foundation that Neville and her entire staff of food service employees had that summer of 2018 was the Coltivare-sponsored Food Service Boot Camp. There, they participated in professional development of basic skills required for preparation and cooking of nutritious meals, using fresh produce wherever possible.

Neville and crew have participated every summer since, along with all Tompkins County school districts’ food service professionals and directors who choose to attend, and the professional development they gain from that experience is quite impressive.

Under the headship of chef Ann Cooper of the Chef Ann Foundation (chefannfoundation.org), Neville and crew attended the 2022 boot camp Aug. 22 through 25. Neville provided some insight into just how extensive that training is.

“Day one was a combination of food service workers and food service directors,” Neville said. “Chef Ann talked about why they do the work they do and explained their mission and vision with the group as well as success stories and obstacles. We talked as a group and what we thought our mission and vision would look like. We then moved on to a marketing and customer service training, where we met as a whole within our district and talked about how we could better our communication and marketing to better our programs. Each district then shared out what they are currently doing and new goals.”

Neville said the whole group moved on from that to a “Successes and Challenges” session, which was a facilitated discussion regarding challenges and how to identify what resources are needed and how important collaboration among team members can be accomplished.

“Next up was how scratch cooking happens in school and how student habits, plates, expectations, as well as how health and achievement outcomes change,” Neville said. “Ann showed us two ingredient lists, one with a processed chicken nugget and one with a chicken drumstick. The difference was 40 ingredients in chicken nuggets to only four ingredients in a homemade chicken drumstick recipe!”

On days two and three of the boot camp, Cooper and her staff visited all the participating schools to tour their kitchens and conduct an assessment of equipment and space.

“They will be giving us reports back on changes that they think will help to start the transformation to mostly scratch cooking,” Neville said.

Neville added that she is looking very forward to receiving those evaluations.

“Day four was an intense, full day with just the food service directors working on strategic planning, menu planning, budgeting and labor management,” Neville said. “And then, we closed that evening with a dinner at Coltivare with board members, business managers, superintendents and directors who could participate from each school.”

Neville said that the ultimate plan and goal is a three-plus-year transformation that will happen within the GCS district and surrounding districts.

“We at GCS are all very committed and excited to start this journey and keep providing our students with the best possible healthy and nutritious foods to help fuel them physically and academically,” Neville said. “We will be bringing Chef’s Corners back in the school buildings, not only for trying new healthy foods but also to try new upcoming menu items. I am waiting to get the assessment back from chef Ann, and after her suggestions, there will be more changes to come!”

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com or text or call Linda at (607) 227-4922.  

In brief: 
 
GOHD art show winners 

The annual art show was another great success during Groton Olde Home Days. There were several categories in which art pieces were entered, but Tom Steger received the award for Best in Show, and Arlen Withey was awarded the People’s Choice.

The first-place winner in the oils and acrylic category was Quentin Bartholomew. Second place was Emily Gibbons, and third place went to Elizabeth Sprout.

In the watercolor category, winners were: first place, Donna Atwood; second place, Karen Atkins; and third place, Sandy Cowan.

The winners in the drawing category were: first place, Marilyn Palmer; second place, Booth Perkins; and third place, Andrew Kress.

There was also a category for senior citizens, and those winners were: first place, Arlen Withey; second place, Denise Knight; and third place, Marian Davie.

Last, but certainly not least, the winners in the student category were: first place, Nattalie Lombardi; second place, Luke McCormick; and third place, Penny LeBlanc.

Kids programs launch this month 

The New Testament Church of Peruville, 1380 Peruville Rd., welcomes children ages 3 through 12 to its Rock Solid Kids Club that will begin Sept. 14 and will be held every Wednesday thereafter from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Call Pastor Ray with any questions at (607) 345-3262.

Groton Assembly of God, 701 S. Main St., will be moving its children’s program, Team Kid, to Tuesday evenings beginning Sept. 13. Children ages 5 through the sixth grade are invited to this fun and interactive program every Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. For more information, call Pastor Sharon Newman at (607) 898-5263 or email sharonnewman@grotonassembly.org.

Groton school taxes   

Homeowners in the town of Groton will soon be receiving their Groton school tax bill, and payment of which should be sent to Groton Central School District, c/o TST BOCES, 555 Warren Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 if paying by mail.

All in-person payments must be made at the Groton office of the First National Bank of Groton during regular business hours. Please bring your entire bill with you and pay with no penalty by Sept. 30. A 2% penalty will be added for payments made thereafter through October 31.

No in-person payments will be accepted at either the Groton Central School offices or TST BOCES. Taxes not paid by Oct. 31 must be returned to the county treasurer for collection.