Tennessee School Nutrition Association

Here we are again, attending our 2008 annual TSNA Conference. This past year has been a year of learning and planning for me on how to better serve TSNA in the role of President for the coming year. Our 2007-2008 TSNA President, Cheryl Cochran, will be a hard act to follow. I feel very blessed to have worked with such fantastic mentors. We are so lucky in Tennessee to have these leaders that have served before us. I am honored to be a part of such a prestigious organization.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome each of you to the Tennessee School Nutrition Conference here in Chattanooga, TN. I am happy that the conference this year is held right here in my hometown. I hope that while you are here in our city you will take the time on your free evening to enjoy the wonderful sites and all the beauty that our city has to offer. During your conference days here, I hope you have the opportunity to reconnect with some of your old friends and make some new ones, too! Networking is a terrific way to share and learn new ideas to take back and implement in your own schools.

Kathie McClanahn, TSNA Vice-President and Conference Chair, has a great line up of speakers and interest sessions which should provide something for everyone. Once again this year, the Exhibit Hall will only be open on Wednesday. Please take the time to thank our Vendors. Their generous support has allowed us to continue to hold these conferences at reasonable rates for everyone. Remember leftover food is donated to a local charity, so enjoy the samples, but don’t take more than you need. Enjoy the fun, fellowship and festivities!

If you know of someone who is not here attending this conference, please be sure to encourage them to plan on attending our next conference in June of 2009 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Gatlinburg is a great city filled with tons of things to do, restaurants for every taste and activities that you can enjoy on your free evening. Also, it is a great opportunity to network with your peers.

This year we are printing the second version of our TSNA Handbook. We hope that you find the handbook a useful tool to use throughout the upcoming year. It has contact information on your Executive Board, website information, scholarship and award deadlines, local chapter president’s, NSLW and NSBW, along with TSNA by-laws, and the three-year Strategic Plan. Please let me know if you have suggestions for the next year handbook that would be of interest to you as a member.

The theme I have chosen for 2008-2009, is On the Road to Good Health. Since the wellness policy has become such an important issue in our schools today, it is only fitting that we should emphasize what an integral role our school nutrition programs play along the road to good health in lives of our students, staff and faculty members. Our programs today are promoting good health, good taste and good fun. This is a role of which we can all be proud.