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National SchoolLunch WeekOctober 12–16, 2015

Tools and Resources for SNA Members

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Provo School District (UT) Birmingham Public Schools (MI)Cleveland City Schools (OH)

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Table of Contents“School Lunch Snapshot” Kickoff ......................................................... 3

NSLW + NLSP ......................................................................................... 4

Start a Movement: Five Tips for Success ............................................. 5

Celebration Ideas ................................................................................. 6

Make Over Your Menus ....................................................................... 8

Looking Your Best .................................................................................. 9

Lunch with Your Legislators................................................................. 11

Promote Your Program .......................................................................12

Resources .............................................................................................13

Bradley County Schools (TN)

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Get ready to make your NSLW celebration picture-perfect!

National School Lunch Week (NSLW) is October 12-16, 2015. The School Nutrition Association (SNA) provides plenty of downloadable tools and resources to promote NSLW.

“School Lunch Snapshot” is the celebration theme for NSLW 2015. SNA members nationwide will be taking and sharing photos of today’s school lunch – and using the hashtag #NSLW!

The “School Lunch Snapshot” theme invites you to partake in any NSLW celebration you’d like…including inviting guests to the cafeteria, decorating, or featuring activities and prizes for kids.

Make sure to take some great photos of your promotions and share your photo stories via different online channels.

80% of SNA members that participate in NSLW see increase in their program participation*. When you participate in NSLW 2015 you’ll also be able to promote your program and increase community awareness of all the benefits of a healthy school lunch.

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Kickoff

*Source: SNA 2013 NSLW Survey

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NSLW + NSLP

“School Lunch Snapshot” Campaign Goals

Help SNA members promote their healthy menus and increase lunch participation;

Expand school nutrition programs’ online marketing reach via social media, blogs, newsletters, and more

Garner increased awareness of the importance of school meals, and the role of school nutrition professionals with key stakeholders like parents, administrators, and the media.

Created in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, it’s a celebratory week of events and activities promoting the benefits of the National School Lunch Program (NLSP).

The NSLP began in 1946 and is the largest of the federal child nutrition programs.

In 180 school days, approximately 30 million children are served healthy meals per day!

What is NSLW?

Remember! NSLW is officially scheduled the second full week in October (by an act of Congress). However, if you can’t participate the week of October 12-16, because of holidays, teacher work days, or other conflicts, you are still encouraged to recognize NSLW—just choose a different week!

95% of U.S. elementary and secondary school students are enrolled in schools that participate in the NSLP.

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Start a Movement: 5 Tips for Success

Get students involved. Whether it’s an art contest or a survey about their favorite

menu items, find ways to involve students and make them feel like they’re part of

the celebration.

Communicate with Parents.

Download the parent/student backpack brochure to inform

parents about your promotion. Send it home with your menus so parents know it’s a special

week in the cafeteria.

Get the word out! SNA provides resources,

templates, and tip sheets for getting your 2015 celebration

recognized by the school district, the community, and even local media. You can

download tools to make life easier. Don’t forget to capitalize

on “School Lunch Snapshot” by posting your best pics to

social media.

Share your celebration.

After NSLW is over, send your celebration photos

and stories to SNA—your promotion may be featured in

School Nutrition magazine or on the SNA Facebook page. Email your pictures and a brief summary of your promotion to

snmagazine@schoolnutrition.org or send us a direct message

on Facebook.

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Decorate. NSLW 2015 posters, t-shirts, balloons, and more are all

available at SNA’s Emporium. Don’t forget to embrace the

“School Lunch Snapshot” campaign with giveaways for kids like pencils and buttons.

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Add the official NSLW web banners to your web page. Download these from the member resource website (www.schoolnutrition.org/nslw).

Post photos of your NSLW lunch trays to your nutrition program’s Facebook page or your school’s Facebook page. You can also share photos of special guests that came to visit during lunch or parents coming to visit. Call the district’s communications office and ask who is in charge of posting social media content—they may be able to help you. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #NSLW or #SchoolLunchSnapshot

In captions of your NSLW tray photos, point out the healthy components that will appeal to moms– fresh fruit, veggies, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free milk!

Take plenty of photos of students enjoying lunch during NSLW. You can also take photos of you and your staff celebrating and send them to the SNA Facebook page! Just remember to get media release forms signed first, or check your school’s policy. Your school district probably has a template already created that you can use.

Add the official NSLW cover photo/profile picture to your program’s Facebook page to help spread the word. It’s available for download on the NSLW 2015 website.

Celebration Ideas

Share it on Social Media!“School Lunch Snapshot” is all about social sharing! Plus, don’t forget that 80% of moms with school-age children are using Facebook*. Social media sites are great platforms to reach parents—and even older students! Consider some of these ideas to promote your NSLW celebration online:

*Source: Arbitron and Edison Research

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The April 2015 issue of School Nutrition magazine features other tips to make the most of the “School Lunch Snapshot” campaign!

Check out the digital issue at http://www.schoolnutrition.org/snmagazine.

Rally Some Support To make the most of NSLW, consider some of these ideas to engage students, parents, and school faculty. You could:

Ask parents, teachers, or other school staff to volunteer in the cafeteria and take photos during lunch.

Liven Up the Lunch Line Ask members of your staff if they’d be interested in dressing up special outfits during NSLW – maybe they’d be willing to all wear “School Lunch Snapshot” t-shirts or aprons.

Invite special guest servers to work on the line at lunch – your school principal, coaches, or teachers may want to help! Remember to take and share photos of your special guests.

Add posters and flyers to the lunch lines

Menu Rename some of your typical menu staples to reflect the theme. For example – “Say Cheese” Quesadillas, Picture-Perfect Pasta Bake, Selfie Salad Bowls, etc.

Add the official NSLW 2015 logos and artwork to your menus. The art represents all of the healthy components of a school lunch. Download the files for free from the NSLW website.

Add fun trivia facts about school lunches and healthy eating to your menus.

Decorations “School Lunch Snapshot”—themed balloons, posters and more are available for purchase at SNA’s Emporium. Visit http://emporium.schoolnutrition.org to shop online!

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Make Over Your Menus

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Don’t forget to promote NSLW and “School Lunch Snapshot” on your menus. Below is some sample text to include on your menus that you can tailor to highlight any special recipes you are serving. You can also include the “School Lunch Snapshot” logos, which are available to download at www.schoolnutrition.org/nslw.

School Lunch Snapshot Smile! It’s lunchtime. This week is National School Lunch Week and to celebrate, we are featuring a grilled chicken breast sandwich, carrots, fresh fruit, and milk!

National School Lunch Week: October 12-16, 2015

National School Lunch Week: October 12-16, 2015

School Lunch Snapshot Say cheese! This week is National School Lunch Week and we are celebrating “School Lunch Snapshot.” Today’s menu includes cheese quesadillas with a whole-grain tortilla, baby carrots, apples, and milk!

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Looking Your Best

#1 Ace the basics. Is the subject in focus? Centered? Whether it’s a lunch tray, a shot of the line, or your staff members’ smiling faces, make sure you take the time to capture a quality snap.

#2 Crop, don’t zoom. This can make your image look grainy or pixilated. Crop your photos instead of using your phone’s zoom whenever possible.

#3 Love the right light. Good lighting can make food look more appetizing and faces more cheerful. Try to take photos in the most natural light possible—near a window. Avoid low-lighting or harsh, florescent lights.

Before you start snapping and sharing pictures, take a moment to consider—what makes a great photo? You’re trying to put your best foot forward and showcase a positive picture of what school lunch looks like today. Check out the ten tips below for posting the best, most flattering photos!

#4 Play it Safe. Don’t forget—anytime you’re posting photos of people (especially kids—we can’t stress this enough!) don’t forget to make sure they are released. Your district may have the right files, or you might need to get release forms signed and created on your own.

#5 Crave some Color. Colorful photos really pop—make sure you load your tray up with colorful fruits and veggies! Taking your photo on a one-color tray (blue or green are great) with no distracting pattern will brighten the picture up.

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Anne Arundel County Schools, MD

Poudre School District, CO

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#6 Pick Less Packaging. If you’ve got any packaged products (crackers, grahams, fruit cup, etc.) take them out of the wrapper before placing them on the tray. If possible, feature your lunch on a re-usable tray as opposed to a disposable one, too.

#7 Capitalize on the Caption. The caption is essential for conveying what’s going on in your picture. For example, parents may not realize that the wrap is whole grain or that the pizza sauce is low-sodium, or that the pear is local. Use the caption to convey these key facts. And if you’re snapping a pic of people, keep your caption lighthearted and fun.

#8 Make it Share-able. NSLW is a time to have some fun. Social media is a platform to communicate and spread the word – but have a good time too. Remember that photos that get shared and have a ‘viral’ effect embrace the human moments – smiles, hugs, humor, and connections.

#9 Go with your Gut. Do you have a photo you think would draw a lot of ‘likes’, but you’re not sure it’s professional, appropriate, or flattering? If your instinct is telling you no, remember: better safe than sorry—don’t post it!

#10 Mix it Up. Try to post a variety of photos during NSLW of your lunch trays, fresh foods on the lines, your staff, students, and cafeteria celebrations.

Jefferson County School District, KY Bemidjii Schools, MN

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Lunch With Your Legislators

Tip #1 Identify your representatives to invite. A full list of state and federal representatives is available on the SNA website. Their contact information is included in SNA’s Legislative Action Center. All you need is your zip code.

Tip #2 Know who to talk to. When you contact the office of your Member of Congress, ask to speak with the aide who handles child nutrition programs. Tell the aide you would like to invite the Member to be your guest at your school when he/she is visiting the congressional district.

Tip #3 Make your case. You’ll need to come up with compelling reasons for your representative to attend. Think about how it benefits him or her. Visiting the lunchroom is a great opportunity for your representative to see a federal program in action, foster good-will in the community, garner positive media coverage, etc.

Tip #5 Know the power of the staff. If your represen-tative is unavailable, invite the aide in charge of child nutrition programs or the district office director instead. Members of Congress rely on their staff to advise them on policy and the latest news from the district.

Tip #6 Get the word out. Inviting a public figure to lunch is a great way to give your NSLW celebration a news- worthy element! Reach out to local media outlets and invite them to cover the event (check with your school district’s communications office first). You can send them a press release that has all the details in one place. If reporters can’t attend, send them your photos and details for coverage after the fact. Share photos in your school’s newsletter, website, and social media pages too!

Tip #7 Be organized. Alert your principal or school’s front office that there will be a special guest arriving at the school. Do a run-through the day before, and make sure the menu reflects the healthy options you serve every day. Be prepared to answer questions or provide additional information with your representative.

Tip #4 Respect their time. Extend the invitation well in advance of NSLW. Plan a specific agenda for his or her lunchtime visit. You’ll have a very limited amount of time with your member, so use it wisely.

Tip #10 Stay in touch! Socialize with them! Is your representative on Facebook or Twitter? Be sure to tag them in your posts and photos. Your posts will be more likely to be shared or re-tweeted, expanding your reach.

Tip #9 Make it a Kodak moment. Take photos and videos of your representative with students (check your school’s consent policy first). Also ask your representative for a quote or two to include in a press release.

Give your NSLW celebration political punch by inviting a state or federal representative to enjoy a meal with students. It’s a great way to get some attention from the community, build relationships with influencers, and get on the media’s radar.

10 Tips for Success

Tip #8 Make your guest feel special. Have a “welcoming committee” meet the representative at the front of the school. Make sure you have information and materials specific to your school on hand at the time of the site visit. Conduct a cafeteria tour with your guest and enjoy a school lunch with the children.

Below you’ll find a quick tip sheet for getting representatives into your cafeteria, as well as other resources to help you connect with your representative.

There’s more information about state and national-

level legislative outreach online at

www.schoolnutrition.org/legislation.

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Promote Your Program: Reach Press & Parents

Below you’ll find some tips to help you reach out to your local media outlets about NSLW:

Add information about your school and your planned NSLW activities to the downloadable news release.

Print the sample release on your own letter-head and list yourself as the contact. Send it to your media contacts at least a week prior to NSLW.

If you want to contact local media about your NSLW celebration but are short on resources or time, consider reaching out to your school district’s communications office. They may be able to support you with sending out a press release.

Ask local dietitians, pediatricians, teachers, parents, and students how they view the school lunch program, and, with permission, use their comments in the release.

Get others involved! Speak to teachers, admin-istrators, parents, and others to gather support for your NSLW celebration.

Publicize NSLW on the back of your school menus, in school newspapers, and on your website.

Copy and distribute the NSLW 2015 backpack brochure and activity sheets to students.

Are you ready to reach out to the media? Here’s a quick checklist:

Before you get a reporter on the phone or email a local blogger, make sure you have all your prep work done!

3 I’ve researched a few local reporters and news producers to know what topics they cover and I’ve read a few of their recent stories

3 I have a student, parent, and school nutrition professional all available to speak with interested media (remember, when pitching your story to local media, you need more than one perspective to share)

3 I have photos and video content available from my NSLW 2015 celebration to share with the media

3 All children should have a media release signed by their parents. Your school district probably already has a media release template.

3 I have background information, statistics, and studies on hand to share with the press if they want more information about NSLW 2015 and my school district’s program.

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“School Lunch Snapshot” Resources

SNA has plenty of tools and templates to make your NSLW celebration a success. Check out the resources available on the website at www.schoolnutrition.org/nslw. You’ll find downloadable tools to make your life easier. These include:

Artwork and logos: You can use the official NSLW images and logos for all of your materials, including activity sheets, menus, signs, newsletters, and more.

Backpack Brochure: This is a fun, take-home activity for children to get them excited for NSLW. There’s also information for parents about the healthy meals you’re serving.

Games and Activities: Just for students, you’ll find coloring sheets, word-searches, crossword puzzles, brainteasers, matching games, and more.

Presentations: On the NSLW website, you’ll find pre-developed PowerPoint presentations that you can use to stress the importance of NSLW to all types of audiences, including: administrators, parents, teachers, staff, children, etc.

Merchandise: Check out http://emporium.schoolnutrition.org for official NSLW merchandise like t-shirts, aprons, posters, balloons, buttons, and more.

Templates: Why re-invent the wheel? Download SNA’s sample press release and official proclamation template. Just plug in your information and send it to your local media contacts.

Sweepstakes: Want to win 700+ NSLW stickers for your students? Tell us about your celebration plans and you’ll automatically be entered to win.

Facebook tips: Download tips for sharing your celebration on Facebook, as well as customizable posts you can use.

Web banners: Download the NSLW web banners and add them to your school district website!

www.schoolnutrition.org/NSLW