FuelCast

Are school meals safe and accessible for students with food allergies and intolerances? FuelCast Season 3 is all about fact or fiction! We're here to set the record straight on some of the school nutrition industry's biggest myths. In this month's ALL NEW episode, Georgia School Nutrition Compliance Specialist Lydia Martin joins us to discuss the differences between food allergies, int...

Are school meals safe? FuelCast Season 3 is all about fact or fiction! We're here to set the record straight on some of the school nutrition industry's biggest myths. In this month's ALL NEW episode, Georgia School Nutrition Food Safety Specialist Dr. Ellen Steinberg joins us to discuss the fact that school meals are safe and school nutrition professionals follow numerous food safety r...

In this special edition episode of FuelCast, we are recording live from the GaDOE School Nutrition Division's Director's Conference 2023. Culinary Specialists Chef Michael DuBose, Chef John Huff, and Chef Rachel Petraglia, along with Food Distribution and Procurement Manager Holly Thaw, sat down with our team to discuss the work being done to build a K-12 Culinary Culture in local Georgia...

Are school meals for all? FuelCast Season 3 is all about fact or fiction! We're here to set the record straight on some of the school nutrition industry's biggest myths. In this month's ALL NEW episode, Georgia School Nutrition Compliance Specialist Trae Cown joins us to discuss the idea that school meals are for all students regardless of grade level, income, or dietary restrictions.

In the season 2 finale episode of FuelCast, we are joined by Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods who shares tremendous insight on the importance of school nutrition and food-based learning to the overall educational experience. He follows this with his sincere thanks for the thousands of men and women who work every day to fuel Georgia's future. This engaging interview sheds a ne...

In this all new FuelCast episode, Dublin City School's Nutrition Director Pamela Jones chimes in on the benefits she has witnessed in her school district resulting from a heightened focus on food-based learning. She provides upbeat anecdotes and actionable tips and tricks on how to take school nutrition out of the cafeteria and into the academic school day. You won't want to miss this shin...

April is Autism Acceptance Month. In this month’s NEW FuelCast episode, we are excited to discuss a new career partnership coming to local Georgia school nutrition programs.

In this month’s NEW FuelCast episode, we sit down with Muscogee County parent Rebekah to discuss how eating school meals helped lead to the discovery of her son's eventual Autism diagnosis and why, in her opinion, eating school meals continues to be critical to his social and emotional learning.

In her three years as Thomas County School Nutrition Director and Wellness Coordinator, Dr. Lauren Duplantis has prioritized innovation and growth. In this month’s NEW FuelCast episode, Lauren shares the unique background that led her to school nutrition and how that helps shape her viewpoint and program. #FuelingGA #LoveWhatYouDo

Whitfield County School Nutrition has won Georgia Tray of the Week an incredible seven times, more than any other school district in contest history, mostly thanks to their impressive and wide reaching marketing and promotion. In this all new FuelCast episode, Whitfield School Nutrition Director Angie Brown explains her marketing strategy and the power she sees in program promotion.

Listeners will be blown away by the energy and wisdom of Halle and Walker Barrett, Hall County students, and winners of the 2022 Southeast Regional Junior Chef Competition.  Find out how the sibling duo got involved in the student chef competition, the benefits they have seen from participating and the advice they have for other students looking to do the same. 

After a more than 30 year stretch in the classroom, Penny Reynolds was simply not done connecting students with their passion for the Culinary Arts.  Her 2016 retirement from the Carson City School District in Nevada made way for a new chapter on her journey, as she transitioned to Georgia to serve as Culinary Arts Instructor at Putnam County High School .   Five years later, R...

October is National Farm to School Month!  What is farm to school and how does it impact Georgia students? In this FuelCast episode, we are joined by Holly Thaw, Georgia Department of Education Farm to School Specialist, to explain just how important farm to school programs are in Georgia schools. Nicole Trunk, school nutrition director in Barrow County Schools, follows Holly with a real worl...

FuelCast season 2 is all about partnership and collaboration!  One of the most critical partnerships in school nutrition is that of school nutrition professionals and local parents. In this episode, Laurie Luckie, Carrollton City Schools parent and member of the Georgia Parent's Advisory Council and Carrollton City Schools Governance Council, discusses why she is a strong advocate of school n...

What do a school nutrition director and a head football coach have in common? It might be more than you think.  In this FuelCast episode, Christina Nichols, School Nutrition Director of Cartersville City Schools, and Coach Conor Foster, Head Coach of the Cartersville High School Football Team, discuss the ways collaboration is at the center of each of their respective programs. Through fun an...

Partnership is at the heart of a school nutrition program. That's why Danielle Freeman, Executive Director of School Nutrition in Douglas County Schools, is so grateful for the positive relationship she has build with her district's administration, lead by Superintendent Trent North. In this FuelCast episode, Danielle and Superintendent North discuss where their passion for school nutrition stems...

In this FuelCast Special Edition Episode, Dr. Linette Dodson, State Director of the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Program, and Dr. Ken Banter, Georgia Department of Education Senior Title I Program Manager, speak to the tremendous benefits students, families, and school districts can receive from filling out the Free & Reduced Meal Application. 

In this FuelCast Special Edition Episode, Dr. Linette Dodson, State Director of the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Program, and Dr. Ken Banter, Georgia Department of Education Senior Title I Program Manager, speak to the tremendous benefits students, families, and school districts can receive from filling out the Free & Reduced Meal Application. This content focused version i...

"Training is important. Not just for the skill level, but to make sure the mind, the spirit, and the morals are...ready to thrive, ready to be mobile, ready to move forward." This is the philosophy Chef James Jabbarr, Culinary Trainer for Clayton County Schools, lives by every day. He has made it his mission to inspire others and show them that if he can do it, they can too.  In this episode,...

Emily Hanlin, Director of School Nutrition in Cobb County Schools, has become known to her staff as the CJO: Chief Joy Officer. Each day she leads her team to create a positive culture while they execute Cobb County School Nutrition's mission of Fueling Student Success. In this episode, Emily shares how she found her way from healthcare to school nutrition, how the pandemic has changed public perc...

Tina Farmer, Director of School Nutrition at Cherokee County Schools, is a collaborator at heart. In this episode, Tina shares the dynamic ways she collaborates with local organizations, district administration, parents, and even her own children to run an award-winning school nutrition program. At the heart of it all is her dedication to servant leadership and determination to make sure all...

When Trae Cown set plans in motion to become a Registered Dietitian, he forecasted a long and rewarding career in the clinical field. However, exposure to both clinical and school nutrition work as part of his studies caused a shift in center – and the allure of serving children seemed irresistible. He started off as a School Nutrition Coordinator, working on areas such as menu planning, recipe de...

Shanté Williams , Food Distribution Specialist on our State Agency team has seen the proverbial stars align as she brings her passion for service to the School Nutrition career she now calls home. Equipped with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and a master’s in public health, she has demonstrated both skill and tenacity as she juggles several priorities for our team. These include coordinating the...

Dr. Linette Dodson , Georgia’s State Director of School Nutrition, from a vantage point like never before!  From walking down memory lane to the times she ate homemade mac and cheese in the school cafeteria, to recounting her entry into the world of School Nutrition, Dr. Dodson chronicles, in her calm and affable style, a fortuitous route to what she calls the ‘best job in the whole state’. S...

Former soccer player and clinical dietician Holly Thaw, RDN, LD , took the scenic route to her beloved home in School Nutrition. She now serves proudly as the Georgia School Nutrition Farm-to-School Specialist, who you’ll remember especially for the scrumptious Harvest-of-the-Month inspired recipes in our Harvest with Holly series. Holly talks to us from a whole new view, sharing on the heart and...