Central Indiana Educational Service Center (CIESC) address:
Address:
3500 DePauw Blvd. Pyramid Two, Suite 2020 Indianapolis, IN 46268
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Contact: ISNA Professional Development, certificate@indianasna.org, (317)660-2225

* If you are registering for both morning and afternoon courses, lunch will be served at the conclusion of the morning course.
February 2025
12. School Nutrition Policies & Procedures (Virtual)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Understand policies and procedures for which the district is responsible versus the food service department
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Determine which activities need written policies and procedures
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Learn what to include in your standard operating policies
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Learn how often to review and revise written policies and procedures
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Learn how to categorize your policies and procedures
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Create a standard operating policy and procedure template
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Learn the differences between Policy and Standard Operating Procedure and how to create and maintain a system that provides organization, order, and meets audit requirements for the financial, nutritional, and other aspects of the USDA meal program
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Learn what standard operating policies and procedures are available through IDOE
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Reviewing unpaid meals, bad debt, wellness, and social media policies in depth
19. Marketing Your School Nutrition Program (Virtual)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Define marketing basics
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Understand how and when to use products, places, and promotions in the marketing plan
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Recognize a brand image and its importance
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Know how to develop or enhance a brand
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Discern when and how to purchase marketing or design help
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Understand how to adjust the message to each group of stakeholders
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Determine which marketing tools, such as social media, to use depending on the stakeholder group
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Use one or more marketing tools to develop a marketing piece for your program
March 2025
26. Food Production and Operation Management (CIESC) 9:00 a.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Describe how the principles of food production impact food quality
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List the principles of developing and using standardized recipes
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Describe the importance of accurate measurement in food production
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Identify procedures for documenting and evaluating the amount of food planned, prepared, and served
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State the importance of production scheduling to achieve operational goals
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List food quality standards that ensure quality food production
26. Product and Inventory Management (CIESC)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Review stakeholders’ responsibilities and expectations
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Discuss how the menu determines the goods and services that must be competitively procured
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Review basic concepts of inventory management, product movement, and cost management
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Summarize the types of items that are associated with a specific product category
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Create a sample product screening evaluation tool
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Practice writing a mock product specification
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Examine the features of a Child Nutrition Label
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Discuss the importance of accurately forecasting products
April 2025
16. Menu Planning Regulations and Concepts (CIESC) 9:00 a.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Understand what constitutes a Reimbursable School Meal.
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Be able to identify each of the components necessary for a school lunch, breakfast, and snack.
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Understand Offer vs. Serve (OVS) for each meal part.
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Learn tools to evaluate the menu.
16. Human Resource Management (CIESC)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Learn how to develop consequences when an employee breaches policies and procedures.
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Practice writing performance improvement plans, suspensions, and terminations
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Gain an understanding of the most applicable employment laws to the above processes.
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Understand the district’s rights and responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
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Learn how having a union affects standard policies and procedures.
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Develop procedures for dealing with on-the-job injuries and HIPPA concerns.
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Learn about ADA accommodations
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Identify bullying in the workplace
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Understand retaliation
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Develop an understanding of reporting arrests, failing background checks, and drug testing
May 2025
7. Advanced Menu Planning and Production Strategies (CIESC) 9:00 a.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Describe the benefits of using cycle menus
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Describe the benefits of using locally-produced and USDA Foods
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State factors to consider when planning menus
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Determine a food cost goal for breakfast and lunch menus
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Calculate menu costs
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Describe the benefits of including students in the menu planning process
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Identify ways to communicate and market the menu to students and other stakeholders
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Identify places to obtain menu ideas and recipes
7. Facilities Planning & Management (CIESC)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Review foundations of kitchen asset management
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Determine inventory requirements
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Develop preventative maintenance schedules
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Manage service and warranty issues and contracts
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Create replacement plans for major assets
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Organize kitchen closings, openings, and remodels
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Dispose of assets and sell old and discarded assets
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Plan an opening or remodeling of a space
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Learn about current design trends that maximize efficiency
August 2025
27.
Creating and Implementing Your HACCP Plan (Virtual)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Understand what constitutes a Process Approach HACCP Plan.
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Learn the requirements for a School Food Safety Plan.
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Understand each of the basic steps in a School Food Safety Plan.
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Learn to write a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
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Understand which food safety records need to be kept and for how long.
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When to review and revise your School Food Safety Plan.
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Understand the tools available to train your staff on your School Food Safety Plan.
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Learn how to respond to a complaint of a foodborne illness.
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Develop policies for staff reporting illnesses.
October 2024
September 2025
10. Planning for the Next Crisis - Keeping Your Staff & Space Safe (Virtual)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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How to effectively deal with Food Quality and Safety situations
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Customer questions on quality and safety of the food
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Food recalls – processes and responsibilities
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Understand and prepare for school safety and security situations
- Lockdowns
- Fire drills
- Tornado drills -
Access to the kitchen and the equipment
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Is your cafeteria designed with school safety in mind?
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Understand how to develop a plan for when the utilities fail
Communicating with the public and parents for each type of emergency. -
Determining the best way to communicate (ie social media, robocalls, texts, print)
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Know ahead of time your district’s communication policies and how to make sure your department is covered.
24. School Nutrition Program Expense Basics (CIESC)
9:00 a.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Explain school corporation expense funds related to school nutrition
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Analyze and interpret expenses for program evaluation and improvement
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Understand how indirect costs are calculated and applied to school nutrition accounts
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Calculate and apply expense-related benchmarks and KPIs used in the school nutrition industry
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Describe strategies for controlling food and labor costs
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Explain the difference between variable and fixed costs
24. School Nutrition Program Revenue Basics (CIESC)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Explain school corporation revenue and liability (8400) funds related to school nutrition
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Reconcile school nutrition liability (8400) fund
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Analyze and interpret revenue for program evaluation and improvement
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Calculate and apply revenue-related benchmarks and KPIs used in the school nutrition industry
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Describe strategies for increasing revenue
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Calculate Paid Equity Lunch
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Calculate non-program revenue
April 2025
March 2025
October 2025
8.
Program Accountability and Ethics (Virtual)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Explore the topic of accountability and define it in terms of best practices for a school nutrition department
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Understand ethics and the role it plays in school foodservice.
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Understand nepotism and how it can impact the foodservice program.
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Gain an overview level understanding of laws that pertain to privacy of information, including:
- Freedom of Information Act. (what information is required to be shared and how to work within the district’s procedures when sharing);
- Indiana Open Door Law
- FERPA and how it is relevant -
Gain an understanding of how to prevent and manage fraudulent activity, such as:
- Definition of common types of fraudulent activity (i.e. ghost employment, bid collusion, bogus billing, falsification of public records, work-related personal injury claims, monetary or other theft)
- Identify how to spot behavior or practices that may be indicators of fraudulent activity
- Know the steps required to investigate suspected fraud
- Understand the legal duty and appropriate steps to pursue individuals suspected of fraudulent activities
- Know the steps required to develop policies, practices, and procedures to reduce or eliminate fraud
May 2025
May 2025
November 2025
5.
Procurement - Beyond the Basics
(Annual Conference)
9:00 a.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Identify major Federal and NSLP procurement regulations
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Identify the four methods of procurement
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Identify required contract provisions and when they apply
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Define and adhere to the “Buy American” clause in procurement
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Define and adhere to regulations regarding “geographic preferences”
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Discuss Standards of Conduct and various ethical scenarios
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Develop solicitation documents appropriate for the different methods of procurement
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List the types of documents that are required to demonstrate that procurement conforms to Federal, State, and Local regulations
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Develop evaluation tools for Request for Proposals (RFPs) and Quotes (RFQ)
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Discuss group purchasing organizations (GPOs) – advantages, disadvantages, and responsibilities as a member
December 2025
3.
Financial Planning and Reporting (Virtual)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Explain State Board of Accounts requirements for School Nutrition Programs
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Analyze and interpret basic school nutrition financial reports
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Develop short and long-term financial goals
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Develop an annual budget
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Complete an IDOE Annual Financial Report
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Communicate financial information to stakeholders
10.
Visionary Leadership (Virtual)
12:30 p.m. EST
Course Objectives:
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Understand leadership styles and the strengths and weaknesses of each.
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Learn how to develop your employees’ leadership skills.
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Learn how leadership style influences an organization’s culture.
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Learn how to communicate and delegate to build a positive working environment.
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Learn strategies in order to handle difficult employees.
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Gain an understanding of how ethics play a role in being a good leader and decision-maker.
