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Prior to Tracy taking over, the canteen at Ranfurly Primary
School relied solely on parent voluntary help. Due to organisational
problems and a lack of assistance, the canteen offered a limited
basic menu.
Tracy began working at Ranfurly Primary School as Canteen
Manager in 1999. Through Tracy's hard work and innovative
ideas, many previously experienced problems have been eliminated.
In the 6½ years that Tracy has managed the canteen, she has
constantly promoted a healthy, nutritious diet with students,
parents and staff. She has endeavoured to educate students
in sound eating habits by creating a menu that not only looks
good, but tastes good as well. She has continued to provide
interesting, great tasting, quality meals and at the same
time kept prices to the minimum, thus giving students excellent
value for their money.
Tracy has made herself aware of students with special dietary
requirements and caters for these students' needs with a diet
that makes their mealtime "special".
Teachers are also appreciative of Tracy's efforts in providing
nutritious meals at the "drop of a hat" (just a bit more than
"leftovers"). Tracy is also creative when catering for lunches
on school curriculum and reporting days with a healthy blend
of soups, sandwiches, meat platters and fruit.
Tracy has encouraged a strong band of parent helpers to assist
in the day to day running of the canteen. (In 2005 there were
approximately 55 volunteers on the roster.) Parents come along
because they know they will not be asked to do tasks they
are unable or not confident to do.
Forward planning allows Tracy to plan ahead with rosters
and to cater for those days when the unexpected arises. She
has trained another parent in the daily routine of the canteen
so that when she is unavailable, the canteen can function
fully.
Tracy has undertaken professional development activities
that complement her Professional Development Plan and has
attained her "Food Handlers" certificate. As well as this,
she has completed the "Workplace Discrimination and Sexual
Harassment Online Course".
At a recent in-service for canteen supervisors, Tracy shared
with others the innovative names she has given to many of
the items on the canteen menu. Tracy's ideas proved popular
with other managers in the area and her efforts resulted in
the local media coming to the school and featuring her efforts
on healthy eating in a feature story.
The canteen manager of another school actually contacted
Tracy after the in-service and mentioned that after giving
a "dull" roll a new name, the number of rolls sold through
their canteen increased dramatically.
Tracy is at all times pleasant and obliging and displays
empathy and compassion to all students, especially those students
in need and those students who accidentally forget to place
their lunch orders. She ensures that all students who order
lunch through the canteen receive their order promptly at
lunch time (there are very few "lost" lunches) and makes staff
members aware of any issues that may arise in relation to
students and their canteen habits (excessive spending etc).
The hard work of Tracy and her helpers results in a yearly
contribution to our school library in the vicinity of $5000.
We consider our library to be extremely well resourced and
the efforts of the canteen workers are appreciated by students,
staff and parents.
We are extremely privileged to have Tracy as our school canteen
manager. The students, their parents and the school community
can only benefit from the superb efforts of Tracy and her
dedicated band of helpers. I know Tracy would be a very humble,
yet extremely worthy recipient of this award. We consider
Tracy to be our "Ranfurly Treasure".
- Assistant Principal
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