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"Sharyn Ratten took over the management of the school
canteen at the start of 2007. She is passionate about food
and cooking and has been contributing recipes and healthy
eating suggestions to the school newsletter since the start
of 2006. Sharyn had many, many ideas for improvement of the
canteen built on the previous changes implemented and combined
with her passion for fresh food and the joy of preparing and
eating good food. She has lived and breathed the canteen all
this year and in fact has a notebook by her bed to ensure
all the great ideas she has are not lost!
The first area she tackled was to put the focus squarely
on fresh and healthy food. The menu was redone, eliminating
many processed foods and adding freshly made pizzas, wraps,
salads, fresh fruit and freshly baked museli slices, muffins
and apricot balls for occasional treats. A group of parents
have weekly baking sessions in the canteen to keep up the
supply of baked treats and fresh food is purchased for salads
and wraps. At the start of the year Sharyn identified which
vegetables and herbs she wanted planted in the school vegetable
garden which has led to another avenue of fresh food. The
menu has proven to be extremely popular, the pizzas are an
outstanding hit with all children and the size of the queues
at recess and lunch attest to the success of the menu.
As well as improving the menu, Sharyn has focused on making
the working environment as efficient as possible with the
addition of a new oven, the removal of old benches and partitions
and the repositioning of appliances which has created a more
streamlined and aesthetic workspace. She has also ensured
that the presentation of the area is welcoming with displays
of flowers and fruit and the provision of freshly brewed coffee
for parent helpers. One of her goals has been to make both
the canteen interior and exterior as welcoming as possible
for both the parent volunteers and the students. Food is displayed
as attractively on the new benches, a rustic sign indicates
Snack Shack and an artistic blackboard has specials information
on it. Sharyn has plans for outdoor seating to complete the
environment.
Sharyn has worked tirelessly with the parent volunteers and
her team of like minded parents to ensure that the food provided
in the canteen is healthy and fresh and links seamlessly with
the school's emphasis on a healthy and active life. She has
activated the parents to support the changes to the interior
of the canteen through mini working bees and her passion for
the canteen. She also supports the year six students who work
in the canteen and involves them in discussions on the menu
and baking sessions.
Sharyn is to be commended on her tireless work and commitment
to creating such a wonderful canteen environment in such a
short timeframe. When you pass by the canteen, the aroma of
the coffee and the view of the food on display and happy parents
is inviting and a credit to Sharyn's work. Although she is
paid, she spends triple the time she is renumerated working
to create this special canteen and is a very worthy recipient."
- Georgina Daniel, Principal
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