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"With a change of management in April 2006 and the help
of staff, students and volunteers, the canteen was transformed
from an "out of the window" shop to a fully involved, responsive
and holistic canteen, not only giving students a wide variety
of food to choose from, but a sense of ownership and belonging.
Morning tea consists of a variety of sandwiches on multi-grain,
wholemeal and white bread; salad wraps; cheese and bacon rolls;
toasted half wraps - eg sweet chilli chicken, jaffles and
toasted sandwiches, as well as a daily special eg rice, pasta
or casserole type dishes and soup (all home made).
Because Euroa Secondary College is a regional school, a large
number of our students leave home having had breakfast at
a very early hour or not at all. Morning tea has been made
substantial with all options available to encourage better
eating habits. The canteen is open before and after school
for bus travellers to purchase food.
A free fruit bowl is very popular, with approximately 25
kg of fruit eaten per day. Students need no encouragement
to have an apple with their meals.
Lunch is along similar lines but on an upsize scale, eg full
wraps available instead of half wraps. Very soon a 99% [fruit
juice] slushy machine will be installed - students can't wait!!
Lollies and chips are greatly reduced and only served for
the last 20 minutes of lunch and will be eventually phased
out over 2008. Other options will be available to choose from,
eg popcorn, diet jellies and fruit, fat free low sugar dairy
snacks, corn cobs, dips and fruit and vegie boxes and fruit
salad.
Students are welcome in the canteen and many contribute in
a volunteer capacity in the daily running - doing till, stocking
cupboards and cleaning. All rosters, typing of menus and designs
are done by the students, giving many real life skills to
take forward, and in fact several have gained part time employment
from their work experiences in the canteen. The students are
fully involved with menus and choices. Some even bring favourite
recipes from home. A sense of pride, responsibility and co-operation
has been established with the students "stepping in" and serving
until the rostered student volunteers arrive, to ensure smooth
running of recess and lunchtime. The canteen also offers students
the opportunity to be active contributors to the school community.
The canteen could not run without the students; they are an
important part of the team.
All school catering is now done via the canteen, earning
an important extra income to help offset the healthy meals
which are now "down priced".
Free taste testing and promotional products are an important
part of introducing new menu items. It is also fun.
Securing produce from reliable local suppliers is also an
important improvement, as it ensures that the best quality,
in-season fruit and vegetables are available. Fresh bread
and bread rolls are supplied daily from the local bakery.
A good relationship has been built up with suppliers who take
special orders.
Although the Canteen Manager position is a sole one, it is
by far a team effort, showing support from the College, the
School Services Officers and the Business Manager in handling
the till money at recess and lunchtime. Teaching staff also
assist with crowd control.
Parent volunteers are also encouraged to have input, and
several good food and display ideas have come via parents,
and with the building up of volunteers, more innovative food
can be presented.
Care is taken with food presentation making sure it not
only looks good, but that the healthier options are more prominently
displayed. Students are also encouraged to bring food from
home and use the canteen to prepare or heat, eg one young
lady slices up a home grown tomato for her sandwich.
All food differences are catered for, eg vegetarians, and
the students know that it's never too much trouble to ask
for, eg, "a sandwich without butter" or to get something special
made up.
Looking toward the future, the canteen can only grow, with
the eating area being made more student friendly with students'
art works on show, and an information pamphlet stand. An ever
expanding and diverse range of new foods and ideas will also
be introduced, eg Meal deals - salad roll, fruit salad/dip
and bottle of water - usual price $6, meal deal $5.
Healthy food choices and eating habits can be learnt and
sustained.
In closing I would like to think that the canteen is not
just about Healthy Food and eating, but about belonging and
participating, growing in confidence and interaction with
the whole school community."
- Dianne Mackrell, Canteen Manager
"New canteen facilities were opened in 2006. The canteen
menu has changed from predominantly junk foods to healthy
foods and beverages. Fruit is supplied to students free of
charge. Junk food items have virtually been eliminated.
The patronage of the canteen amongst students and staff has
soared. Students volunteer their time to assist with the serving
of items. The change of menu has been carefully and skilfully
introduced. The quality and quantity of meals is first class.
The canteen manager makes most lunches on site.
The canteen staff also makes the time and effort to provide
meals on special occasions, eg final get together for Year
12 is a typical example....
We think that our canteen is an ideal nominee for the Most
Improved Secondary School Canteen of the Year award."
- excerpt from letter of support from Michael Bell, Principal
"A complete new range of healthy, nutritional and affordable
food items has resulted in students voting 'with their feet'
in support of the canteen service. The huge variety in food
choices and daily changes to the 'specials' board has certainly
proved to be very popular with the student population....
As an Assistant Principal, many of my welfare concerns relate
to student behaviour and safety, in particular at lunch time
and recess. The high quality food and friendly service provided
by Di and her assistants has led to far less numbers of students
leaving the school grounds during these breaks... The discipline
issues associated with these safety concerns have been greatly
diminished as a result of the quality of the canteen service
available to students.
The healthier choices now available have also resulted in
students becoming more settled following breaks and we no
longer have to contend with students consuming large quantities
of sugar through large uncontrolled purchases of lollies and
soft drink.
The College canteen is now a very positive aspect of the
educational experience available to families associated with
Euroa Secondary College and is genuinely used in conversations
to promote the positive aspects of our school."
- excerpt from letter of support from Phil Squire, Assistant
Principal
"Turnover at the Canteen has increased from $60,000
pa to $95,000 pa and the real benefit of this is not the financial
increase. It is the fact that students are utilising the canteen
facilities to purchase high quality healthy food and no longer
wander up the street to the local Caltex for Dim Sims and
Chips."
- excerpt from letter of support from Greg Blatchford,
Business Manager
"With the opening of a new canteen, a fresh approach
to the preparation and service of foods was needed. A canteen
committee was formed and a Canteen Policy developed and implemented.
This policy reflected the need to serve nutritious foods at
reasonable prices.
Extensive consultation with parents, students and staff was
undertaken... after reviewing their responses and the Department
of Education Guidelines for School Canteens, a varying and
nutritious menu has been developed."
- excerpt from letter of support from Kairen Patterson,
Canteen Committee Member
"Working in the canteen has given me skills for life,
working the till, serving people food, preparing rolls, wraps
and sandwiches for lunch.
Di has turned our canteen into a place people like to be."
- excerpt from letter of support from Jacqui Fuller Bone,
year 11 student
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