A Recipe for Recognition

(Hyde Park, Vermont) The Lamoille North Supervisory Union (LNSU) has received national recognition from Action for Healthy Kids for its remarkable strides in school nutrition, particularly on the Lamoille Union campus. At the heart of this celebration is a commitment to equity, access, and opportunity through nutritious meals that empower students and foster a stronger school community. School Nutrition Director Kelly Shortsleeve, in her first year in the role, has spearheaded these innovative changes with energy, creativity, and a student-centered leadership approach.

Action for Healthy Kids is a nationwide program dedicated to helping schools and districts create healthier learning environments, enabling every child to thrive. Its mission is to foster learning environments that support optimal child health and well-being because it believes that healthy children make a better world. Through evidence-based programs, resources, and partnerships, the organization supports schools and districts in advancing policies and practices that promote student health and well-being.

Lamoille North has become one of the few school districts nationwide to receive all eight recognition awards from the Healthy Meal Incentives program, administered through the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.  From ‘Innovation in Nutrition Education’ to ‘Breakfast Trailblazer’ to ‘Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals’ - these recognitions represent the deep-rooted improvements taking place on the Lamoille Union campus and across the Lamoille North school district.

Transforming Meals with Innovation

Thanks to Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) grant funding, LNSU has invested in high-impact kitchen equipment, most notably, state-of-the-art Combi ovens. These ovens have not only improved but also revolutionized the district's ability to prepare fresh, high-quality meals in real-time, enabling batch cooking that ensures hot, crisp food for every student. This leap in food quality has been instrumental in a 25% increase in lunch participation and a 10% rise in breakfast participation on the Lamoille Union campus.

Every additional meal served helps ensure that more students—regardless of income—have access to nutritious, high-quality food that fuels learning and growth. When more students eat school meals, it helps normalize and promote a school-wide culture of healthy eating, which can influence lifelong habits. Students who eat well are better able to concentrate, retain information, and stay engaged in class. Hungry students struggle to focus—well-nourished students are ready to learn.

Additionally, Kelly's team utilized the grant to offer professional development opportunities for staff, thereby enhancing their skills and engagement. These changes have improved the quality of meals and the culture and morale within the nutrition program itself.

Student Voice and Community Partnership

One of the standout successes of the LNSU program is its authentic collaboration with students. From leading taste tests to participating in student council discussions about menu changes, students are not just passive recipients but active shapers of their meal experience. A powerful example arose when students voiced concerns about the removal of high-sugar chocolate milk from school meals. Rather than dismissing their feedback, Kelly educated student leaders on nutrition standards that the district’s milk supplier needed to meet for chocolate milk to remain available to students.  Shotsleeve empowered students to write advocacy letters to the supplier, ultimately leading to the company reconfiguring its recipe and the return of a healthier chocolate milk option for Lamoille North schools.

The innovation extends beyond the kitchen to local partnerships as well. LNSU's collaboration with the Green Mountain Technology and Career Center's Sustainable Agricultural & Food Systems program has been a model of mutual support. Nutrition staff will soon serve Student-grown potatoes and asparagus district-wide, and plans include further expansion of local produce integration through Salvation Farms and other regional food hubs.

A Culture of Empowerment and Excellence

At LNSU, student empowerment goes hand in hand with staff empowerment. Kelly has transformed the nutrition team's mindset by giving the staff ownership of the program and encouraging creativity, flexibility, and pride in their work. The result is a vibrant team committed to nourishing students with fresh, homemade meals and fostering genuine relationships throughout the school.

The introduction of a district bakery is the next big step. With rave reviews from students, staff, and grandparents at school-wide community meals, the bakery symbolizes how nutrition can build connections across generations.

Looking Forward

The recognition from Action for Healthy Kids is not just a moment of applause—it marks the beginning of a new standard.

LNSU's program isn't just sustainable; it's becoming a model for what's possible in school nutrition. By focusing on scratch cooking, student engagement, local partnerships, and professional excellence, Lamoille North ensures that healthy eating becomes an integral and lasting part of the school experience. And with plans for further expansion of local produce integration through Salvation Farms and other regional food hubs, the future of school nutrition at LNSU is bright.

As Kelly said best, "We'll never go backward."

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