Teleconferences I, II, III, IV

In this Section

"Teleconference I: Making the Choice" (1996)

This is an educational video about the menu planning choice process. This video was used in the first Project PA teleconference to provide SFS personnel with sufficient knowledge to enable them to select a menu planning system that matched the needs of their facility. It also sought to address concerns and to generate a positive team approach toward implementation of the new School Meals Initiative (SMI) regulations.

"Teleconference II: Taking the Steps" (1998)

This is an educational video on the SMI review process, used in the second Project PA teleconference. Its goal is to enhance motivation to implement the SMI and to provide practical guidance in this change process.

"Teleconference III: Making it Work" (2000)

This is an educational video about implementation of the SMI, used in the third Project PA teleconference to demonstrate examples of successful SMI practices. A "Best Practices" kit full of practical and noteworthy ways to meet SMI guidelines was created for statewide distribution by combining this video with Project PA's Best Practices in Pennsylvania School Food Service manual. These aids have been distributed to all of Pennsylvania's National School Lunch Program sponsors.

"Teleconference IV: Increasing School Meals Participation: Creative Strategies that Work!" (2004)

On May 12, 2004, Project PA, a collaboration between the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Penn State University, presented a one-day teleconference, “Increasing School Meals Participation: Creative Strategies that Work!” The primary target audience for the teleconference was school foodservice employees. The teleconference was broadcast to 27 sites in Pennsylvania, reaching 350 participants. Funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Food and Nutrition, with Federal State Administrative Expense funds provided by the Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture.

The objectives of the teleconference were for participants to:

Be motivated to take positive action to improve school meals participation
List barriers to improving participation
Identify effective, feasible solutions to barriers
Identify action steps to improve participation
Identify creative strategies they can implement in their own schools
Identify resources to help improve school meals participation

Teleconference Format

Two 90-minute segments, one in the morning, one in the afternoon, were broadcast from the WPSX studios on Penn State's University Park campus.
Twenty-seven statewide downlink sites.
Interspersed with times during which activities were conducted at the local downlink sites.
Led by trained facilitators.

Broadcast Segments

Morning broadcast time consisted of a series of pre-taped video segments which showcased "Creative Strategies" used by school foodservice directors in Pennsylvania to improve school meals participation. During the facilitator-led segments at the downlink sites, the activities allowed the participants to process the information presented during the broadcast segment, network with their colleagues, and submit questions and descriptions of their "Creative Strategies" for improving school meals participation to the University Park broadcast site.

The afternoon broadcast time presented three panels of individuals who responded to questions faxed in from the downlink sites.

Filmed Creative Strategies

During the teleconference, eight pre-taped video segments presented "Creative Strategies" related to school breakfast participation.

Links to descriptions of these creative strategies are found on the left.