Chanute Schools Director of Nutrition Receives Regional Award

The national, non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) has named Terri Jo Markham, director of nutrition services for Chanute Public Schools, KS, the Southwest regional Director of the Year. The award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of school nutrition directors who manage effective school meal programs providing healthy, appetizing meals to students. While the nomination process began before widespread COVID-19 school closures, SNA also recognizes the expansive efforts of school nutrition directors to manage current emergency feeding programs, ensuring needy students continue to access healthy meals.

Markham has been a passionate advocate for school nutrition over the years, maintaining fiscal health in her department while providing the highest quality in the meals she serves. With the pride of a mother who wants to make the best meals for her district children that she can afford, Markham negotiates with vendors and searches for top quality ingredients for her recipes. She listens to student feedback about school meals, makes adjustments, and works with her kitchen managers and staff to try new serving options. She also provides detailed information to parents and those in the community, to help inform eligible families about free and reduced price meals.

She participates in wellness events in the community and continues to proudly promote what her program does to feed students. She is in constant contact with local media about school nutrition initiatives, including the traveling wagon she had built to go to parks, swimming pools and other areas where children congregate to support the summer meal program.

Markham is excited to share what she’s learned with employees after attending training sessions. She offers training regularly, setting up in-service and back to school workshops, and hosting the State Child Nutrition Management Academy. She is highly regarded for how closely she works with building staff and administrators to ensure things run smoothly throughout the district. Currently serving as an area representative for SNA-Kansas, Markham has helped local chapters get started and enhance active chapters’ efforts. She empowers employees to get their School nutrition certificate and become SNA members.

For the past three years, Markham has served on the Legislative Committee at the state level and represented Kansas at SNA’s annual Legislative Action Conference in Washington, D.C. She takes pride in her advocacy for child nutrition, “charging the hill” and sharing the needs of students with legislators. Markham also volunteers in her community, coaching cheerleading and helping to raise money for Relay For Life.

“Schools nutrition leaders are so proactive in sharing their knowledge of child nutrition with their staff,” said SNA President Gay Anderson, SNS. “Terri Jo’s dedication to her students’ health and staff development are exemplary, we’re happy to recognize her as a director of the year.”

The regional Director of the Year Award was created to recognize school nutrition directors who exhibit an extraordinary commitment to their school meal programs. The directors are responsible for maintaining the quality of the program through student interaction, menu planning and a commitment to serving nutritious, tasty and well-balanced school meals. Through effective oversight of all aspects of foodservice operations, including budgeting, staffing, training, marketing and community outreach, school nutrition directors ensure the overall success of school meal programs.

About School Nutrition Association:

The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing more than 55,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals.