Haywood County Schools Nutrition Services recognized as grant winner

Alison Pyron, Haywood County Schools Nutrition Director

Haywood County Schools Nutrition Services was selected to receive the 2008 National School Nutrition Foundation’ Winston Industries Equipment Award. The award of 10 pieces of top quality commercial kitchen equipment ($75,000 value) will be utilized in the school kitchens of Haywood Elementary, East Side Elementary, Sunny Hill Elementary School, all of which are 2008 recipients of the USDA’s prestigious Healthier US School Challenge Silver Award, and also in the kitchens of Haywood High, Haywood Junior High and Anderson Early Childhood Center. This spring, school kitchens will receive quality commercial kitchen equipment including holding cabinets and steamers from Winston Industries, a leading foodservice equipment manufacturer in Louisville, Kentucky.

School Nutrition Director Alison Pyron applied for the equipment award for Haywood County Schools to replace outdated operational equipment that was creating a barrier in meeting the department’s mission.

“Our school system has equipment installed that has been utilized for over 30 years. While we have a very reliable maintenance staff, and the cafeteria staff is extremely conscientious in the utilization of this equipment, the sad thing is … equipment eventually breaks down. As equipment ages, our staff is hindered by repairs that will only increase as time goes by. This affects meal planning and production, as well as student participation,” wrote Pyron in her grant application. “Newer equipment will provide options for preparation and service of meals that currently do not exist. With these options comes a renewed level of interest from the student body as a whole. New foods, new serving options, new preparation techniques - this can only lead to new levels of student excitement.”

Alison Hayes Pyron, a Haywood County native, has been with the Haywood County System since 2006, when she resigned from her position as a state consultant with the Department of Education to accept the Haywood Schools directorship. She is a University of Tennessee at Martin graduate with over 17 years experience working in the administration of school nutrition programs. She is married to Dr. Jerry Pyron, also employed with the Haywood County School system, and they have two college-aged sons, Logan and Samuel.