Haywood Schools Nutrition Department to receive $25,700 for equipment

Alison Pyron, Haywood County Schools Director of Food Service

Recovery Act helps districts meet students’ nutritional needs

Haywood County Schools Superintendent Marlon King recently received word from Governor Phil Bredesen and Education Commissioner Dr. Timothy Webb that Haywood Schools will receive a school food authority grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These grants will fund the purchase of lunchroom equipment for school districts participating in the National School Lunch Program. In Haywood County, East Side Elementary School will receive $25,700 to purchase a “Skittle.”

According to Alison Pyron, Haywood County Schools Director of Food Service, this piece of equipment is truly “state-of-the-art” and can perform many different functions.

“The Skittle multi-functional unit will benefit Ms. Joyce Sikes and her staff's food service operation at East Side in so many ways,” Pyron said. “ The unit itself can perform many different cooking techniques and yet only a few of the Skittles exist in and around Tennessee. Also, I am excited to have this school serve as a training resource for other school food service operations from across the state,” she added.

To be selected, a school must have 50 percent or more of its students eligible for free or reduced-price meals and must meet other criteria set out under the ARRA. The ARRA provides this funding as a one-time appropriation to Tennessee. Pyron has sought and received many grants for the Haywood Schools Food Service Department.

“She is a ‘veteran’ grant/award recipient,” Superintendent King said. “We are so fortunate to have her as a part of the Haywood County Schools team.”

According to Governor Bredesen, the focus of these competitive grants include purchasing equipment that improves the safety of food served in school meal programs, improving the overall energy efficiency of school nutrition operations, supporting expanding participating in school meal programs and improving the overall quality of school nutrition meals that meet dietary guidelines.