September is National Food Safety Month
National Food Safety Month was created in 1994 to heighten the awareness about the importance of food safety education. Each year a new theme and free training activities and posters are created for the restaurant and foodservice industry to help reinforce proper food safety practices and procedures.
CLICK HERE for Food Safety resources, including free YouTube videos from FRLA and ServSafe.
CLICK HERE for Food Safety activities from ServSafe.
SEPTEMBER FRLAEF DEADLINES
- FRLAEF Regional Workshop, Keiser University, Sarasota–September 11, 2015 is the REGISTRATION deadline
- FRLAEF Regional Workshop, Art Institute, Fort Lauderdale–September 18, 2015 is the REGISTRATION deadline
- School Classification Contract–September 18, 2015
- Mini Grant Application–September 18, 2015
- FRLA Show Spreadsheets–September 30, 2015 is the REGISTRATION deadline
Regional Workshops
The FRLAEF is offering six Regional Workshops this fall at locations around the state. ProStart teachers may bring up to five students to each event. There is no fee to attend a Regional Workshop. Lunch will be provided for all attendees at each event. Chef coats will be given to all participating ProStart students at each event.
CLICK HERE for the FRLAEF Regional Workshop page. Here you will find information on each event along with links to register.
If Regional Workshops reach maximum capacity prior to the deadline, all subsequent schools will be placed on the waiting list. Event registration begins at 8:30 am and concludes no later than 2:00 pm. Schools may register for more than one event, but priority will be given to first-time attendees.
Aprons Arrive This Month
Each Florida ProStart school will receive 20 aprons this month courtesy of our great sponsors. These will be delivered by UPS to your school so be on the lookout!
Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show will take place Tuesday October 6 — Thursday, October 8, 2015 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. ProStart instructors are welcome to attend free of charge all three days of the Show. Below are the guidelines for student attendees.
TEACHER & STUDENT REGISTRATION FOR SHOW
ProStart students may attend the 2015 Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show as long as the guidelines below are followed. Failure to follow these guidelines could result in expulsion from the Show floor. There is alcohol on the show floor. Please keep this in mind when selecting your students.
•Attending students must be at least 16 years of age. Students must provide proof of age. •There must be one chaperone for every 5 students. The chaperones must be within eye-sight of the students. Chaperones must be at least 21 years old. •No more than a total of 10 students may attend from one school. •No more than 5 students and 1 chaperone may walk the show floor together. If all 10 students and 2 chaperones walk the Show floor together, they may be escorted off the show floor. •Students must be dressed in business attire or chef attire.REGISTER
Students and chaperones may attend the show one of the three days (Tuesday–Thursday). There is no fee to attend. To register, complete THIS SPREADSHEET and return to [email protected]. The spreadsheets will be processed as they are received. Only a limited number of student spreadsheets will be processed. Once that number is reached no more spreadsheets will be processed. Any spreadsheets returned after September 30, 2015 will not be processed.
TEACHER REGISTRATION FOR SHOW (use this registration if you would like to attend without students)
Go to Attendee Registration
Non-Member Registration
On the second screen, after you’ve entered mailing information, on the “Attendee Type” screen (select buyer/not buyer) there is a box that says “If you have a Discount Code please enter it here”.
Enter the code FRLA.
At the bottom of the very last screen, under “Transaction Detail” you will see the payment amount automatically calculates to $0.
ServSafe During the FRLA Show
The FRLAEF is offering the ServSafe review class and exam on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 during the FRLA Show. The exam review class begins at 9:00 am at the Orange County Convention Center. The exam begins at 2:00 pm after a break. FRLAEF will cover the cost of the review class and exam for ProStart and HTMP instructors. Click here to register. You must use this link to get free registration. Deadline is Friday, September 18, 2015. Examinees will be taking the paper/pencil version of the exam.
ProStart School Classification–NEW LEVEL
At the beginning of each school year the FRLAEF asks schools to commit to their level of participation in the ProStart program. Beginning this year there are three levels of participation: PREMIER, FULL and CURRICULUM ONLY.
PREMIER LEVEL
The FRLAEF determined who earned the Premier school status based on the benchmarks the school met during the previous year. In order to be classified as a Premier school for the upcoming school year, the program must have done the required work during the 2014-2015 school year to earn that status.
FULL OR CURRICULUM ONLY
Schools that have not earned the Premier level for the upcoming school year may choose between the Full and Curriculum Only classification. For those schools that become Full ProStart schools, you have the opportunity to work towards becoming a Premier school for the 2016-2017 school year by meeting the 2015-2016 benchmarks.
PARTICIPATION COMMITMENT
The FRLAEF sent an email containing classification details and what level of classification you may currently achieve based on 2014-2015 data.
Please read through the details of the classification carefully to determine if you will be able to meet the requirements before committing. In order to be classified at any level, you must have and be using both the Level One and Level Two Foundations textbooks.
If the FRLAEF does not receive a commitment form from a school by September 18, 2015 we will assume your school is a Curriculum Only program. This is an ANNUAL contract. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THE SCHOOL CLASSIFICATION EMAIL. IT WAS SENT IN AUGUST.
Mini Grants
The FRLAEF is offering $80,000 in Mini Grant funding to Premier and Full Florida ProStart schools this year. There is no fixed amount for individual grant awards, but to assist your planning, the average award last year was $735.
There are two prerequisites for grant funding: 1) you must currently teach the ProStart curriculum, and 2) you must be a Premiere or Full ProStart school.
The FRLAEF Board of Directors prefers to fund items that will make your classroom self-sustaining. If a piece of equipment is requested, it should be something that will be used frequently throughout the year.
The application deadline is Friday, September 18, 2015.
Click here for the online Mini Grant application.
GRANT AWARD NOTIFICATION: October 9, 2015. If awarded, funds must be spent no later than November 20, 2015.
Chef’s Warehouse September Specials
KNIFE & UNIFORM KITS
CLICK HERE OR ON PICTURE AT LEFT
Contact Luanna Skeens for options and pricing:
[email protected] • 7200 W Colonial Drive • Orlando • FL • 32818 P: 407.294.0300 • F: 407.294.8565
NRAEF Data Collection (Fall Survey)
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) will continue its ProStart Data Collection this year. Be on the lookout for an email from them on September 12, 2015.
Once you complete the survey, the FRLAEF will send you free SafeStaff Foodhandler Guides. These are on a first-come, first served basis, so complete your NRAEF survey as soon as possible.
TWO THINGS FROM NRAEF
BACK-TO-SCHOOL BEST PRACTICE: Have your students register at the ProStart website early in the school year to begin keeping track of the hours they put in on the job, at school-based enterprises or in relevant volunteer/service positions. Students can “count” hours earned up to one year prior to their initial ProStart exam when applying for a National Certificate of Achievement (COA).
CURRICULUM CORRECTIONS: NRAEF has found two errors in Appendix A of the Foundations textbooks (Level 1-page 807 and Level 2-page 761). The appendix, “Staying in Touch with the National Restaurant Association throughout your Career” references a “special program scholarship for ProStart students who earn the National Certificate of Achievement.” While additional points are awarded on scholarship applications to students who have or will earn their COA, there is no special “COA scholarship.” Check the Scholarships page on the NRAEF website regularly to learn what scholarships are available and the deadline for applications, which change each year. The appendix also references a student membership in the National Restaurant Association. While many states have student memberships, the National Restaurant Association does not.
Fresh For Florida Student Cook-Off
The Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness, also known as “Fresh for Florida Kids,” is searching for student chefs for the 2015-2016 school year. Students in grades 4-12 can enter their original, healthy snack recipe using a fresh fruit or vegetable grown in Florida for a chance to compete at a regional cook-off and win prizes.
- Entry Requirements
- Judging
- How to Enter
- Prizes
- Fruits and Vegetables from Florida
- Tips for Designing Your Recipe
Entry Requirements
- Contains at least one fresh fruit or fresh vegetable grown in Florida
- Has clear directions and makes four snack servings
- Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less
- Is creative and original in nature
- Has readily available ingredients (those that can be purchased in a typical supermarket)
- Promotes good nutrition/is healthy
- Does not use brand name of ingredients
To be eligible, entries must be completed and received in the format designated below:
- The entry must be an original recipe.
- Entries must be submitted with a photo of a completed serving.
- Limit one entry per region per person.
- The recipe entry must be created solely by a child in 4th-12th grade living in the state of Florida during the 2015-2016 school year.
- Entries must be received by midnight (12:00 a.m. ET) on September 13, 2015.
Click here for all rules and the entry form.
Culinary Position Available
The Forest High School Culinary Program in Ocala, Florida is expanding from one to two teachers. For information regarding this position click on the link to Forest High School, and the link to apply for the position which includes salary information. www.foresthigh.org https://skyward.iscorp.com/scripts/wsisa.dll/WService=wsfinmarioncofl/rapplmnu03.w
ServSafe Materials
Each Premier and Full ProStart program are eligible for free ServSafe materials. To ensure you get the materials you need, you must notify us of your needs. Once we receive your ProStart Classification paperwork, you can order up to $350 of ServSafe materials. Click here for the ServSafe price list. Email Amy Parker to place your order–you do not need to fill out the form. Requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
ProStart Scantrons
The FRLAEF will distribute over $43,000 worth of free ProStart Exam Scantrons to Premier and Full ProStart schools during the 2015-2016 school year. Once a school has turned in their ProStart Classification paperwork, email Amy Parker to let her know how many ProStart Exam Scantrons you need. Requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Scholarships
The FRLAEF will award $40,000 in scholarships during the 2015-2016 school year. These scholarships will be awarded during the Salute to Excellence Awards in the Spring. The scholarship application will be available in late Fall.
Hospitality Industry Internships
The Hospitality Industry Internship (HII) provides the opportunity for Florida ProStart instructors to work in a foodservice establishment for at least 40 hours. At the completion of 40 work hours, the HII participant will receive a personal check for $600 from the FRLAEF.
To qualify for an internship, the instructor must teach the ProStart curriculum during the 2015-2016 school year. The goal of the HII is to provide the instructor an opportunity to learn fresh skills in a new setting. If you are already employed at a restaurant, you MAY NOT use that site for your internship. The restaurant must also be a new work experience for you, not somewhere you have worked before or used as a past HII internship location.
Work experience may begin once the applicant receives an award letter from the FRLAEF.
If you are awarded an Internship and do not complete the required work component, you will be ineligible to receive an internship for the 2016-2017 school year. The applicant must secure a position at a foodservice facility where a minimum of 40 hours of hands-on experience is guaranteed. The host location may pay the recipient but is not required to do so.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 16, 2015
AWARD NOTIFICATION: October 23, 2015
INTERNSHIP COMPLETED BY: March 25, 2016
Click here to fill out the online application.
ProStart Culinary Team Competitions
The 16th Annual ProStart Culinary Team Competitions is scheduled for Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando.
On Friday, February 5, half of the Culinary Teams and Management Teams will compete along with all Edible Centerpiece teams. On Saturday, February 6, the remaining Culinary and Management teams will compete along with all of the Waiter Relay Teams. Competitions will begin earlier in the morning and conclude earlier in the afternoon. The competition will be followed by an awards dinner at the Rosen Plaza Hotel.
AID FOR COMPETING SCHOOLS The FRLAEF will provide stipends to offset the cost of participating in the event. The stipend amount will be announced when the number of competing teams is finalized.
RULES The FRLAEF is waiting for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to release their Culinary and Management Rules prior to the FRLAEF releasing the Florida rules. The Culinary and Management Competitions mirror the national rules. The Waiters Relay and the Edible Centerpiece competitions are unique events to Florida.
HOTEL Room rates will be available soon.
PARTICIPATION Click Here for the competition application. The application deadline is Friday, October 16, 2015. Applicants will be notified their status by Friday, October 23, 2015.
VegieFresh Fundraiser
VegieFresh is making their product available to schools to sell as a fundraiser. This pdf explains the procedure and includes contact information. For more information on the product, click here.
Salute to Excellence Awards Dinner
The Salute to Excellence Awards will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando. The awards dinner will recognize all ProStart Competition, Pineapple Award, Scholarship recipients and Hospitality Excellence Awards winners. Registration will begin in December 2015.
The 20th Annual ProStart Teacher Training Institute will take place in June 19-24, 2016. The week-long training provides Florida ProStart instructors with the knowledge necessary to teach the ProStart curriculum. Each day’s learning is built around topics covered in the ProStart curriculum.
LOCATION
All classes will be held at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) North Miami campus, 1701 NE 127th Street, North Miami, Florida, 33181.
PROGRAM COST
The FRLAEF will cover the cost of all Florida ProStart instructors who will be teaching the ProStart curriculum during the 2016-2017 school year. Attendees will be responsible for their travel and some meals.
REGISTRATION
Online registration will begin in the Spring.