The most crucial thing a school district does is ensure the safety of its pupils. Staff members working in the food service industry will receive the necessary safety training from this course, which also includes exams and a certificate of accomplishment that workers may put on file with human resources. The USDA training requirements for food service employees are partially satisfied by this course.

Anyone who manages or works in a school kitchen, as well as anyone else interested in learning the best ways to maintain the kitchen safe, should take this course.

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This course is intended for all food services workers including supervisors, managers, cooks, front-line staff, and cashiers. The course partly fulfills the United States Department of Agriculture’s 4-hour training requirement for all food service workers. Participants will review the Civil Rights responsibilities and requirements of the Child Nutrition Department.
The most crucial thing a school district undertakes is to guarantee that all kids have equal access and treatment regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. This course will provide required Civil Rights training to food service staff and includes assessments and a certificate of completion that employees can keep on file with human resources. This course meets in part the United States Department of Agriculture training requirements for food service workers.
The people working in all levels of administration of the US Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Programs that receive federal funding are the target audience for this course.

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The Classified Leadership Academy is designed for emerging and current classified managers who aspire to strengthen their leadership, communication, and operational skills within school districts. Through practical training and real-world case studies, participants learn to lead teams, manage resources efficiently, and support district goals with confidence and accountability.

2025 Registration is Now Open!

Two Self-Paced Full-Day Workshops!

The Classified Leadership Academy (CLA) is a thorough training and professional development program designed to improve the leadership abilities of classified personnel. CLA is intended for present and aspiring classified managers and directors who wish to develop their leadership capacities. Potential benefits for the participants include expanding their general skillset, learning about legal requirements of management positions, networking opportunities, enhancing performance at work, and leadership development.

This course offers direct teaching from subject-matter specialists, group and individual exercises, practical activities, and a few self-paced workshops.

Classified Leadership Academy Certificate Program

Now more than ever, there is a great need in operational departments to lead in challenging times. Well-trained leaders are essential to support students and staff throughout a school district, whether in a role that supervises in a central office capacity or at another site. Strengthen your communication and leadership skills with research-based techniques, tools, and structuring devices of the classified leadership academy to become a more effective leader and to build strong teams.

Many key leadership topics will be covered in the program, including:

• What It Means to be a Leader
• Establishing a Positive Work Culture
• Being a First Time Leader and Moving from Co-Worker to Supervisor
• How To Establish a Vision for your Department or Organization
• Leading Change
• Setting and Managing Projects and Priorities
• Celebrating and Honoring Employees
• The Leader as Communicator
• Using Emotional Intelligence to Effectively Lead
• Deciphering Contracts and Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements
• Strengthening Organizational Skills
• Building Teams, Building People
• The Basics of Understanding and Managing Budgets
• High Impact Communication
• Effective Meetings and Presentations
• Establishing Collaborative Teams
• Leading as a Multiplier

Comprehensive Curriculum

This program emphasizes specific and pragmatic skills that classified leaders need to know to be able to thrive as a school business leader. The content of this academy is presented in an online lecture and discussion format, relying upon class interactions, small group breakouts, and out-of-class assignments/practical applications that are built on a leadership inventory with skills you want to enhance to be a stronger leader.  Unlike other courses, there will be no quizzes for the Classified Leadership Academy but rather applications of the lessons learned in modules with job applications that can also be used in the design of a portfolio for future leadership roles.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The TSS Classified Leader Certificate Program has been created as a comprehensive program designed to introduce new or strengthen current leadership skills of aspiring or current directors in roles such as payroll, accounting, audit roles, risk management, technology, food and nutrition, purchasing, warehouse, maintenance, operations, facilities, worker’s compensation, benefits, and human resources roles. This program is helpful for those who have not been through leadership credential or Master’s Degree programs, focusing on those leaders and prospective leaders who have come up through school district roles without the direct coursework in leadership.

The course’s group atmosphere will encourage team building, visioning, and general leadership skills to effectively manage, while providing an opportunity for participants to expand their skill sets in a challenging yet encouraging environment.  Specialized assignments and class projects are done individually designed to help establish voice, presence, and authentic leadership skills for current or future roles. Participants who successfully complete the course will be issued an TSS Classified Leader Certificate.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Attendance and Participation – Participants are expected to attend and contribute in all sessions and must attend all classes in order to receive the TSS Classified Leader Certificate. If an emergency arises, one session may be made-up by writing and an academic paper on the missed classes’ subject matter with pre-approval by the program’s director.
2. Presentation – Participants are required to present one 10-minute PowerPoint/Google presentation on a topic related to leadership in his/her school district.
3. Readings – Various readings will be assigned during the academy and discussion groups between classes will help deepen the learning.  Students will analyze readings and participate in group discussions or writing assignments to apply concepts to real world school district situations.
4. Assessments – Activities will be used to deepen and apply the learning. These activities, called homework assignments, will all need to be completed and submitted before earning the Classified Leader Certificate.

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Child Nutrition Certification By Director of Child Nutrition Academy

The United States Department of Agriculture has become more stringent on academic requirements for Child Nutrition Directors and requires specialized training and ongoing instruction. The directors of this academy will get Child Nutrition Certification and will be prepared for the demands of managing one of the biggest departments in any school district through this comprehensive curriculum, which is designed to fulfill state food service director training requirements.

Class Schedule for 2025

• January 24th & 25th
• February 7th & 8th
• March 7th & 8th
• April 4th & 5th
• May 2nd & 3rd
• September 19th & 20th
• October 17th & 18th
• November 14th & 15th

Comprehensive Curriculum

The TSS Director of Child Nutrition Certificate Academy is a comprehensive curriculum developed to build new capabilities for seasoned Child Nutrition directors or to enhance their current ones. This child nutrition certification includes both classroom instruction and hands-on training, covering a wide range of knowledge and skills. The Academy places the Child Nutrition directors in their position within the organization, explains how school districts are organized, and highlights the vital role that the nutrition services division plays in a district and how it affects the educational program. Instruction will revolve around several major themes including Child Nutrition funding, Special Provision options, preparing for the administrative review, meal access and reimbursement, menu planning, resource management, food service safety, procurement, human resources/personnel, collective bargaining, and other federal programs and reviews.

The course will provide an opportunity for participants to expand their skill set in a challenging yet encouraging environment. Specialized assignments and class projects are done individually and as part of small teams, and learning is evaluated with monthly assessments and a final exam. Participants who successfully complete the course will be issued an TSS Director of Child Nutrition Certificate.

Presenters

The instructor for the program Jose’ Alvarado has worked for 34 years in education, most recently as the Food Services Director for Fresno Unified School District. Jose Alvarado has obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree and Master’s in Business Administration from California State University Fresno along with a Chief Business Official Certification from an SB352 State Board of Education certified training provider. He has also presented for the California Department of Education and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on various school nutrition topics at local, state, and national workshops and training venues.

Other presenters for the program include directors from organizations like the California Department of Education Child Nutrition Division as well as active and former school administrators, who are among the best in the state. TSS Executive Vice President Dr. Joseph Pandolfo manages the program and moderates several sessions to guarantee the consistency of the curriculum. He has over 30 years of expertise in the education sector.

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