Documentation: Copies/photos of certificates, agendas, or learning materials from professional development activities over the past two years related to key Farm to ECE topics.
Best Practice Requirements: This documentation shows that in your program, professional development (PD) covers seven or more of the following topics:
- Benefits of supporting local agriculture
- What grows locally and when it is available
- Where to buy local foods
- Local, state, federal, or tribal regulations related to our programs’ use of local foods in meals or snacks
- Storage, preparation, or cooking of local fruits or vegetables
- Planning or maintenance of a garden
- Gardening with children
- Classroom cooking, taste test activities, or other food education with children
- Communication with families about local foods
- Racial equity in the food system or cultural competence related to menu planning or nutrition education
Application: List which seven of the topics are shown in your documentation.
FAQ’s:
What do you mean by professional development? REACH uses the Go NAPSACC definition. For center or school-based teachers/staff, it can include handouts or presentations shared at staff meetings and in-person or online training for contact hours or continuing education credits. For family child care home providers, it can include reading books, brochures or other print materials, or taking in-person or online training for contact hours or continuing education credits.
They did professional development last year that was different from professional development this year to keep expanding the skills of our teachers and staff. Can I include materials from both years? Yes, any professional development opportunities from the past two years count toward your documentation of this best practice.
Kitchen staff attended a Farm to ECE training on their own. Can I include documentation from this training or does it only count if all teachers and staff attended? Yes, the seven topics can be from multiple PD opportunities, attended by any or all teachers and/or staff members. Farm to ECE professional development should be appropriate to the different roles of teachers and/or staff members in your program.
For meetings and in-person presentations, do I need to provide copies or photos of all of the handouts and presentation materials, just the parts that cover the topics on the list, or just a certificate of training? If possible, just the parts that show the topics on the list. If this is not possible, you may submit just the agenda for the training or a certificate of training. Be sure to include the topics covered in your description on the application. For trainings provided by CEFS/NC Farm to ECE Initiative, a certificate of training is all that is needed.
What do I provide as documentation of topics covered as part of online learning sessions? If possible, please provide the relevant portions of the handouts or slides. If not, please provide a copy of the overview/description of the training or a training certificate from an attendee. Be sure to include the topics covered in your description on the application. For online trainings provided by CEFS/NC Farm to ECE Initiative, and NC CACFP, a certificate of training is all that is needed.
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REACH Recognition 