Montana School Nutrition Association

Leadership and higher pay start with mindset—and grow through action. This interactive training is designed to equip you with the skills and confidence to become a recognized, respected voice within your school district and to leverage that position into better pay for you and your staff. Participants will learn how to develop a leadership mindset that commands attention, create a relationship with your superintendent and school board to support your food service program as a whole within your school district, advocate effectively for higher wages, position themselves as essential members of the district team, leverage the school wellness committee to increase community engagement and support for both school meal programs and better wages. Walk away with practical tools, renewed confidence, and a clear strategy to elevate your voice, your impact, and your paycheck.

What happens when six schools commit to building hyper-local food systems? Big ideas. Bold partnerships. And more Montana-grown foods on students’ trays. This dynamic, three-part session kicks off with a fast-paced panel featuring six schools, each sharing one unique strategy they’re using to bring more Montana foods into their school meals. Learn how the three-year Investing in School Food Systems to Reach 33 x 33 grant is fueling innovation—and how a growing statewide collaborative is transforming efforts to get more local food on school trays. After the panel, session attendees will be the first to hear about (and have the opportunity to sign up for!) 2026 Land to Lunch experiential training opportunities. Best of all, in part three of this session, attendees participate in live cooking demos and taste tests featuring school-ready recipes made with Montana-grown bison, beef, and rye, all integrated into the new Montana Menu Cycle supporting cost-effective Montana food purchases by schools and meeting all upcoming school nutrition changes and requirements. Come hungry—for ideas and for samples.