Western Australian School Canteens Association Inc.

This site will publicise achievements of school canteens as well as provide the latest information and items of interest to those operating canteens.

Government Policy and Standards for Food and Drinks Sold in Public School Food Service

For full information regarding the Department of Education's policy and standards you're invited to visit the website at www.det.wa.edu.au/healthyfoodanddrink.

All recipes included are compliant with the Department of Education's Healthy Food and Drink Policy and have been categorised as Green or Amber.

Catering co-ordinated by the WA School Canteen Association Inc. and Perth Modern School.

Thank you to all of you who sent in your nominees for the 'Nan Marlow Award for Excellence in Volunteering'. Nan Marlow was a very special lady who contributed many hours to Gosnells Senior High School even though she never had children attending the school.

What would we do without these amazing people who give their time so willingly and commit to help in the canteen year after year? Without their help, many canteens have been forced to cut back the days they open or have decided to outsource their canteen operations to private providers. This once a year opportunity to recognise those who help to keep your canteen viable is our way to say how much you appreciate them. Goodman Fielder (Buttercup Bakeries) thinks so too and we thank them for their continued support of this award.

Each year the number of entries increases. Every school who nominated a volunteer has been sent a Certificate of Appreciation for each person nominated. The combined number of hours contributed by these nominated 'wonder' people to your canteens was 21,470. If a monetary value were to be placed on this year's nominees contribution at $18 per hour it would amount to $386,460 worth of time contributed by these 'wonders' alone. Imagine how many hours in total are contributed by volunteers to canteens throughout the State. Their time is worth literally millions of dollars to our schools each and every year.

The outright winner of the award this year is Mrs Libby Plunkett from Thornlie Primary School. Libby has spent a total of 3,960 hours volunteering in the canteen. She not only volunteers in the canteen but also helps in other ways such as reading with the children. Libby also runs the breakfast program.

Libby was nominated for the award by Debbie Knight, the Canteen Manager who said "Libby has helped our school in many ways for the past 11 years... Our school and myself would be lost without her".

Congratulations Libby, we all hope you will enjoy your well deserved prize consisting of two night's accommodation for two people at the Parmelia Hilton Hotel with breakfast both mornings and a dinner voucher. We hope you relax and put your feet up – you have certainly earned a break!

These informal sessions cover topics such as tips to make lunchboxes healthy, the traffic light strategy of categorising foods, and how to read food labels.

Cooking demonstrations and the use of visual resources make these sessions the perfect platform for engaging parents and encouraging healthy eating in their children while at school.

Workshops run for approximately 1-1½ hours and can be tailored to the specific needs of the school and the parents. Sessions can also be arranged to include a number of schools in surrounding areas.

If you would like further information or would like to organise a session at your school please contact WASCA on 9264 4999 or email wasca@det.wa.edu.au