CCISD nutrition director honored as Texas’ best

Special to Leader-Press 

More than 5 million students. More than 1,200 school districts. Only one Texas School Nutrition Director of the Year.

Copperas Cove ISD Child Nutrition Director Melissa Bryan attended the National School Nutrition Association Conference in Atlanta, Ga., where she was recognized and presented with The Director of Year Award for Texas. 

The Director of the Year award recognizes school nutrition directors for the exemplary contributions they have made throughout their school nutrition career. This award also spotlights directors who have excelled in program enhancement, staff development and training, involvement with district schools, involvement with the school nutrition association at a state and national level and local community involvement. It shines focus on directors who have made a positive impact on their food service program, their staff, their community and the children they serve.

“I was very honored and blessed to be able to receive the award and shine a spotlight not only on our awesome CCISD Child Nutrition Department and our school district, but also on Copperas Cove, Texas,” Bryan said.

At the conference, Bryan received professional development and networking opportunities that will benefit the school district.

“At conference, I also attended classes on various topics which I will be sharing with all the CCISD Child Nutrition Staff at our back-to-school training,” Bryan said. “I also was able to meet Food Network star Jet Tila and watched recipe creations that can be utilized in the schools and explored many new items for menus for the 2017/2018 school year.”

Bryan garnered more than $250,000 in grants to upgrade and purchase new equipment for school cafeterias this past year and also operated eight summer feeding sights, providing free breakfast and lunch to an estimated 15,000 students monthly.

Bryan is very active in the Texas Association of School Nutritionists and served as a past Area 5 representative and is currently the vice president of the organization and will ascend to the presidency next year.

Under Bryan’s supervision, CCISD feeds approximately 10,000 students daily during the school year.