Earlier this month, school nutrition professionals from across the country gathered together in Austin, TX for our 2019 Connect training event. This is the second year we've held a training conference that combines all of Heartland's family of products and we had a fantastic response from our attendees!
Why Connect?
In previous years, this event has taken on different names depending on the location or software platform used within the Heartland family (some of you may have previously attended an NUTC or a User Group Training in the past). So why the change to Connect? As Jeremy Loch, SVP of Heartland School Solutions, explained during his keynote address, the reason we've rebranded to Connect this year is because that's exactly what we want folks to do at this event - connect with their peers, their software and our Heartland staff. He also spoke about the importance of being able to better connect with your staff, your students, and the families that you serve each day.
Check out our keynote address presented by Jeremy, Tommy Wafford, and Amanda Richardson below.
Deep-Dive Training Sessions
- I thought all of the content presented was wonderful and helpful - 3 days is a lot but it's worth it!
- It was good to connect with representatives from all products especially MySchoolBucks. I was able to resolve an issue I have had for over a year.
- All of the Edison classes were informative. I enjoyed the opportunities to interact with the Heartland staff as well as with other districts. The classes provided opportunities to receive answers to question and insight on how the Heartland team operate.
Inspirational Guest Speakers
Barry Sackin, a school nutrition veteran with more than 35 years in the industry, shared some of his experience working with Congress and the USDA to implement important changes in nutrition programs. In his presentation, Barry discussed how the constitution guarantees us the right to advocate and how each and every one of us has a responsibility to do so.
Connect attendees also enjoyed a talk by Melissa Hughes, a self-proclaimed 'Neuroscience Geek' who spoke passionately about the ways neuroscience can improve the way we learn, work, communicate, and collaborate. Melissa discussed own personal experiences about the positive impact her school cafeteria staff had on her as a child, and she shared tips with the audience on how to master your mind for greater productivity, success, and happiness.
We had a fantastic time in Austin and are already planning for Connect 2020! What training classes or educational sessions would you like to see at next year's event? Let us know in the comments!
