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"Kerry joined Lara Secondary College in 2004. Our school
had opened in 2003 and during the first 18 months the students
accessed the canteen at our neighbouring primary school. Kerry
worked in a team consisting of Principal, School Council and
the Business Manager to establish the canteen with equipment
and menu. Kerry then recruited volunteer staff from the Lara
community including students and their families. In 2004,
when Kerry opened the canteen, the school consisted of approximately
220 students and 35 staff.
Today the population has grown to 800 students and 80 staff.
The agreed goals of the canteen have been to provide healthy
lunches and snacks for our college community, most importantly
as a service rather than as a profit or fundraising vehicle
for the college. Therefore, the canteen is self funding, raising
enough funds to pay all employees, utilities and equipment.
Each year the canteen profits above these costs have been
reinvested into benefiting the students at Lara Secondary
College.
In the first two years, Kerry ran the canteen most of the
time as the only adult in this area from Monday to Wednesday.
Adult volunteers from the community were in short supply.
Those that put their hands up were rostered on Thursdays or
Fridays. During this time, she welcomed the students into
the canteen, giving them the experience of working within
a team and life skills in their educational journey. Under
Kerry's leadership, our canteen boomed. Within two years,
our canteen was selling more milk than any other school in
Geelong.
While recruitment for canteen help was slow initially, Kerry
made those who joined her in the canteen feel valued and appreciated
for their contributions. Kerry always takes an interest in
those she interacts with, ensuring the canteen is running
efficiently and effectively, but also finding time to have
a break in the canteen lounge with her team for a cuppa break
and chat. Along the way, Kerry has mentored these volunteers.
One of the parent volunteers has gone on to become a Canteen
Manager at another Geelong secondary school, and others have
gained paid employment in school canteens. Several of the
students have been trained in food handling under Kerry's
guidance, which has given them skills to gain employment outside
the College.
Kerry constantly seeks information on all aspects of the
canteen, including menu, equipment and professional development.
All college staff find Kerry very approachable, and are continually
seeking her expertise in providing catering for school visitors,
information sessions for the community, staff professional
development days as well as nutritious lunches for staff on
a day to day basis.
Kerry works in conjunction with the teaching staff at times
in providing herself and the canteen facilities to work in
our integrated curriculum. 'Market Day' is one example where
the students run stalls to prepare goods, services, entertainment
and food for sale. 'Market Day' happens at lunch time. The
canteen is a hub activity all day with the food component
being guided by Kerry. On 'Information Nights' where the school
provides a sausage sizzle for Lara Secondary College parents,
Kerry works tirelessly to ensure there is enough food on board,
and then stands at the BBQ to provide sausages for the masses.
She even sticks around for the clean up.
Lara Secondary College runs a 'Breakfast Club' for students
prior to school commencement over the winter months. Kerry
arrives early and volunteers her time on these days to help
the teaching staff and ensure the students are well catered
for. She has also created close bonds with those staff who
work in our Technology areas, to enable the best use of food
equipment and consumables.
…During the past twelve months, there has been a number of
canteen staff from other schools visit our canteen to gain
some of Kerry's knowledge and share ideas...
Kerry is reliable, friendly, tireless and a wonderful team
leader, displaying all the qualities that make Canteen Managers
great, and is more than eligible to be CANTEEN MANAGER OF
THE YEAR."
- Shirley Niblett, Business Manager
"Kerry is an outstanding member of staff at Lara Secondary
College. She engages fully in the philosophy of the school
where we aim to create a 'community of care' ensuring that
all members of the College community are 'safe, secure, known
and noticed'.
Kerry is exceptional in her skills as canteen manager and
leader. She has led the establishment of one of the first
'healthy foods' canteens in the state through negotiation
with staff and students, building the canteen from the school's
establishment in 2004 when we had 200 students. Kerry is consistently
generous with her time and energy to ensure that all members
of the community are fully satisfied with the provision of
foods and services.
One of Kerry's greatest strengths is in her establishment
of positive relationships with staff and students and her
ongoing flexibility which enables the canteen to run so successfully
- but in an environment which demands far more than the normal
school canteen. Kerry organises breakfast club for students,
morning teas and special lunches for staff, Principal's lunches
as rewards for students who have achieved excellence in their
studies at school, and dinners for teacher professional development
activities held after school hours.
Kerry is reliable and always supportive of requests of all
members of staff. She is an absolute delight to work with
and I highly recommend her for this very special award."
- Lyn Boyle, Principal
"Kerry is a cheerful and obliging person who takes considerable
pride in the services that are provided to the students and
staff at the college.
The quality and presentation of the food is very good and
she is constantly looking at alternative menus to give everyone
a wider range of choices but keeping in mind the requirements
of a healthy canteen.
Since starting up the canteen with a small number of students
and growing with the needs and increase in numbers of students,
Kerry has presented options to the school council for their
approval and has continually ensured all items fitted into
the appropriate ranges of the traffic lights for a healthy
canteen which is the requirement set down by the DEECD.
The school council president has complimented Kerry on her
work by personally visiting the canteen.
The students are offered special lunch days at various times
throughout the year to maintain the students' interest in
using the school's healthy canteen. Because of a close proximity
of local shops to the school, it is important to keep the
students within the school's grounds and have them eating
healthy menu items.
The canteen provides seating and a warm environment for the
students prior to school; this is further enhanced as Kerry
runs a breakfast club for the students during term 2 & 3.
The students are offered cereal, toast and hot Milo.
Kerry has been known to source canteen requirements outside
of working hours from other sources when existing suppliers
have been unable to meet her order requirement. This has resulted
in fresh supplies and choices being available to the clientele.
Student surveys conducted have demonstrated their satisfaction
in the way the canteen is being run by Kerry. Kerry willingly
has provided canteen services to the students at various venues
outside the school when the school has been conducting whole
school activities. She has also provided meals for staff during
professional development days, parent interview times and
numerous other school functions."
- Brian Trotter, Teacher and School Councillor
"…4 years ago I came into the canteen to volunteer my time.
The moment I walked into the canteen, I felt welcomed, Kerry
made me feel at home…Never a bad word about anyone, always
helpful, generous, understanding…
We get a lot of 'I forgot to let you know but we have a morning
tea or afternoon tea'. Kerry just says 'OK I will whip up
some sandwiches, fruit platters & cheese and biscuits'…I have
never heard her complain…
The canteen is always busy with children from Year 7 to
Year 12...We have plenty of laughs everyday and our work is
always done on time…It's my pleasure to go to work and enjoy
Kerry's company…Not only is she my work companion, Kerry Brown
is also a great friend to each person who has walked in the
canteen."
- Kristine Hedley, Canteen Assistant
"…I am an assistant in the Lara Secondary College canteen
and have worked with Kerry for 3 years.
Kerry is a very hard worker, going above and beyond her duties
to ensure a variety of healthy food options for all students
and staff.
She has started a free breakfast program for students coming
in early two mornings a week to ensure they start the day
with a full belly.
She's friendly, cheerful and always willing to do special
orders for students and staff no matter how busy or short
staffed the canteen is."
- Carol Jose, Canteen Assistant
"…I have been a volunteer…for one day a week for two and
a half years.
I want to say firstly we laugh, a lot, as we prepare
foods - all healthy & proud of it. There are 800+ children
at the school, but we laugh.
The canteen runs on a method & routine. Kerry and her assistant,
Kristine, show you the most efficient & time effective ways
to get the job done & then we are all into it.
Kerry handles the paperwork and orders. I just see everything
get delivered & put away with no fuss.
Kerry also deals with 70+ staff with anything from morning
Ts or sausage sizzles, to soups & evening meals for late meetings.
I truly can't think of a time or event that Kerry didn't cope
with.
Wednesday is a good day, it's my canteen day."
- Jennie Bowden, Canteen Volunteer
"I have been employed at Lara Secondary College for the last
four years as a Food Tech Assistant. Throughout this time,
I have had the pleasure to also work alongside a lovely person
whose name is Kerry Brown. Kerry is the College's canteen
manager. I consider her to be a huge asset to the school.
She has a bright and cheery personality which makes her very
approachable to everyone. Her cheeky sense of humour is always
sparking off lots of laughter and smiles, filling the canteen
with a great atmosphere. Her consistency with the students
on a daily basis is outstanding. Working with secondary students
can at times be very demanding but also very rewarding. She
makes the parent helpers and volunteers very welcome and also
much appreciated. Her ability to provide the school with a
healthy nutritious menu is a consistent challenge, but one
that she is well and truly capable of.
…a wonderful person, work colleague and friend."
- Sally Ong, Foods Technician
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