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Thank you for your interest in the Sarasota District Schools' Dietetic Internship Program.   This Internship has an emphasis on School Food Service Management.

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Our Current Dietetic Interns for 2007-2008

Lauren    and    Valerie

2006-2007	2005-2006

The Program is based upon the Standards of Education of The American Dietetic Association (ADA) and provides students with supervised practice and didactic experiences that meet ADA core performance requirements, with a foodservice systems management emphasis, for entry-level practitioners. Students who successfully complete this Dietetic Internship Program are eligible to write the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) Registration Examination for Dietitians.

Please see Admission Requirements first to determine your eligibility for this Program.

Program Mission

The mission of the Dietetic Internship Program is to provide quality supervised practice and didactic training, with a focus in School Food Service Management. Students will develop the expertise and skills necessary to apply the nutrition knowledge and theory of their didactic education to the work environment.

Program Goals

The goals of the Dietetic Internship Program are to:

1. prepare dietetic interns for entry-level positions in dietetics,
2. prepare dietetic interns to perform the variety of tasks that are required for operating successful school food service departments,
3. prepare dietetic interns to positively impact on the quality and adequacy of food and nutrition services for children and adolescents.

 

Left to right, Sara , Fran  and Randy , with Beverly Girard, Director of Food and Nutrition Services.

Dietetic Interns, April  and Jeff , demonstrate the recipes they created, Chick-A-Roni and JT's Taco Bake, to Sarasota County Food and Nutrition Managers. These original recipes will be served to students in schools throughout Sarasota County as part of the Food and Nutrition Services menu in March, 2005.

Food & Nutrition Services

Food and Nutrition Services of the Sarasota County School District provides food service and nutrition education to 41,000 students in 45 elementary and secondary schools and programs throughout Sarasota County. With the motto “We Feed the Future,” the mission of FNS is for well-trained employees, as part of a financially responsible and stable department, to serve attractive and tasty meals in a pleasant environment. Nutritional integrity of meals and nutrition education are the focal points of the department.

Program Schedule & Components

The Dietetic Internship Program begins each August and continues on a full-time basis for ten months. Four weeks of vacation are scheduled during the 10-month program. The 43-week program of supervised practice and didactic training will consist of:

• One week of orientation
• Seventeen weeks of food service management (school food service) in three school districts (includes four weeks of staff experience);
• Five weeks of school nutrition education activities (includes two weeks of staff experience);
• Ten weeks of nutrition therapy in community hospitals;
• Six weeks of community nutrition in a county health department, a food bank, and a diabetes treatment service.

Requirements for Completion

Satisfactory performance on all required assignments, projects, curricula, rotation objectives, case studies, presentations, and exams, and compliance with policies and procedures are required for completion of the Dietetic Internship Program. In addition, interns must demonstrate behaviors consistent with the "Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics," and communication, customer service, and employability skills.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in nutrition and/or dietetics from an accredited university or college,
• Didactic Program in Dietetics Verification Statement from your program director,
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended,
• Supervised Practice Program application (see Application Forms),
• Three professional letters of recommendation with completed standard ADA recommendation forms (see Application Forms) from the following individuals:
  1. Food service management instructor;
  2. Other dietetics program instructor;
  3. Work experience supervisor.

  You must indicate on the form the type of reference (1-3 above). If you cannot obtain one of the references above, please explain in a cover letter.

• Please answer the following questions. Responses should be approximately one typewritten, double-spaced page per question:
  1. Given the variety of dietetic internships, why are you applying to this specific dietetic internship? 
  2.  What are your short- and long-term professional goals?
• Minimum overall GPA of 2.75,
• Computer matching process (see Computer Matching),
• Application fee ($35); send check made out to Sarasota District Schools with application.
• Telephone interview as requested and arranged (March, 2008) by Food and Nutrition Services, Sarasota District Schools, and
• Successful completion of fingerprinting, background check, and verification of health status and immunizations, upon acceptance into the program.
• For all application materials required, signatures must be original and not photocopies. Transcripts must be officially obtained from the college or university and not photocopies made by the applicant.
• Please note that application materials will not be returned to the applicant.
• All application materials, including application form, recommendation forms, transcripts, verification forms, essay and fee must be postmarked by February 15, 2008 and should be addressed to the Program Director (see Additional Information).

Student Costs

The following costs are expected to be covered by the dietetic intern:

• $1,500 tuition fee;
• physical exam including TB test and titers ($100-$200);
• fingerprinting and processing fee ($60);
• professional and medical insurance coverage ($35/varies);
• membership in professional organizations ($100);
• travel to and attendance at Florida School Food Service Association’s Annual Conference ($300);
• textbooks ($200-$250);
• white laboratory coat and food service uniforms ($250);
• food and housing ($5,000-$10,000); and
• transportation and expenses for travel to rotation sites throughout Sarasota, Lee, Hillsborough and other assigned counties (varies).

Total costs, including food and housing, are estimated to be between $9,000 and $13,000.

Accreditation Status

The Dietetic Internship Program within Food and Nutrition Services of the Sarasota County School District, Florida, is currently granted initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association, 216 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312/899-5400.

Additional Information

Inquiries concerning the Sarasota District Schools' Dietetic Internship Program should be directed to:

Beverly L. Girard, M.B.A., M.S., R.D.
Dietetic Internship Program Director
Food and Nutrition Services
School Board of Sarasota County
101 Old Venice Road
Osprey, Florida 34229
(941) 486-2199
Fax: (941) 486-2021

If you do not receive a response to your e-mail, please call 941-486-2199 with your e-mail address so that we may contact you.

Computer Matching

All applicants to this Dietetic Internship Program must participate in computer matching. Applicants should request instructions and a mark/sense card to prioritize their internship preferences. This material can be obtained from any CADE-approved Didactic Program in Dietetics or from D & D Digital Systems. The request should be made to allow turnaround time for submitting by a February 15, 2008 postmark deadline. There is a $50 charge for computer matching that is due with the applicant’s prioritized ranking.

Please telephone or write for complete computer matching instructions to:

D & D Digital Systems
304 Main Street, Suite 301
Ames, Iowa 50010-6148

Phone:	(515) 292-0490
Fax:	(515) 663-9427
e-mail:	dnd@netins.net

Computer matching forms must be completed by each applicant and postmarked on or before the D & D Digital Systems' stated deadline date for spring appointments.

Please refer to www.eatright.org for a complete description of Applicant Responsibilities in the computer matching process (as delineated by CADE of the ADA).