FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS
Recipe for success includes Renee Medford
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

Renee Medford and Rachel Carrizales

Troup ISD has a key ingredient in the recipe for success. That is Renee Medford, TISD's department head for child nutrition.

Medford is not new to the Troup campuses. Prior to beginning this new job in August of 2006, she had worked in accounts payable in administration. She was not looking for a new job, it just found her.

"Mr. Brown came to me and asked if I would be interested in the position," Medford said. After a bit more discussion she decided that maybe change was a good idea.

The bookkeeping skills she brought along with her were quite helpful. You might not think of food service requiring a great deal of accounting, but it does. Every single gram of fat, ounce of sugar and grain of rice must be accounted for, balanced and scheduled.

While she had many applicable skills coming into the food service management position, there was much to learn in a short period of time. Medford quickly made contact with the other area food service directors and joined the membership of the East Texas Food Service Directors. She attended several workshops right away to get up to speed on all the regulations and requirements.

One of the earliest hurdles Medford had to clear was a CRE evaluation. The Coordinated Review Effort (CRE) is a mandated USDA standardized review of districts participating in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and After School Snack Program by Texas Department of Agriculture. A district is reviewed once in a five-year cycle.

"I had no idea what this would bring," Medford said. "We were really pleased, we did very well."

Medford is not a Troupite, but feels very much at home in the Troup schools. Having been born and raised in the Henderson area and attended school in West Rusk, Troup is not too far from home. She and husband Kenny have lived in Turnertown for 27 years. They have raised three sons who have given them three wonderful grandchildren.

Before coming to Troup ISD, Medford worked in the West Rusk school district with special needs children. Her longtime friend from the West Rusk school days, Kathy Marshall, came to Troup and encouraged Medford to apply for the bookkeeping job those many years ago. Medford says she is certainly glad she did.

"I think TISD is the best school district around. I really appreciate the cooperation and encouragement that comes from the campuses and administration," Medford said. "I think this district is really headed in the right direction."

The feeling is mutual from the administration office.

"Renee is a focused individual with a superior work ethic," Supt. Marvin Beaty said. "She has learned a great deal about appropriate child nutrition and is employing her knowledge to the benefit of our students. She has developed a positive and strong relationship within the administrative team and is trusted by every campus principal. She loves kids which is a primary requisite for her position. We are very fortunate to have her on our team."

Medford had mounds of praise for her entire department of food service workers including the elementary cafeteria manager Mozelle Massey, Rachel Carrizales who manages the middle/high school cafeteria and Karen Osteen who is the floating manager.

When she is not counting beans and carbs at school, Medford enjoys traveling with husband Kenny. With the kids all grown, they can take off at a moments notice for a motorcycle ride with friends or even an impromptu trip to Colorado to experience a blizzard or two.

Renee Medford has certainly measured up to the expectations of TISD. And it appears that the proof is in the pudding.