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Culinary in the Classroom
Teacher Resources
Curious about ProStart? Wondering how to get started at your school? Created by current ProStart teachers and the ProStart Coordinator, the Wisconsin ProStart Teacher’s Handbook covers many aspects of the ProStart program, from implementation to SLOs, recipes, sample syllabi, and so much more. Available as a hard copy or a pdf, contact our ProStart Coordinator to get yours and get started today!
VIRTUAL TEACHER TRAINING
The 2020 ProStart Teacher Training will be held virtually via Zoom due to COVID-19.
Registration deadline July 6
Registration is $100 which includes access to all four hour-long trainings and eligibility for the $100 WI Beef Council Grant
Monday, July 13th: 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Building Business Partnerships in Your Community
- Forming connections with local industry leaders can be tricky. Learn how to form and sustain the partnership to maximize the impact business partnerships can make on your program.
Monday, July 20th: 9:30 am – 10:30 am
ProStart Curriculum Resources: What’s Available
- Lauren Robin with the National Restaurant Association Solutions team will join us to show us Foundations of Restaurant Management & Culinary Arts resources to use in the ProStart Program.
Monday, July 27th: 9:30 am – 10:30 am
FCS Instructor Huddle: Best Practices for Teaching Virtually
- Join fellow educators to talk about how you are adapting to virtual teaching and best strategies on student engagement for ProStart or Culinary/Foods class.
Monday, August 3rd: 9:30 am - 10:30 am
ProStart Program Annual Update
- Alex Vernon with the Wisconsin Restaurant Association Education Foundation will share updates from the WI ProStart Program and field any questions pertaining to the program.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR TEACHER TRAINING SPONSORS
National Level Continued Education
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation offers week-long Summer Institutes at post-secondary institutions throughout the country. There are four levels of trainings, during which participants:
- Earn restaurant/foodservice educator certification
- Learn from faculty composed of nationally recognized content experts
- Network among peers
- Tour restaurant and foodservice facilities
- Receive classroom materials
More information, including dates, locations, and scholarship information, can be found at www.chooserestaurants.org.
National Certificate of Achievement
The ProStart® National Certificate of Achievement (COA) is an industry-recognized certificate awarded to students who have passed the national exams and have completed mentored work experience.
Industry Knowledge
Earning the COA demonstrates a commitment to and knowledge of the industry. Employers can be assured that ProStart graduates are better prepared for work in restaurant operations.
Financial Support
ProStart graduates earn special benefits like transfer credits at many colleges and universities in Wisconsin and nationwide, saving money on college tuition. And, exclusive scholarships are available to ProStart alumni who earn their COA.
COA Student Responsibilities
- Register on the ProStart website
- Use your legal name each time you access
- Exams and work experience hours are tracked online
- Pass the Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts Level 1 and Level 2 exams
- Work and document at least 400 hours in the foodservice industry
- Up to 200 hours may be earned through in-school work (catering, school foodservice, school-based enterprise, etc.)
- Competition practices or workshops do not count toward required hours
- Demonstrate proficiency on over 50 workplace competencies
- Send completed Student Work Experience Checklist and documentation of 400 hours to the ProStart teacher
COA Teacher Responsibilities
Teachers must be registered as a ProStart Educator on the ProStart website. Teachers may search for any student at their school to see a student’s
COA application status once the student has completed at least one exam.
- Administer student exams
- Examine and confirm work experience documentation
- Examine and confirm the completed Student Work Experience Checklist to make sure 52 of 75 competencies were reached
After student submits all online COA information, mail all documentation to Alex Vernon, Wisconsin’s ProStart Coordinator at: 2801 Fish Hatchery Road • Madison, WI 53713
Transfer Credit Opportunities
Once students have earned the COA, they are eligible for college credits at many post-secondary institutions both state and nationwide. Current Wisconsin COA credit offerings are:
| Blackhawk Technical College | |
| Culinary Arts Program | |
| Sanitation Management, 316 – 120* *with valid ServSafe certificate |
1 Credit |
| Food Service Quantities and Measures, 316 – 104 | 1 Credit |
| Fox Valley Technical College | |
| Culinary Arts Program or Hotel and Restaurant Management Program | |
| Introduction to Hospitality, 109 – 152 | 3 Credits |
| Sanitation for Food Service Operations, 316 – 101* *if ServSafe certified within 3 years |
1 Credit |
| Introduction to Food Production, 316 – 118 | 3 Credits |
| Gateway Technical College | |
| Culinary Arts Program | |
| Culinary Skills 1, 316-131 | 4 Credits |
| Sanitation and Hygiene, 316-170 | 1 Credit |
| Madison College | |
| Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Program | |
| Exploring Hospitality, 10-109-101 | 3 Credits |
| Principles of Sanitation, 10-316-101 | 1 Credit |
| Food Theory. 10-316-106 | 2 Credits |
| Professional Cooking I, 10-316-111 | 4 Credits |
| Internship, 10-316-194 | 2 Credits |
| Nicolet Area Technical College | |
| Culinary Arts | |
| Internship, 10-316-190 | 2 Credits |
| Safety and Sanitation, 10-316-121 | 2 Credits |
| Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | |
| Culinary Specialist, Hospitality Management or Business Management – Hotel and Restaurant Program | |
| Restaurant Management, 10-109-168 | 3 Credits |
| Food Sanitation, 10-316-118 *with valid ServSafe certificate |
1 Credit |
| University of Wisconsin – Stout | |
| Hospitality Leadership Program | |
| Introduction to Hospitality HT-100 | 2 Credits |
| Principles of Foodservice Operation HT-121 | 3 Credits |
| Institutional Food Purchasing HT-150 | 2 Credits |
| Hospitality Elections HT-XXX | 3 Credits |
Many more articulation agreements are currently being updated so check back at this page for more articulation agreements in the future!
Check out the National Collegiate ProStart Passport for a list of credits offered at schools around the country.
Please contact ProStart Coordinator Alex Vernon at avernon@wirestaurant.org with any questions.
Related Links
Get Involved
Help inspire tomorrow’s chefs, managers, operators, suppliers and foodservice educators by getting involved in Wisconsin’s ProStart® program.
ProStart
ProStart® is a nationwide curriculum and mentoring program designed to introduce high school students to the skills needed for careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry.
Alumni
Become a member of the Wisconsin ProStart Alumni group to help facilitate ongoing relationships and cooperation within the foodservice and hospitality industry.