Nutrition with Denise Russo, MS RD CGEI

Welcome to Nutrition! (Act of Nutrition clients, please visit actofnutrition.wix.com/act-of-nutrition) This blog is designed to answer questions that students might have about the various classes that I teach. All sections are introductory nutrition classes. Use this blog to find information about course offerings, texts, office hours, and a little bit about me, along with how to contact me. If you have unanswered questions, you can email me, as well.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Orientation Video: Cabrillo Online Learners

The following is a link to the orientation video created for the online class. It does start basic (with log-in info) but also goes over the course requirements. Please check out the video if you have any questions about class organization.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Zjqk-fsrE

Also, all classes are FULL! They may not show up that way in Web Advisor as add codes are NOT working for many students but I have over-enrolled all classes. I will add students, as able, if other students drop the course this week.

Eat well, play fit,
Denise

Orientation Room and Time Change

Attention Cabrillo Online Learners:

The orientation is now in room 454 and, as noted previously, will start at 7 pm.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Welcome Back Cabrillo

Cabrillo students return to school on Monday, Feb 6th. In order to prevent being dropped from a class, face-to-face students must attend the first day. Online students will need to attend the orientation on Monday night OR send me an email by 6 pm on 2/6 to let me know if you have a conflict. The orientation times has changed to start at 7 pm.

Please note that all classes will have a Blackboard component which is where you will find the syllabus (face-to-face students) or the Course Information folder (online students). I will not be bringing hard copies to class.

Access to Blackboard will occur by Monday morning and you can log in anytime to see what information is there for you.

I have sent a Welcome To Class email to all online learners and will send one to all to all face-to-face (F2F) students by Friday night. If you do not receive this email and you have an email address registered with the college, then send me an email (through Cabrillo's home page) so that I can make sure that I have your correct email address.

In the meantime, enjoy your last weekend off and happy Super Bowl.

Eat well, play fit,
Denise

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Orientation Video: West Valley Learners

Greetings West Valley students....Here is a link to a video on youtube that I have created to help you navigate our course more smoothly. This 20 minute orientation should answer many of your how-to questions. And, although it doesn't show on my face, once the camera was off, I really WAS smiling at all of you. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bucB9T4O8Co

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Spring Session, 2012

Spring session begins January 30th at West Valley and February 6th at Cabrillo College. The syllabus for all classes will be made available to you, electronically, the first day of class, in Angel (West Valley students) and Blackboard (Cabrillo students). Please use this blog to find information about textbook requirements, office hours, orientation (online Cabrillo students) and the add process.

ENROLLED STUDENTS:
It is very important that ALL ENROLLED students confirm their planned attendance for class on the first day of school. For Cabrillo students, this requires being in class on Monday, Feb 6th. (Online students have an orientation scheduled on Monday night, from 7-9 pm in room 450.) For West Valley students (all online), you must send an email to me between January 27th and January 30th stating that you are confirming your intent to participate in class. The waitlists for all classes is long so, without your confirmation, I may have to drop you in order to add a waitlisted student.

WAITLISTED STUDENTS:
If you are on the waitlist, you will need to contact me to request an add code.
West Valley students will need to send me an email, requesting to add.
Cabrillo F2F students will need to attend lecture on Monday morning, requesting to add.
Cabrillo Online students will need to attend the orientation on Monday evening, Feb 6th and request to add.

I am not always able to add all waitlisted students (as each class has a cap), but I will do my best to add as many as possible.

*Please note, if you are a Cabrillo online learner, and you have a conflict with the orientation, send me an email prior to that date so that you are not dropped from the course.

If you have other questions that are not answered on this blog, please send me an email and I will reply at my earliest convenience.

Eat well, play fit,
Denise C. Russo, MS RD CDE

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Course Offerings

Spring, 2015

Cabrillo CAHM 20 (Nutrition): Begins January 26 & 27.
Face-to-Face students must attend the first day of class (8 or 9:30) to prevent being dropped.

Online students need to email confirmation and attend an orientation from 7-9 in room 401 on Monday, 1/26.

West Valley NS15 (Nutrition) Begins March 16 (late start, 8 week) with an emailed orientation sent.

Updates Available on Our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nutrition-with-Denise-Calafato-Russo-MS-RD-CDE/209236099092535?sk=wall

Confirmation of Enrolled Students
All enrolled students are required to confirm their intent to participate on the first day of class. Face-to-face students must attend the first lecture. Online students must complete one Intro assignment by the end of the first week (full-term classes). I am required to drop students who do not "attend/participate in" class.

Adds

Wait-listed students need to contact me (attend class for face-to-face classes, attend orientation for Cabrillo online class or send email for West Valley online) on the first day of class to inquire about space availability. My ability to add is dependent on available space.
Students who are not wait-listed should please contact me the first day of school regarding the possibility of adding.

Textbooks

All Classes: Wardlaw's Perspectives in Nutrition: A Functional Approach, 1st ed and ConnectPlus with ebook.

Please note that this is a new book to my classes at Cabrillo and West Valley. I am trying to find a way to reduce costs for the items that we need. The low cost version is going to include the ebook, the diet analysis software and a product known as LearnSmart which is a tool to enhance learning. It will not include a physical copy of the book.

Currently, both bookstores are offering the textbook (softbound) along with Connect Plus (which includes the above items). Once I set up our classes, I will be sending a link if you prefer to just purchase Connect Plus and skip any physical copy of the textbook. This electronic option will be less expensive. In addition, you can opt to add the softbound copy and will save some money compared to the bookstore but will have to wait for delivery. Using the current book is going to be necessary for classroom success as the LearnSmart app is based on the book as are the quizzes.

About Me

Avocados, cheese and chocolate (but sometimes I prefer a different sweet) fall on my Top 10 Favorite Foods to eat list (in alphabetical order) and I never start my day without coffee. Once I realized that my body had other needs than what those foods could provide, I decided to learn more about what was needed. It was then that I completed my BS in Nutrition at Cal Poly, SLO. I found the topic so fascinating that I set a long-term goal of being an instructor at my local community college and obtained my MS in Nutrition at SJSU. Along the way, diabetes became a part of my family history so I set out to gain practical experience and I worked as a clinical Registered Dietitian for over 10 years, with a specialization in Diabetes. While working with both adolescents and pregnant women with diabetes I earned my Certified Diabetes Educator credential. I bring this practical experience into the classroom to the benefit of my students (although it might require hearing one of my “stories”). I have been teaching general nutrition since the mid-1990's.

My students hear me say that "nutrition is only part of the equation". Physical activity is another modifiable part of the equation that promotes living long and well. I like to call it "play." Therefore, when I am not at work, chances are good you might find me running in Nisene Marks, teaching a group fitness class at Seascape Sports Club (Cycle or Boot Camp), coaching a girls soccer team or flag football team, or attending a sporting event at the high school, taking photos of the athletes. During triathlon season, you might also find me in the pool or out on a bike ride with my husband (drivers use caution). Downtime (rare) is spent on the beach with my family or, if it is quiet enough, reading a book (possibly one of the Harry Potters or in my current, favorite genre of historical fiction).
And, if you visit me in my kitchen, you might just find me enjoying an avocado and cheese sandwich.