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Hillsdale Public SchoolsFood Allergy Guidelines
The administration and staff of the Hillsdale Public Schools recognizes the growing number of students with potentially life-threatening food allergies. As a district, we are committed to the safety of all our students. As school nurses, we recognize the responsibility to develop appropriate food allergy plans that detail emergency management and address conditions to prevent exposure to specific allergens. It is our belief that a collaborative partnership between school and family is the best way to achieve this goal while thoughtfully increasing the student's independence.
These guidelines are intended to address the specific needs of food allergic students and the creation of a safe environment for all students. Although the medical and health-related needs for each student are unique, the goal of these guidelines is to establish consistent practices throughout the district. It is important to note that the implementation of these guidelines will be considered in light of the developmental level of the students and may be modified to meet individual needs.
A collaborative relationship within the entire school community can provide a safe and healthy learning environment. As a result, parents and their children with food allergies will be able to make the transition between the safety of their home environment into the expanding world of school. When done well, this is one of the greatest lessons that a child with food allergies can learn. At the same time, classmates without food allergies can develop a greater understanding of individual differences along with the capacity for flexibility and increased compassion.
Please see the attached link for a document from the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) Organization concerning the latest national food allergy facts and statistics:
Required Forms for All Students with Life-Threatening Food Allergies
Students with life-threatening food allergies are required to submit a Food Allergy packet, along with the prescribed epinephrine auto-injector and any other medications specified in the Food Allergy Plan, at the beginning of each school year. This 5-page packet includes the following forms:
1. Food Allergy Plan (signed by physician and parent)
2. Authorization for Emergency Administration of the Epinephrine Auto-Injector
3. Authorization for Emergency Administration of the Epinephrine Auto-Injector by Designated Individual.
4. Parent/Guardian Permission to Release and Exchange Confidential Information
5. Allergen-Free Table Form
Classroom & Cafeteria Interventions and Field Trips
Ann Blanche Smith and Meadowbrook Schools
Classroom Interventions and Celebrations
All classrooms (not the cafeteria) are "Peanut/Tree Nut Free" and must observe the following guidelines:
1. For daily snacks, products containing peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews pistachios, etc.) and their oils are not permitted. Parents are required to check all ingredient labels and also understand that products with labeling such as "may contain nuts" or "produced in a facility that processes nuts" are not acceptable.
2. No class parties or celebrations, including food that are permitted with the exceptions of a grade-level picnic at both elementary schools: The Kindergarten Ice Pop Social at both elementary schools, and the Kindergarten Thanksgiving feast at Meadowbrook School. Parties and celebrations can be fun and meaningful without including food. For some great ideas that are safe and easy, please see the link below:
3. If parents or teachers choose to distribute goody bags, they must contain non-edible items.
4. Students are advised to wash their hands before and after consuming food.
5. Students are not permitted to share or swap food.
6. There are several days throughout the school year when students will eat their lunches in the classroom (Election Day and special assemblies). Parental notice will be provided in Friday's Folder. On these days, lunches brought to school must be free of peanuts, tree nuts, and their oils.
7. All classroom activities, holiday projects, and PTA/FFA-sponsored activities taking place during the school day must use non-edible items.
8. No latex balloons are permitted.
General Nutritional Snack Guidelines: Snacks should contain no more than 8 grams of total fat per serving and no more than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving. Sugar cannot be the first ingredient.
1. All beverages shall not exceed 12 ounces, except water or milk containing 2% or less fat.
2. Suggested snacks include fruits, vegetables, pretzels, cheese & crackers, and yogurt.
3. Please see the link below for the CDC's National Nutrition Standards for Food in Schools.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.htm
Cafeteria Interventions
1. All food served in the school cafeteria os provided by an outside food service vendor and may contain allergens, including peanuts and tree nuts. It is critical to remember that the ingredients in all products, along with labeling, are always changing. The responsibility of checking food labels and deciding to purchase remains with the parent(s). Please see the following link to the Hillsdale Schools website under "Child Nutrition Information" for additional information concerning our food service vendor and Wellness Policy.
https://www.hillsdaleschools.com/domain/439
2. While we believe that the safest lunch or snack is the one brought from home, our current food service vendor offers all parents of food allergic students the option of participating in their "Food Allergy Management Program." Please see the following link to the Hillsdale Schools website under "Child Nutrition Information" for further information about this program.
https://www.hillsdaleschools.com/domain/439
3. A Peanut/Tree Nut Free table is available to interested students with Peanut/Tree Nut allergies. If a student without such an allergy is invited to sit at his table, he or she must have a peanut/tree nut-free lunch.
4. An allergen-free table for other allergens (e.g. milk, soy, etc) is an available option for all food-allergic students with Food Allergy Plans.
5. Students are not permitted to share or swap food.
6. Students are advised to wash their hands before and after consuming food.
7. Lunch aides will provide hand wipes to students with lunches containing peanuts and tree nuts.
8. All peanut/tree nut-free tables will be cleaned by custodial staff with dedicated sponges and towels.
9. Additional interventions may be implemented to meet individual student needs.
Field Trips
1. A school nurse or trained epinephrine designee will be available during all school-sponsored field trips.
2. Parents of food-allergic students are encouraged, but not required, to accompany their children on field trips.
3. In an effort to promote the health and safety of all students, eating on the bus is prohibited.
4. The appropriateness of all field trips will be evaluated in consideration of the needs of all students. For example, a trip to a dairy farm would not be scheduled for a class with a milk-allergic student.
Classroom & Cafeteria Interventions and Field Trips
Classroom Interventions and Celebrations
All classrooms that are designated as "Peanut/Tree Nut Free" must observe the following guidelines: Currently, the Consumer Life Skills Room (201) is designated as such.
1. Please do not send in any product containing peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, etc.) or their oils. Products with labels indicating that they were produced in a facility that processes peanuts/tree nuts, on shared equipment, or with similar disclaimers are also not acceptable. Be sure to check all ingredients labels before purchasing. If you have any questions, please contact your school nurse.
2. For classroom activities including food (which are kept at a bare minimum), non-food items are strongly encouraged. All food must be in its original container with the nutrition label intact. All food must be brought to the nurse's office for approval prior to entering the classroom.
3. Homemade/bakery foods are not permitted since cross-contamination is always a possibility.
4. Birthday and holiday celebrations are not permitted.
5. For grade-level and school-wide activities, all food must be in its original container with the nutrition label intact. All food must be brought to the nurse's office for approval prior to entering the classroom.
6. All parents of students with food allergies are encouraged to send in a supply of safe snacks for their children.
7. Students with food allergies may eat food that has been approved by the nurse only with prior parental permission. If there are any safety concerns whatsoever, the food will not be served and the student will have one of the snacks that have been provided by his or her parent(s).
8. Students can have a variety of food allergies including dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, sesame, fruit, vegetables, food coloring, etc. Although only peanuts and tree nuts are prohibited, please remember that numerous factors are considered when assessing the safety of food before it enters a classroom and that is the reason for final approval by the nurse.
9. Although foods may be approved by the nurse, please remember that the final decision to serve food to the food allergic student rests with his or her own parent(s).
10. Students are advised to wash their hands before and after consuming foods.
11. Students are encouraged not to share or swap food.
12. There are several days throughout the school year when the cafeteria is being used and students in grades 5-8 will eat lunch in the gym. On those days, the usual lunch procedures will be followed.
13. Please remember that all food served in the school cafeteria is provided by an outside food service vendor and may contain allergens, including peanuts and tree nuts. It is critical to remember that the ingredients in all products, along with labeling, are always changing. The responsibility of checking food labels and deciding to purchase remains with the parent(s). Please see the link below to the Hillsdale Schools website for additional information concerning our food vendor. https://www.hillsdaleschools.com/domain/439
14. All classroom activities, holiday projects, and FFA-sponsored activities taking place during the school day must use non-edible items.
15. Pizza Day is an FFA sponsored fundraiser and the FFA will be solely responsible for providing the pizza with a strong emphasis on ovens that are safe in light of cross-contamination concerns. Ice pops will also be served.
16. No latex balloons are permitted.
General Nutritional Snack Guidelines: Snacks should contain no more than 8 grams of total fat per serving and no more than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving. Sugar cannot be the first ingredient.
1. All beverages shall not exceed 12 ounces, except water or milk containing 2% or less fat.
2. Suggested snacks include fruits, vegetables, pretzels, cheese & crackers, and yogurt.
3. Please see the link below for the CDC's National Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.htm
Cafeteria Interventions
1. Currently, we offer "Peanut/Tree Nut Free" and "Allergen Free" tables to interested parents of students with these allergies. If a student without such an allergy is invited to sit at his table, he or she must have a peanut-free/tree nut-free lunch.
2. While we believe that the safest lunch or snack is the one brought from home, our current food service vendor offers all parents of food allergic students the option of participating in their "Food Allergy Management Program." Please see the Hillsdale Schools website under "Child Nutrition Information" for additional information concerning our food service vendor.
3. An allergen-free table will be an available option for all food-allergic students.
4. Students are encouraged not to share or swap food.
5. Students are advised to wash their hands before and after consuming food.
6. Additional interventions may be implemented to meet individual student needs.
Resources
American Academy of Pediatrics www.aap.org
Food Allergy Research and Education Organization www.foodallergy.org
National Association of School Nurses www.nasn.org
New Jersey State Department of Education www.state.nj.us
New Jersey State Department of Health http://www.nj.gov/education/students/safety/health/services/allergies.pdf
Kids with Food Allergies http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/page/recipes-diet.aspx
