All Staff

• At the beginning of each school year, the Certified School Nurse will offer training to school staff in order for them to understand food allergies, recognize symptoms, know what to do in an emergency situation, and will work with other school staff to eliminate or substitute the use of food allergens in the allergic student’s meals, educational/instructional tools and materials, arts and crafts projects, or incentives.
• General training content should include the following:
  • An overview of food allergies.
  • Definitions of key terms, including food allergy, major allergens, epinephrine, and anaphylaxis.
  • The difference between potentially life-threatening food allergy and other food-related problems.
  • Signs and symptoms of a food allergy reaction and anaphylaxis and information on common emergency medications.
  • General strategies for reducing and preventing exposure to allergens (in food and nonfood items).
  • Policies on bullying and harassment and how they apply to children with food allergies consistent with State Law and Board policy. Visit the district's HIB portal for additional details or speak to the school's Anti-Bullying Specialist.
  • The school’s or ECE program’s emergency plans, including who will be contacted in the case of an emergency, how staff will communicate during a medical emergency, and what essential information they will communicate.
• At the beginning of each school year, the Certified School Nurse will offer training to any volunteer staff member who is willing to become a District Epi -Pen Delegate. Any staff member who might interact with children with food allergies or be asked to help respond to a food allergy emergency should be trained. Examples include administrators, nutrition and food service staff (including contract staff ), classroom and specialty teachers, athletic coaches, school counselors, bus drivers, custodial and maintenance staff, therapists, paraeducators, special education service providers, librarians and media specialists, security staff, substitute teachers, and volunteers such as playground monitors and field trip chaperones.
• At the beginning of each school year, the Certified School Nurse will instruct the faculty and any adjunct staff member on the immediate need to initiate a “Code Blue” medical emergency in the case of a suspected anaphylactic reaction.

In-depth training for staff who have frequent contact with children with food allergies

In addition to general food allergy training, in-depth training is needed for staff who are responsible for a specific child with food allergies during the day.

Examples include specifically identified classroom and specialty teachers; paraeducators; athletic coaches; bus drivers; food service managers; other staff members who prepare, handle, or serve food.

This training should include the following:

• How to respond to a food allergy emergency.
• How to administer epinephrine with an auto-injector (for those formally delegated to do so).
• How to help children manage their own food allergy episodes.
• Importance of giving emotional support to children with food allergies and to other children who might witness a severe food allergy reaction (anaphylaxis).
• Common risk factors, triggers, and areas of exposure to food allergens in schools.
• Specific strategies for fully integrating children with food allergies into school and class activities while reducing the risk of exposure to allergens in classrooms, during meals, during nonacademic outings, on field trips, during official activities before and after school programs, and during events sponsored by schools that are held outside of regular hours. These strategies could address (but are not limited to) the following:
  • Special seating arrangements when age and circumstance appropriate (e.g., during meal times, birthday parties).
  • Plans for keeping foods with allergens separated from foods provided to children with food allergies.
  • Rules on how staff and students should wash their hands and clean surfaces to reduce the risk of exposure to food allergens.
  • The importance of not sharing food.
  • How to read food labels to identify food allergens.

Awareness for Families

• At the start of the school year, parents will be informed of the District’s Food Guidelines and District Policy 5331 for managing life threatening allergies.
• At the elementary school level, classroom teachers will reinforce the district’s Guidelines for food consumption in the classroom and during occasional celebrations. A classroom letter will be sent to all parents in that class informing them of our guidelines and protocol.
• Although not required, a parent of a child with severe food allergies may choose to work with the classroom teacher to send a letter to their fellow classroom parents explaining their child’s food allergy and requesting no nut products be sent to school for snacks. In addition, they may include their contact information and request advance notice of any birthday and celebration food items that will be offered at the events.
• The Middle School level will inform parents of any occasional celebration that may occur during the school day with a list of all items that will be offered.
• Food Allergy Awareness Tips will be posted on the District Health Portal and included in the weekly e-blast from the principal on a periodic basis to promote awareness and inform the community. Resources for the tips can be found on the RESOURCES portion of this portal.

Parent Groups

Annually, all parents will be directed to the districts Food Allergy Guidelines for information on ways to increase their awareness and understanding of food allergies, the policies and practices that protect children with food allergies, the roles of all staff members in protecting children with food allergies, and the measures parents of children with and without food allergies can take to help ensure this protection.