Peanut Free Store
More Articles
Peanut Allergy
You already know that if you or your child has a peanut allergy you need to avoid peanut butter. Some...
Food Allergies
There are many reasons why you may want to substitute almond flour for wheat flour in recipes. Of course, if you have a...
Food
Are you looking for peanut-free candies as a special treat for a child with...
Food
Do you have a child with peanut allergies and an upcoming birthday? Perhaps you'd like to bake a...
Food
Most nut butters provide all the same benefits: an easy sandwich spread, a great dip for veggies, a fun addition to a smoothie. But not...
Remembered.
The vice principal said something about *ownership* of the allergy which is terminology that makes my head explode even though I understand we're talking about a nearly 8 year old and not a 2 year old. I told her that Jesse had been reading food labels since he was 4 years old. (Right now, my bifocals need changed and I actually got Jesse to read a label for me in the grocery store within the last couple of hours on a cookie I have to post about although I think erik did and I just can't find the thread).
I said that *normally* at this age, I would begin to involve Jesse in actually meeting with the school to go over his written school plan but that the feel I got from the phone calls on Wednesday and Thursday suggested to me that it would be better off if he stayed home. I do know that he was with me at the meeting last year but he didn't participate in it.
I do know that I spoke with Jesse about the "may contain" clause which I decided to leave in (as if any of his written school plan matters to-day, this moment [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/mad.gif[/img] ) and he wanted the clause to remain in as well. He just had an anaphylactic reaction in December month and I think it's okay for him to be being cautious even though he would never eat anyone else's food.
Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
------------------
Cindy,
I can not believe what is happening to you.
What is the name of your School Board?
I must say that my daughter's school (and School Board) has proven to be nothing less than positive regarding her peanut allergy.
I went to my daughter's school August 21 and gave them pamphlets, video and trainers that I received from DEY and the principal was very happy to show it at the staff meeting this past week.
I'll reply more later I gotta go now I have a sick 4 year old.
Quote:Originally posted by Codyman:
[b]Cindy,
I can not believe what is happening to you.
What is the name of your School Board?
[/b]
Yes.. never heard of a principal like this... hopefully if u go up a few levels you can get someone more helpful as DebO suggested.
Cindy,
My PA daughter says that it isn't nice what the school is doing, she also asked "what if something (meaning peanut product) drips on a desk and he has a reaction when he is in the classroom?"
I would go to the Director of Education, since you said it was the same school board -- not school your son attended last year!! I would also send e-mails as Deb O suggested and send them daily -- even if it is the same e-mail, keep sending them until you get a response.
I don't understand why there is no supervision on the playground or why the "parent council" approved eating on the playground -- this is NOT a decision for parent council but rather an administration decision. Parent council's have strict guidelines for what they can and can not make "decisions" or rather "suggestions" on.
I'll ask some of my teacher friends to see what they have to say and see if they have any suggestions.
Codyman, we're in Hastings Prince Edward school board district. We have had the same written school plan and basically the same school board policy (school board policies are not generic or uniform in Ontario but basically the same with only slight wording changes) in both Hastings Prince Edward and Simcoe County in Ontario.
I spoke with the other member yesterday who I consider *the* school board policy expert in Ontario (IMHO). Her school board policy is in another part of Ontario.
She confirmed that the principal was going against school board policy (she has physically seen a copy of mine from Simcoe County and the Hastings Prince Edward County one is basically the same, except, as I say, for slight wording changes).
Her advice to me was to be on the phone all day tomorrow to different people and follow the advice that Deb O. gave me as well and keep coming at them until it was resolved. She was even willing to come from a very far location in this province to speak with my son's school on my behalf! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
No, not tomorrow, Tuesday.
So, I'm basically sitting here, except for being able to e-mail people, until Tuesday when my son *should* be in school.
I continue to be ticked right off, but mostly right now I am emotionally exhausted.
The only hope I do hold is that Jesse's teacher, despite the administration in the school, "may" be okay. I've always preferred working closely with his teachers and have found that usually works without the administration being involved (JK, SK, Grade 1) but I do remember his JK/SK teacher getting in trouble for something re PA from the principal and she had to keep her distance from me because she would be in trouble with her boss. It was a really sad situation that I can't even remember the cause of because the woman was wonderful and caring and she knew what was happening was wrong but didn't want to lose her job on the other hand.
To-day, I'm throwing my hands up in the air and resting despite what *should* be done around here (it seems to be that the other adult in the house is having a relaxing week-end and I'm the only one working full-time on this so what the heck?). I also find it ironic that out of three people in my house, it's the 44 year old that goes to school on Tuesday and not the 8 year old and the 5 year old.
I have been thinking about whether Ember *should* go to school on Tuesday but she doesn't want to go without her brother and I can understand that because it is a new school for her. Now, if he was going to be out of school for months, obviously, I'd have to think differently but if it is for one day, two days, or the week of four days, I think she'll be okay out. It is heartbreaking though. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/frown.gif[/img]
Many thanks and best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
------------------
Oh, Codyman, no one was in the schools here until April 25th. I would have given anything to get this ball rolling earlier, especially when I know that some schools do send out letters in June month (that is, if you're not changing schools). Jesse's last school is trying to find the It Only Takes One Bite video to send to the new school. Sitting beside me at the meeting on Friday was his computer keyboard and mouse that the previous school had sent to the new one (he got this after another member here posted about her child having a reaction to residue on a keyboard).
Oh, and there are children eating daily in the library of this school.
Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
------------------
Cindy- you mentioned that there is no supervision while the kids eat lunch or while they are on the playground. This shocks me! Especially with 500 children attending. I wonder who takes care of all the skinned knees and other injuries that occur on the playground ( at DS's school - same population- we treated up to 15 kids during they *play time* outside). What would happen if a child was choking, I wonder?
Do they eat in the classrooms? I attended a few workshops last year when I worked in our school's lunch program and was suprised to find out that some schools - even with supervisors, have the children eat lunch in the halls - sitting on the floor.
DS's school also allows food on the playground - something I want to see changed, but his principal is unwilling to budge. Luckily, DS plays soccer out on the field most days and few kids take snacks out there - not that they couldn't. I've often seen Reese's PB cup wrappers and granola bar wrappers in the garbage cans, but as DS gets older, he has become more aware, and avoids anyone eating a snack outside.
Keep us posted, Cindy! Hope you get things worked out.
Quote:Originally posted by mae:
[b]Cindy- you mentioned that there is no supervision while the kids eat lunch or while they are on the playground. This shocks me! Especially with 500 children attending. I wonder who takes care of all the skinned knees and other injuries that occur on the playground ( at DS's school - same population- we treated up to 15 kids during they *play time* outside). What would happen if a child was choking, I wonder?
Do they eat in the classrooms? I attended a few workshops last year when I worked in our school's lunch program and was suprised to find out that some schools - even with supervisors, have the children eat lunch in the halls - sitting on the floor.
[/b]
*Personally Speaking??*
[i]I'll take a liability driven society anyday.[/i]
Hi Cindy,
With that principal you have, I see many problems. Hopefully your teacher will be more sensible and will be willign to work with you.
But considering there is no supervision in the school yard (who ever heard of this??) and kids can eat peanut butter cups in the school yard, I think there is a big problem.
Even if his superiors manage to make the principal ban eating in the schoolyard, who will enforce this. I can just imagine the principal walking around the schoolyard and seeing students eating pb cups, and thinking "who cares?"... and ignoring it... I can see him saying "who cares" if parents send M&Ms with their child's lunch.
You can fight like crazy if you want, but in order to preserve your sanity and to prevent getting an ulcer, the other school within walking distance sounds like a better bet to me.
Let us know how your meetings go this week. Maybe it's time to move to a bigger city such as Ottawa or Kingston where they are more in sync with the times. Good luck! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
I was quite shocked that there was eating on the playground only because Jesse has attended two schools in Stayner (we didn't move but they built a new school) and this would have been his third school in Belleville. So, four schools so far (not this one) and I have never seen eating allowed on the playground. The reason that was in place (or that I was always given) was that there were children anaphylactic to bees. Also, think about the custodian having to clean up all that garbage/litter every day.
I have never heard of eating on the playground. And in Jesse's written school plan, it does say that there is to be no eating on the playground.
Of course, this is with the understanding that of course children in the older grades especially are probably going to sneak food into the playground regardless.
When I spoke with the other member yesterday, she said that her child's school does allow eating on the playground. Now, her child's school plan was the same as mine so I'm not sure if she has been able to have that difficulty taken care of.
The whole situation, even if Jesse is given the "peanut free" classroom sounds problematic to me. 500 children eating on the playground = increased risk to me. Children eating in the library = increased risk to me (I mean, my son).
All I can see and it's not even nice to say, and touch wood and all, but even after I get the written school plan in place, if I even can, I suspect Jesse will have a reaction at this school. That's something I could throw in their faces liability wise, but I'm not sure these people even care about liability.
I do. And I would not hesitate.
erik, I had thought when I was Stuck in Stayner that I had difficulties with the school because it was a small community. I remember another member from here contacting me and saying no, that's not true. And you know what? Stayner had a population 1/10th of the size of Belleville and yet by the time we left the principal was running a "reduce the risk" school and had seen her number of PA students increase from 1 (Jesse) to at least 5.
I really don't think the size of the community has anything to do with them "getting it" but it did take me a long time to understand this.
I think what has happened is I've run across an a**hole and that's it. And a**holes are everywhere. Even a move to Kingston or Ottawa doesn't mean I wouldn't come across an a**hole principal pulling the same kind of crap.
However, I think there may be some merit to the strength in numbers thing - i.e., more PA children, the school is more "accommodating" (I hate that word when it comes to my child).
The other school is a half hour walk.
I still have a lot of things whirling around in my head but I'm trying to figure out if there is any way in he** that I can get my kids bused to the one school that had a policy that was school specific.
I'd like to thank everyone for their caring and concern. I'm off to bed. I am quite simply worn out and know that I will be ready to go again Tuesday morning but it was very upsetting tonight even in the grocery store to see everyone else doing back-to-school shopping when I wasn't.
Thank-you everyone. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
------------------
Pages