SRS and SRNS Nut-Aware Policy
As with the general population, St. Raphael School and Nursery School are seeing an increased number of children with severe nut allergies, including potentially life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. Complete avoidance of peanut butter and nut products is the only way to prevent these children from having an allergic reaction. This reality has necessitated the elimination of peanut butter and nut products from the classrooms and lunchroom at St. Raphael School and Nursery School. We ask our families that no type of food containing peanut butter and/or nut products be sent to school. This applies to all food coming into the school building, including lunches, snacks, and special- occasion foods. We will continue to allow home-baked snacks into SRS and SRNS; however, we ask that these home-baked snacks also be completely free of peanut butter and nut products, including oils and flours. While we strive to be nut free, we realize it is impossible to eliminate all foods, as some foods may contain trace amounts of nuts because they were processed in a facility that also processes nuts. With that in mind, we ask that parents of children with allergies approve the home-baked snack for their child and/or provide a “safe snack.” We realize that this may cause some inconveniences, but we believe that the health of our children with these intense reactions must be a priority. In addition, we have a policy of not sharing food, and we request that this be reinforced with your children, especially those with food allergies. As we strive to provide a nut-free environment, please recognize that our facilities are used for many purposes (by the church community and outside groups), and we cannot guarantee our facilities are completely nut free. We do appreciate all efforts to make our facilities as safe as possible for all who use them.
If you have questions regarding our nut-aware policy, contact the School Nurse at nurse@straphaels.org or 301-762-2143 x136.