(CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Teachers, staff, students and parents on each Madison campus must follow strict guidelines to satisfy requirements as an ‘allergy aware school.’

“All the schools in Madison City Schools are ‘allergy aware’ and take steps to avoid a student from experiencing a severe allergic reaction,” Bonnie Davis said. A registered nurse, Davis works as health services/school system nurse.

“Rainbow elementary seems to have more students with severe allergies, particularly to peanuts, than normal this year,” Davis said.

“Peanuts and tree nuts comprise the bulk of allergies in our school population and strict avoidance of these products is the only way to prevent a life-threatening allergic reaction,” Rainbow nurse Dee Smith said in an email announcement. “Several practices will be in place to help prevent allergic reactions.”

To thwart allergies, students wash their hands after any snack and lunch. Parents cannot send snacks that contain peanut or tree nut products into the classroom, Smith said. Classroom projects cannot involve these items.

“Parents who send a lunch from home for their child are free to pack the foods of their choice,” Smith said. “It’s our hope that families choose not to send foods containing peanuts or tree nuts.”

After each class leaves the cafeteria, an adult wipes tables with soap and water. Students with food allergies sit at the opposite end of the table from any student with ‘threatening’ products.

On special occasions in the classroom, “per Madison City Board policy, only foods brought in their original container with the ingredient label intact will be allowed,” Smith said. On field trips, students should not bring any of these food products.

In addition, students who eat breakfast at home should wash their hands with soap and water before arriving at school.

For more information, visit madisoncity.k12.al.us.

MADISON – Teachers, staff, students and parents on each Madison campus must follow strict guidelines to satisfy requirements as an ‘allergy aware school.’

“All the schools in Madison City Schools are ‘allergy aware’ and take steps to avoid a student from experiencing a severe allergic reaction,” Bonnie Davis said. A registered nurse, Davis works as health services/school system nurse.

“Rainbow elementary seems to have more students with severe allergies, particularly to peanuts, than normal this year,” Davis said.

“Peanuts and tree nuts comprise the bulk of allergies in our school population and strict avoidance of these products is the only way to prevent a life-threatening allergic reaction,” Rainbow nurse Dee Smith said in an email announcement. “Several practices will be in place to help prevent allergic reactions.”

To thwart allergies, students wash their hands after any snack and lunch. Parents cannot send snacks that contain peanut or tree nut products into the classroom, Smith said. Classroom projects cannot involve these items.

“Parents who send a lunch from home for their child are free to pack the foods of their choice,” Smith said. “It’s our hope that families choose not to send foods containing peanuts or tree nuts.”

After each class leaves the cafeteria, an adult wipes tables with soap and water. Students with food allergies sit at the opposite end of the table from any student with ‘threatening’ products.

On special occasions in the classroom, “per Madison City Board policy, only foods brought in their original container with the ingredient label intact will be allowed,” Smith said. On field trips, students should not bring any of these food products.

In addition, students who eat breakfast at home should wash their hands with soap and water before arriving at school.

For more information, visit madisoncity.k12.al.us.