The teacher actually stepped up at our 504 team meeting the day before school, and said HE wanted to supply all of the classroom treats for the four parties during the year!  He said he was very worried about other parents bringing in the wrong thing. So he'll buy them from the list I provided, and then let me know what he's bringing to the party, so I can send in a "matching" treat for my daughter. At this point, that's the system she and I are most comfortable with, particularly since it was a teacher who gave her the food that put her in the hospital. No matter who's buying the treats, she only eats food that I've sent in from home.  I am one of the room moms, so I'll likely hear if parents grumble about the teacher bringing the treats, but I think they'll grumble less about him doing that than they would if it were me.

We're still trying to iron out a few social issues I hadn't anticipated, all relative to the lunchroom. We'll get there, I think. This group seems to be a lot more responsive and earnest about making things safer AND less stressful this year. I just want her to have a more "normal" and fun year. She is far too stressed for an eight year old.

Thanks again for your input, everyone!

Quote from: ajasfolks2 on August 13, 2012, 03:51:39 PM
The liability for ALL the other childrens' safety would now rest on you?

No way no how for this family.

This is an excellent point.  I wouldn't do it.  I think they should just go to pre-packaged foods that parents can approve as necessary (in our school, teacher sends note before party saying date of party and treat will be XX.)  Allergy parents can come read label and approve, or provide own snack, and other parents are advised.

I'd have teacher provide room parents with a list of safe treats. Ice Pops or something like that.

Thanks for your perspectives, everybody. After giving it quite a bit of thought, I told them I didn't want to provide all of the snacks. I don't think it sets the right precedent (that the parent of the child with the LTFA is responsible for all food) and I know it would create even more friction at school. We all have had different experiences at our schools, but believe me when I say that there is already a considerable amount of grumbling about the recent food policy changes. Me bigfooting the snacks (how it would be interpreted) might create more blowback for my kid. Not what we're looking for. I'm happy to  provide all of the snacks for Brownies again (did that last year, at mostly my own expense) but that's a smaller group, and people I'm comfortable with who are very supportive of DD. The classroom is a different scenario.

I'm already signed up to be one of the room moms--I do that every year, and that gives me a legitimate reason to be at the parties.   The 504 meeting was scheduled for the day before school--clearly not ideal, but I've been bugging them for three weeks and that's what I got. I am going to write up some suggestions for the 504 coordinator to hopefully streamline this process and make things easier on everyone. I think most of this is growing pains as our district enters the 21st century when it comes to food allergies.

Just had a meeting at school
I am again room mom with another FA parent

we do this every year.......as do all room moms.....we get the money......parents donate more, but yes we end up paying alot...

we did send out a check off list for the last party with Brand specific requests......we got no push back.

we do check with all the FA parents in the class.......the liability thing .......really ?.....cuz we do expect non FA parents to invite our kids to parties and we get bothered by them not wanting the liability......two way street.....

*dd's teachers mom has a Pnut allergy......so she has first hand knowledge........

We have always scheduled a meeting with the 504C and the teachers to go through the 504 plan. Even in Middle School. It's worked out very well for us.

That way you have the opportunity to talk about the child with the teacher and you know the teacher understands, on some level, the 504. It's a great opportunity for them to ask questions.

DD had a similar situation in her school and it wasn't a problem.  DD also switched rooms for Spanish, music, art, library, and computer work.  She also worked as a tech assistant in fifth grade and helped out with technology in other classrooms.  She didn't have a problem.

I never really worried about baked goods with egg in her classroom; she'd been around people eating baked goods without issue.  The likelihood of scrambled eggs or hard boiled eggs being brought for snack (which other than parties was the only food eaten in the classroom) were pretty slim; she reacted to unseen egg residue at day care, so she is contact sensitive.  I was definitely more concerned about nuts coming into her classroom. 

Obviously,  your DD has a different reaction/sensitivity history.

Yes, the bathrooms are an option at our school, too. In third grade they do split up the grade into three different levels of math, so depending on where my daughter lands and which class her homeroom teacher ends up taking, she could either be leaving to go to another room right after lunch (that's when they do math) or she could stay with her homeroom teacher, but several new kids could be coming into the room. It was the same scenario last year, and the kids who "traveled" would wash their hands on the way in.

Quote from: eggallergymom on August 13, 2012, 05:33:08 PM
I'd scheduled an early visit to school so my DD could meet her teacher and we could talk about the precautions in the 504. This was last week (school begins next week.) It became apparent quickly that not only hadn't he seen her 504, he didn't know she had one. This happened last year, too--the district didn't share her plan with her teacher until AFTER the snack note had gone home to parents. Several of those snacks were forbidden by the 504, so the note had to be revised, which caused a lot of grumbling. So I tried to avoid that this year by going in early. Fortunately, her teacher this year hadn't yet sent out the class note about snacks, so we talked about that. But the 504 also talks about handwashing, and they only have 1 sink in the room. He has concerns about the efficiency of that process with one sink. Clearly that's not ideal, but if the 504 says that everyone will wash hands after lunch and if they travel into the room for math, then that's what they'll have to do. The logistics of how they accomplish that are up to them.
I think these are growing pains, my kid is the first to get a 504 plan for allergies. But I know she won't be the last, so they need to streamline this process.

There was only one sink in DD's class.  I was really only concerned about hand-washing after lunch.  There were bathrooms right across from the cafeteria.  The entire class went to the bathrooms to wash their hands before returning to the class.

I'd scheduled an early visit to school so my DD could meet her teacher and we could talk about the precautions in the 504. This was last week (school begins next week.) It became apparent quickly that not only hadn't he seen her 504, he didn't know she had one. This happened last year, too--the district didn't share her plan with her teacher until AFTER the snack note had gone home to parents. Several of those snacks were forbidden by the 504, so the note had to be revised, which caused a lot of grumbling. So I tried to avoid that this year by going in early. Fortunately, her teacher this year hadn't yet sent out the class note about snacks, so we talked about that. But the 504 also talks about handwashing, and they only have 1 sink in the room. He has concerns about the efficiency of that process with one sink. Clearly that's not ideal, but if the 504 says that everyone will wash hands after lunch and if they travel into the room for math, then that's what they'll have to do. The logistics of how they accomplish that are up to them.
I think these are growing pains, my kid is the first to get a 504 plan for allergies. But I know she won't be the last, so they need to streamline this process.

ETA: We didn't get our DD's classroom assignment until last week.

If it was hashed out in the 504 meeting, then point to the 504 and state that you expect no deviations from the plan.

Another good point.  What is also a little frustrating is that we hashed all of this out during the 504 process in May. All of the food rules are explained in great detail in that plan. That plan isn't a suggestion, it's a blueprint for how all of these things should go. This stuff shouldn't be up for negotiation anymore. I don't doubt the teacher is suggesting this for the right reasons (to keep the snacks safe, to minimize the anxiety for my daughter) but it should be settled, KWIM?

The liability for ALL the other childrens' safety would now rest on you?

No way no how for this family.

We have done this for one-time events, but that is a situation where risks are exponentially higher (a summer workshop, a youth activity that meets annually, etc.) because of a complete lack of routine and the unfamiliar procedures, surroundings, and personnel.

In a regular school setting, NO WAY would I want to do this-- other than for a one-time and high risk thing, like a 5th grade promotion/graduation ceremony (I might offer to do cupcakes for it, or something).

Also just because we can afford to do this (mostly), it certainly doesn't mean that every food allergic family can.   

I'd discuss your ambivalence, even if you decide to go ahead and do this.  Make it clear that this is something that YOU are offering to do as a solution... NOT that this is "the" solution for managing food allergies in a classroom or any other setting.  We never provide food for activities where we flatly don't think there ought to be any food in use to begin with.  (e.g. as a "treat" or "reward" for participation, etc.)

Excellent point. The more I think about it, the less I like this idea. I think there's a real potential for social fallout here.

No I would not do it.  Your daughter has a 504 designation for her disability.  Does the school require other disabled students to pay for their accommodations?