Orchard Farms PTO

The Cranston School Committee is meeting this evening, 7PM at Western Hills Middle School, to discuss the adoption of a draconian City-Wide Nut-Free Policy which goes far beyond current RI Law # 2007 H 56Aaa. Orchard Farms Elementary School is already in compliance with this law, which was created to protect children with tree nut and peanut allergies.

If the school committee passes this new policy your child will no longer be able to bring some of the following foods to school:

• peanut butter & jelly
• some pretzels
• granola bars
• healthy trail mix
• any food processed with machinery which also processes nuts

Posession of these items, and more, will no longer be allowed any Cranston Public Schools' building, facility, bus, or other vehicle, properties and/or school functions by anyone. You will have to read all labels of all foods brought into school or to any school-related event. An innocent mistake or oversight on your part could lead to disciplinary action against your child.

This policy will also apply to apply to the School Lunch program and may lead to a reduction in menu options and increased costs.

If you have any concerns about this proposed policy please come to tonight's (Monday, November 19th) Cranston School Committee meeting at 7PM at Western Hills Middle School.

What does RI Law # 2007 H 56Aaa require from schools?

Schools must work to provide a safe environment for students identified as having a peanut or tree nut allergy. If there are no students in a school with a peanut allergy, the school does not have to do anything related to this law. However, as soon as a student with a peanut allergy enrolls in the school, the school must implement the measures described in the law. This law does not apply to high school students. If there is a student in the school that has a peanut allergy, the law requires that schools:

• Post a sign at each point of entry to the school and at the cafeteria entrance, alerting people that there is someone in the building with a peanut allergy
• Prohibit the sale of peanuts/tree nuts in the school cafeteria
• Designate a peanut/tree nut free table in the cafeteria
• Designate a peanut/tree nut table in the cafeteria
• Designate one classroom per grade level where there is a student with a peanut/tree nut allergy as peanut/tree nut free

The Cranston School Committee is proposing a sweeping expansion of this already implemented RI Law by imposing a citywide ban on on all peanut / tree-nut products. Two votes are required to implement this new policy. The first reading and vote is scheduled for tonight and the 2nd will be December 17th, the same night they vote on the 6th grade issue.

The proposed policy is:

Following the passage of RIGL sec. 16-21-31 entitled: "Notice of Peanut/tree nut allergies -- Posting", The Cranston Public Schools, in conjunction with the direction of the Cranston School Committee, has developed the following policy for Cranston Public Schools regarding peanuts and tree nut allergies for the protection of the health and welfare of our student population. In order to protect all of our students, and effective immediately, the Cranston Public Schools hereby bans all peanut and/or tree nut products from all of our schools, Grades PK-12, including but not limited to all Cranston Public Schools' buildings, facilities, buses, properties and functions. Postings of this policy will be in accordance with RIGL sec.

Effective immediately, any and all forms of any peanut and/or other tree nut products are prohibited from being sold, distributed, consumed, transported or possessed by any students, parents, staff, employees, volunteers, contractors or visitors while in or on any Cranston Public Schools' building, facility, bus, or other vehicle, properties and/or school functions. The intention of this policy is to prevent anyone from bringing any form of peanut or other tree nut product onto school grounds, buildings, vehicles, or functions where Cranston Public Schools' students may be in attendance, including but not limited to the normal school day, and all extracurricular or after-school functions such as school dances, concerts, athletic events, performance events, or other school functions.

The Cranston Public Schools recognizes our responsibility to provide a safe environment for each and every one of our students. Parents and guardians are requested to cooperate with this policy to help ensure that any of our students who may be at risk from exposure to peanuts and/or tree nut products are protected from inadvertent or accidental contact with such allergens. We have directed our food suppliers and providers to take all measures to prevent the inclusion of any peanut and/or other tree nut products in our school cafeterias and vending operations in conjunction with this policy.

The Cranston Public Schools will implement immediately an education program to advise our students and their parents/guardians of the purpose of this policy as well as of the serious health risks posed to students allergic to these common food products.

Once this education program has been completed, students who violate this policy will be subject to counseling and potential discipline. For instance, any student who violates this policy for the first time will be subject to mandatory counseling on the topic as well as the issuance of a written Notice of Violation to the student's responsible parent/guardian(s). Second offenders of this policy will be again counseled and their parent/guardian again warned, but the second warning will include notice of the potential for disciplinary consequences for any future violation of the policy, including but not limited to the potential loss of privileges, detention, in-house suspension or suspension upon a third offense. Non-student violators of this policy will be appropriately warned and/or disciplined as appropriate and subject to any applicable legal and/or contractual rights as the individual may have.

Employees who violate this policy will be sanctioned as appropriate by the progressive disciplinary policy.