How does lunch work at your DC's elementary?

[KrisM]

Annie's comment in the peanut article post had me wondering. Post: http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=339393&highlight=peanut and her comment:

"She can't give her picky kid a peanut butter sandwich because she made it sound like it had been banned in her son's school even though there are no kids with peanut allergies in his grade. She could've backed that up by stating that all of the kids eat lunch with only kids from their grade, not the whole population, and for simplicity sake at the school I can see why it's easier to just ban peanuts all together. However I doubt that the kids only eat with their class mates so that really makes her argument that the peanut ban shouldn't apply to her son's class a pretty weak argument. If I had a severe peanut allergy kindergartner I wouldn't want another 4th grade non peanut allergy kid sitting next to my kid so for situations like that I can see a whole wide school ban."

In DS's school, they do not ban peanuts, although another elem in the district does. There are peanut free classes in each grade though.

At lunch, it's done by grade. Each teacher's class has 2 tables worth of kids and they all sit by class. Teacher names are on the wall, so everyone knows which kids are where.

There are also 2 peanut-free tables that are only used by the peanut-free classes and they are cleaned differently than the other tables.

So, a non-allergic 4th grader would never be sitting with an allergic kindergartner.

Just wondering how it's done elsewhere. I think it's nice that they sit with the class, as no one is left sitting by themselves.

[egoldber]

At our school, each class sits together. They have assigned tables. Each grade typically goes together, but staggered. So one 3rd grade class may eat at 11:40, the next one at 11:45, the next at 11:50, and the last one at 11:55.

There are peanut free tables that peanut allergic children may choose to sit at. That's the only exception to the "each class sits together" rule.

Peanut butter is on the school lunch menu every day.

When a child has a food allergy, the class is notified. Depending on the severity, parents are asked to not provide foods with that allergen for class parties or birthday celebrations. However, at least two children in Sarah's classrooms have been allergic to wheat, and that was never banned. Their parents did provide alternative snacks for their kids in case of a treat being provided that their child could not eat.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Our school is only in it's 2nd year and so far food allergies have not been an issue. I meet with the principal and vice principal on an advisory committee and this has come up. As it is not a concern at the moment they haven't shared their plan if we have a case in the future. So, currently all kids eat together, usually sitting with their class but sometimes they let the grade mix up amongst itself.

I know there were kids last year that were overwhelmed by the noise and commotion during lunch (small space, really loud!) and they were given permission to eat in a classroom if it got to be too much.

Beth

[bubbaray]

School lunch is a little different here -- generally, there is no school cafeteria. At our school, the primary kids eat in their own classes with the teacher (not an aid or older students) supervising. Apparently, the teacher reads (ETA to the class) during this time. I'm not really sure how it works as DD#1 is only in K right now. But I heard this from the PAC president. Anyway, the school is "peanut/tree nut safe", so there aren't supposed to be those products on school grounds. I'm not sure how it works on a daily basis, though.

DD#1 is my "trainer" student. Once she starts eating at school next year, I will be more in touch with things. I hope to get the school in line with district and provincial policies (which are quite strict) if they aren't already. I"ve already ordered (and received) my EpiPen posters!

[kijip]

There are no kids with food allergies in his class, I don't know about in his grade. No foods are banned. The lunch tables are not segregated. In the school manual it indicates what would be put in place if there was a child with serious allergies enrolled, I assume that is not the case this year as no limitations or bans are enforced.

[bubbaray]

When a child has a food allergy, the class is notified. Depending on the severity, parents are asked to not provide foods with that allergen for class parties or birthday celebrations. However, at least two children in Sarah's classrooms have been allergic to wheat, and that was never banned. Their parents did provide alternative snacks for their kids in case of a treat being provided that their child could not eat.


This is kinda how it is working in DD#1's K class (snacks only -- its 1/2 day, so none of them eat lunch there). THe parents are to provide a daily peanut/treenut free snack (which the teacher strongly prefers to be healthy). She specifically stated no snacks or food for special holidays due to food allergies. We'll see how that goes this coming week for Halloween.

[KrisM]

At our school, each class sits together. They have assigned tables. Each grade typically goes together, but staggered. So one 3rd grade class may eat at 11:40, the next one at 11:45, the next at 11:50, and the last one at 11:55.


That's nice. Ours all come in together and it's a bit crazy. Plus, if you're in the last class to arrive and buying a hot lunch, your time to eat is seriously shortened.

[sarahsthreads]

At our school, each class sits together. They have assigned tables. Each grade typically goes together, but staggered. So one 3rd grade class may eat at 11:40, the next one at 11:45, the next at 11:50, and the last one at 11:55.

There are peanut free tables that peanut allergic children may choose to sit at. That's the only exception to the "each class sits together" rule.

Peanut butter is on the school lunch menu every day.

When a child has a food allergy, the class is notified. Depending on the severity, parents are asked to not provide foods with that allergen for class parties or birthday celebrations. However, at least two children in Sarah's classrooms have been allergic to wheat, and that was never banned. Their parents did provide alternative snacks for their kids in case of a treat being provided that their child could not eat.

:yeahthat: This is exactly how our primary school works, with the two tables per class and staggered lunch times. The child who is peanut/treenut allergic in DD1's class does not actually sit apart from the class, but instead they have the children with nuts in their lunch sit at the table he is not sitting at, and everyone else fills in where there's room at either table. I think the school does provide completely separate tables for children with allergies but this is apparently what his parents feel is OK for him.

I was pleasantly surprised by how calm and quiet(ish) the lunch room seemed when I had lunch with the class last week. The staggered schedule really makes a huge difference in the noise and chaos level that I remember from school. Plus, since only about half the class buys on any particular day, there are only 10 kids trying to get through the line before they sit down to eat, so even the last kid in line has most of the 30 minute lunch time left.

Sarah :)