WHMS aims to be an allergy-aware community. Food allergies are increasingly common among children, and managing them can be a challenging task for families. In the interest of keeping all of our students safe and adhering to our values of respecting differences, WHMS has certain policies relating to food allergies. Please note the following:
- All Toddler and Primary classrooms are nut-free. Please do not send your child to school with any nut or nut products.
- In Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Middle School classrooms, parents are asked to clearly label items in children’s lunches that contain nuts. Some classrooms in the upper levels may be designated as nut-free. Children should never bring any product containing nuts to any program or even in which it will be shared (this includes after care and enrichment).
- All classrooms create routines that include hand washing and table washing before and after snacks and meals.
- Parents of children with food allergies will work together with the school to create an Allergy Action Plan.
More detailed information about allergies in schools as well as WHMS’ policies and practices regarding food allergies may be found in the Parent Handbook on our FACTS Family Portal.
Looking for nut-free friendly snacks to pack in your child’s lunch? The easiest solution is to seek out unprocessed or minimally-processed foods. Consider the following options:
- Fresh or dried fruit
- Fresh vegetables
- Cheeses
- Air popped popcorn (some brands use unsafe oils)
There are some chips and crackers available that are allergy-safe, but it is very important to read labels carefully. Aside from including nuts in the ingredients, some manufacturers use unsafe nut oils in the production of their products.
Helpful Tip! - Sunflower butter is a simple substitute to use in the classic peanut butter sandwich.
WHMS works hard to create a safe environment for all children. Please contact us if you have any questions or comments about our allergy policies.
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Resources for Food Allergies