In a letter to parents dated July 18, Clear Lake Elementary Principal Sue Hannant said the school will technically be considered on ‘peanut alert? instead of ‘peanut free? after enrolling a student with a life threatening airborne allergy to peanuts.
The letter says because there is no ‘fail safe plan that will ensure peanuts will not exist at anytime,? the school will be on ‘peanut alert? However, the letter still encourages not bringing any peanut products to the school.
Superintendent Virginia Brennan-Kyro said they chose to use the words ‘peanut alert? because they cannot guarantee no peanut products will enter the school. ‘We were never guaranteeing that because you can never guarantee that,? she said.
The letter said ‘peanuts, grounded or crushed, mixed nuts, peanut butter chips, peanut flour and paste, peanut sauce and syrup, beer nuts, cold press peanut oil, extracted peanut oil, expelled peanut oil, chocolate, hydrolyzed plant protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, marzipan and nougat? need to be avoided.
The letter also said if a child brings a lunch or snack containing peanuts, they will ‘remove that item and replace it with a similar food item.?
It also said the removal of the food will ‘be done in a positive manner and without embarrassment to your child.?
As reported in a previous story, Daniel Axford is not considered on ‘peanut alert? because the students there have an ingestible peanut allergy. Brennan-Kyro said their safety measures are handled on a class-by-class basis.