Skip To Main Content

Severe Allergies

The school district recognizes that some students will have severe allergies and that, in order to maintain a safe school environment for students, the school district depends upon the coordination of parents/guardians, health professionals, students, and staff to minimize contact with the allergen and prepare a plan of action in the event the child is exposed to the allergen.

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to notify the child’s building nurse of the severe allergy. The parent/guardian must submit to the school district a medical statement form (No. 209.1-AR1: Medical Statement for Students with a Severe Allergy) confirming the severe allergy and signed by a physician or nurse practitioner. Additionally, a medical statement must be updated yearly by a physician or Nurse Practitioner in order to provide appropriate accommodations.

For a child with a severe food allergy, parents/guardians shall maintain a supply of safe snacks at the school and/or with the child for appropriate use in school. 

Although the school district shall provide the necessary accommodations and services to enable a student with severe allergies to attend school safely, the school district is not required to provide medication or personal devices – that is the responsibility of the parents/guardians or others.

When parents/guardians have information that the child’s medical condition has changed and that the change may indicate new and/or revised accommodations necessary to safeguard the child, parents/guardians shall provide such information to the school. For more information, see Board Policy No. 209.1 and accompanying regulations.

Dangerous allergies can be triggered by certain types of food or other substances. If a child with such an allergy eats or even touches certain food items or foods processed in a facility with these products, the child may have a life-threatening reaction. Other substances, such as perfumes, can produce similar reactions. Therefore, in classrooms where a child has a severe allergy, we are putting in place these steps to help limit an affected student’s exposure to these risky foods or other substances:

  • A food or other substance that has been identified as being an allergen to a specific student may not be brought into any classroom to where the child is assigned, whether he/she is in the classroom or not.

  • If an allergen is brought into the classroom by a student and it is discovered by the teacher, arrangements will be made to ensure that the child is not exposed to the allergen.

We know that these steps may be inconvenient, but we trust that you understand how serious this issue is. We all want students at Pleasant Valley School District to be safe.