Greetings!

Parents, thank you so much for honoring our policies regarding outside food being brought into the building. On behalf of our families with children who have life threatening allergies, I also thank you. 

We often take it for granted that when we drop our children off at the door of the school they will return to us safe and sound. However, parents of students with life threatening food allergies never stop worrying. It only takes a second for a child to swallow a bite of food that can potentially create a reaction so strong that their bodies may not be able to recover.

A couple of weeks ago, we experienced a serious medical emergency with one of our students who is allergic to nuts. The family has requested that I share the story in order to bring a heightened awareness to our community and support for the policies that are already in place to protect our students.

Students were celebrating the completion of a reading assignment and honoring a cultural tradition with native foods. One of our students with a nut allergy took a bite of a food made with crushed cashews. Immediately, she felt her throat tighten and become itchy. Nurse Clark knew quickly that the student's reaction was not typical, and she administered the first EpiPen. EMS arrived on the scene and checked the student's vital signs. They reported that she was fine, but with parent permission transported the
student to the hospital. On the way to the hospital, the student's symptoms increased rapidly as the first EpiPen began to taper. The situation became an emergency. At the hospital, the student required another dose of epinephrine and an overnight stay in the ICU.

While our student is back to her happy, sweet self, we take a moment to reflect on things that we will reinforce and things that can improve. We strongly encourage students to have two EpiPens (together - do not separate) in the clinic. We are even more convinced that outside food should not be brought into the building without administrative approval and approval from the parents of students with food allergies. This has always been our policy. Our classrooms that are nut free will be monitored closely by the teachers, and snack food that is out of compliance will be returned home. Students will have preferential seating in the cafeteria, and assigned seats will help us monitor all students with medical concerns.

Our first mission is to make sure your children are safe and happy. While we realize that there is always room for improvement, we have worked hard to create an environment that supports our mission. We have worked hand-in-hand with Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta to make sure Dunwoody Elementary is a place where parents can safely send their children with food allergies.

Jennifer P. Sanders
Principal, Dunwoody Elementary School

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