SV Officials Move Forward with Plans for Wellness, Allergy Procedures

In an 8-1 vote, Seneca Valley officials at Monday’s school board meeting approved the second reading for an

School board member James Welsh voted against the measures. Noting that students risk injury every day by playing sports — or by chance being in an accident while riding the school bus — he said the district couldn’t wrap students in a protective bubble.  

“Where do we do we draw the line?” he asked. “Where do we say enough is enough?”

Superintendent Dr. Tracy Vitale disagreed with Welsh, saying enough is never enough when protecting students.

“When it comes to student safety, it is our job to be proactive,” she said.

Putting Allergy Guides in Place

The district does not have an official policy for treating students with severe allergies. The proposed procedures would follow the state’s recommended guidelines for managing food allergies in school.

After the first reading of the guidelines in February, the procedure has been reworded from “food allergy management” to "allergy management" to encompass a districtwide guide for handling all allergies, and not just those related to food.  

Vitale said district staff members also would be trained on how to use an EpiPen, which is an epinephrine injection used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions.

Looking Out for Student Wellness

The student wellness policy would eliminate foods given to students by teachers as a reward for good behavior or for answering a question correctly. The current policy, which was put in place in 2006, already discourages providing food as a reward, but does not prohibit them.

After a meeting with members of the wellness committee, which is composed of teachers, parents and district administrators, the board last week revised the policy to state that food may be used as reward if it encourages a positive nutrition message.

Food also will be allowed if its part of the curriculum, Vitale said. For example, if students are studying foods from other cultures, then those foods may be brought into the classroom.

Children will still have “food parties” at least three times a year for Halloween, Valentine's Day and Christmas celebrations, as well as on a case-by-case basis where parents provide treats for the classroom.

For each party, a food list will be developed and approved by the building principal to ensure that it meets the guidelines established in the allergy and wellness guidelines.

There also will be non-food birthday celebrations in the classrooms. Some of the special recognition could include nonedible gifts.

Vitale said she would review the procedures for the allergy and wellness guidelines annually and recommend changes as needed.

There will be three readings of each policy. If officials approve a third reading of the guidelines at the April 16 school board meeting, the revisions would become district policy.

If approved, both the updated wellness guidelines and the new allergy procedures would be in place in time for the 2012-13 school year.