Update #10 - 11/02/1

Policy Committee Update #10
The Policy Committee met in the Library Conference Center on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 12:00 –1:00 and discussed the following items: 1) Joe had been asked by Council to check on existing policies for Yukon Schools concerning nuts and EpiPens. The following information was shared with the Committee: Nut Allergies: Yukon Education Policy #1023 states in Paragraph 4 that: “Administrators may at any time notify parents that certain foods (e.g. peanuts) and food products may not be brought into a school in light of food allergies.” Our current “No Nuts in the School” policy has been in place for several years, and there have been no reported incidents of students going home as a result of coming into contact with nuts in the school building. EpiPens: Student EpiPens are to be supplied by parents and stored in the school’s medical cupboard (ours is in the main office). Currently, two students at RSS have anaphylaxis conditions and both are caused by exposure to nuts and products containing nuts. Only one student (Grade 3) currently requires an EpiPen. The second student (K) uses Benadryl for allergic reactions. Michele Caws, the Community Health Nurse, is invited to brief staff on the use of EpiPens. 2) The committee reviewed several initiatives proposed and/or currently underway: • Drop the Pop: Tr’ondëk  Hwëch’in    RSS, and the Health Dept., are collaborating to promote healthier eating. Last week volunteers provided fresh fruit smoothies and, yesterday, a healthy lunch for the whole school. (Sue Dragoman is the RSS contact).   • Breakfast program: This idea is still being explored. There are questions around student need and volunteers. It was noted that many of the students who are candidates for such a program are the same students that come to school late and would miss a before-school breakfast. More consideration of this idea is needed. • Garbage free lunch: Still to be acted upon, the idea is to reduce waste and encourage parents and students to consider healthier, non-packaged foods for lunches and snacks. • Sourdough: Tara McCauley volunteered to submit some healthy food tips and/or nutritional advice/information to the school newsletter, and Sue Dragoman offered healthy recipes collected by the Cookbook Committee for the same purpose. She will give these to Joe for typing. • Inter-school competition: Plans are underway to join in on Yukon-wide healthy eating challenges. Tr’ondëk  Hwëch’in  Community  Health  Worker,  Courtney  Cratty,  will  forward  these  challenges  to  the  school  as  she  receives  them.   3) The Committee recommends drafting policies for the following products: 1. Maintaining a nut-free school 2. Banning the sale or distribution of pop in the school 3. Prohibiting the bringing of high-energy booster drinks (e.g., Red Bull or Jolt) and Joe volunteered to draft a food policy for the above as a framework for discussion. There are new meetings scheduled, as the Committee has caught up on all the policies brought to the attention of school council. At the March 2 School Council meeting discussion will take place on the proposed amendments to the Absenteeism policy, and the proposed policy for Personal Electronic Devices. School Council will inform the Committee when its services are again required. All policy updates can be found on the RSS website under School Information > School Council http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/robertservice/. On behalf of Robert Service School staff and students I would like to thank all those members of the community, School Council, Tr’ondëk  Hwëch’in  Education,  and teachers for their ongoing support and assistance of the Policy Committee.  

Source: http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/robertservice/pdf/10-11/policyupdates/policy_update_10.pdf