Camryn Graffius Camryn eats lunch at Russell School. (Photo Jackie Rybeck)

The allergic reactions that a person with a nut allergy experiences when coming in contact with any nut product can be quite serious. According to the Nemour Foundation's Web site, when a person allergic to nuts eats or comes in contact with nuts, "the immune system unleashes an army of chemicals to protect the body. The release of these chemicals can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin and cardiovascular system. Some people can even stop breathing if his or her allergy is serious enough.

The seriousness of these allergies is exactly why schools around the country, including James W. Russell Elementary School in Gray, have taken strict measures to ensure that children with allergies to nuts and latex, as well as any other allergies, are safe throughout the school day.

The official philosophy of all MSAD #15 schools regarding life-threatening allergies became widely acknowledged among faculty members as the schools were faced with more and more children entering the schools with these serious allergies.

The philosophy states, "It is acknowledged that the School District cannot be considered peanut or latex "free." However, the District strives to minimize the risk of exposure to life-threatening allergens."

Daniel Joseph, the principal at Russell Elementary, said that while some of these practices to protect allergic children have been around for many years, it was really about two years ago that, "we [school staff members] really rolled up our sleeves and looked at latex and nut procedures. We ensured that there would be no food on buses and really regulating nut products in classrooms. It really got pulled into our attention."

According to Joseph, this year there are four kids in the school with serious allergies, three of the kids being in kindergarten. He said that because of the number of children in the school with these life-threatening allergies, it was really important to make sure that all of the practices listed in the MSAD #15 schools' philosophy were put into strict action.

Along with a rule that there is no food allowed on the school buses and no nut or latex products in the school cafeterias or vending machines, school nurses educate all staff members about the allergies and how to deal with them, and all classroom teachers are told to educate and discuss these allergies with their students, especially if a child in the classroom has an allergy.

According to Joseph, all classroom teachers implement a policy of community snacks for snack time, where each day, two or three snacks are picked out from a community box for the kids to pick from, each one containing no nut products. Also, before each child with a serious allergy starts at the school for the first time, the school nurses meet with the parents and student to develop an Individual Health Action Plan, according to the MSAD # 15 Philosphy. There is also a list in the nurse's office of every child with an allergy - what he or she is allergic to and how to treat him or her if a reaction occurs, along with a picture of the child.

At Russell Elementary, Joseph said that nut products are highly regulated within the cafeteria, saying, "You'd be hard-pressed to find peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches at lunchtime," as they are not allowed within the walls of the school. Joseph said that the real key to making sure these allergy policies stay in strict action is "raising awareness through information. For instance we put a note out [to parents] about Sun Butter, a nut-free butter that looks and tastes like peanut butter, and we have a Web site for parents and anyone to look at and become aware of the allergies."

He said that all staff members, including bus drivers and custodians, are trained to use Epi-Pens if an accident should occur. There is also a backpack of allergy information and Epi-Pens handed to each adult in charge of any allergic child at any given time.

One of the most important factors in keeping kids safe while at school, Joseph said, has been the cooperation between everyone involved: all of the parents, including the parents with allergic children, the teachers, other school staff members and even the kids themselves.

"When the issue of the allergies first came up, we were really honest, - it was going to be really hard," Joseph said. "But we worked quite extensively with the parents [of the children with allergies], and I can't give them enough credit."

Theresa Boynton, a parent of a kindergarten student with serious allergies, said that it has been smooth transition sending her child into the school, knowing that her allergies are so severe that even a small trace of nut residue could create a terrible reaction. Boynton said that before she sent her child to school, she discussed with all the staff members and school nurses what foods her child could not be in contact with, what snacks she could bring into school, and who would be in charge of the kids during lunchtime.

"I'm doing my best as a mother to protect her," Boynton said of her daughter. "And the Russell School has been wonderful. I'm very comfortable where she is."