A nutritious school lunch is an important part of a child’s day.

This lunch helps maintain a child’s energy throughout the day and increases their ability to learn. Our break times are at 11am and 12.30pm for 10 minutes and 30 minutes respectively. Break times are for eating, toilet and play/recreation. Children are encouraged to eat a full lunch.

As a green school, the staff, with approval from the Board of Management has devised a school lunch’s policy we think will be in everyone’s interest:

• We ask you not to give fizzy drinks to your children for school. Alternatively we suggest fruit juice, yogurt drinks, water or milk. Only water may be sipped during the day, so please include a bottle of water if your child requires extra drinks. This has been advised by our school dentist, as fruit juices contain sugars which can cause cavities especially when sipped constantly.
• If an effort to promote healthy eating habits and waste management the consumption of snack foods, bars including cereal bars, sweets,
chocolate and biscuits will not be permitted during school hours.

Alternatively, we suggest fresh fruit, cut vegetable sticks with dips,
dried fruits, or salads for an interesting change. Sandwiches can be varied by using scones, pitta bread, rice cakes or rye bread.
• Kiltiernan School is a NUT FREE Zone.

We have had, and may have in the future pupils with a severe nut allergy.

This allergy may cause unconsciousness and death if untreated in some individuals. A reaction can be triggered by eating, or touching peanuts or inhaling peanut particles in the air.

We, the staff and their parents, request your assistance in maintaining the health of these children by reducing the risk of a severe allergic reaction.

Please advise your child not to share lunch items at school. Avoid serving peanut butter and nutella spread for sandwiches. If in doubt about a food product please read the food label and any product displaying ‘May contain nuts/nut traces could trigger the severe reaction mentioned above and therefore is highly dangerous.

We realise that the implementation of a policy like this can be difficult initially but certainly worthwhile in the long run. Leaflets distributed by the health board will be circulated to each family at the beginning of each school year. These contain ideas for making lunches more enjoyable as well as healthy.

To reward the children in their good efforts in implementing this policy ‘treats’ will be permitted on the last Friday of each month. We ask that on this day you also include some lunch of nutritional value with the treats!

 

Signed: Board of Management of Kiltiernan National School. This policy will be reviewed every two years.