Are You Ready for Back-to-School with Food Allergies?
by Caroline Moassessi, FAACT’s Vice President of Community Relations
Time to dust off lunch boxes and backpacks as you print out your student’s updated Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan. Saying goodbye to summer is still several weeks away, but today’s planning will help ensure a successful new school year. FAACT is here to help put the best tools in your pocket to successfully manage your student’s food allergies in the classroom.
Open up your toolbox and reach deep for classic tools – plus a few new tricks – with your FAACT family by your side. Your most powerful tool is your commitment to communication.
Important Back-to-School Tools
- Grab your civil rights tools first and foremost. Food allergies are a bona fide disability, and your student has the right to a free and appropriate education (FAPE). Visit FAACT’s Civil Rights Advocacy Center to learn more. Highlights include;
- American with Disability Act: Learn about your rights to support your child’s needs in school. This section features links and examples of legal cases involving food allergies in preschool and college.
- Section 504 Plans: Offers essential information about 504 plans plus best practices, a list of sample accommodations, sample doctor letters, and information about how to contact the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: If your student is eligible for an Individualized Education Program (IEP), FAACT has you covered! Visit FAACT’s Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) web page to discover resources created just for you.
- Podcasts: Stuck in traffic? Listen to the latest FAACT’s Roundtable Podcast, including school accommodation-focused topics.
- Mental health and well-being are easy to overlook when you are razor focused on food allergy accommodations. But without adult and child well-being, things can get tough!
- Check out this article packed with tips to beat the Back-to-School Blues.
- A gem in FAACT’s Behavioral Health Resource Center is:
- Resilience reigns! Visit our Resilience and Food Allergies page to download FAACT’s popular My Food Allergy Resilience Kit plus activities to help build resilience.
- Engage with FAACT and fellow food allergy families in person or on social media to learn new ideas, find support, or share your own tips and tricks.
- Follow FAACT on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
- If you have a teen in the family, the upcoming FAACT Teen Retreat 2022 is a very special and intimate opportunity for the entire family (siblings welcome). Teens meet new friends while adults connect with fellow parents on a deeper level than traditional conferences. Limited spots are available. Learn more at FAACT’s Teen Retreat 2022 Overview. Let’s just say that words like “inspiring,” “empowerment,” “friendship,” ”understanding,” and “heartfelt support” describe the retreat.
- Connect with other parents in FAACT’s Parents of High School and College Students with Food Allergies private Facebook group. This group is a safe space for parents to share experiences and seek and offer support. No solicitations or self-promoting allowed. Middle-school parents may join as observers for a peek into the next phase of school.
We wish you and your family a fun, safe, and productive new school year. We leave you with one final powerhouse tip from FAACT’s General Counsel and Vice President of Civil Rights Advocacy, Amelia Smith: “There are great resources out there, and I’m always available.” Did you know you can contact Amelia directly to brainstorm school solutions? Email Amelia.Smith@FoodAllergyAwareness.org.
You are never alone when you are part of the FAACT family!
