Every year a portion of the students who attend CCUPC have food allergies.  One of the most common allergies is to peanuts and tree nuts.  The severity of the allergy can vary substantially between children, however because it is potentially a life threatening condition the preschool has a Peanut/Tree Nut Free Policy.

While we cannot guarantee an absolutely allergen-free environment due to the multi-use nature of the facility, we will, however, maintain a no-nut environment in our classrooms during preschool hours.
CCUPC Preschool will not be serving any food items that contain peanut or tree nut ingredients or food items that are made on equipment that produces products containing peanuts or tree nuts. We ask that parents bring only peanut/tree nut free store-packaged products when bringing in a birthday treat, or treats for Halloween or Easter baskets.  It is crucial that you read the food label to make sure that the items do not contain peanut or tree nut ingredients and are not made on equipment which produces products containing peanuts or tree nuts.  Labels are now relatively easy to read and potential allergen products are listed toward the bottom of the nutritional information in bold lettering.  Please make sure that labels or packaging is included with treats so that we can verify the ingredients. Also, remember that non-food items are always a good idea for birthday treats. Any food items brought in to the preschool that contain peanuts/ tree nuts or are processed on equipment that produces products containing peanuts or tree nuts will not be given to the children but will be returned to you.

Bakery items from Walmart, Giant Eagle, Shop and Save and Costco are labeled with nut warnings and are processed on equipment that produces products containing peanuts and tree nuts therefore cannot be used for birthday treats.  Since small private bakeries often do not use warning labels, these items cannot be deemed safe either.  Eat and Park Smiley Cookies do not have a warning on the label but are baked  on equipment that processes nut products. Unfortunately also, since items baked at home do not come with a ingredient list or a guarantee that there has not been cross contamination, we also cannot use home baked items for birthdays.  The exception for use of any of these bakery items will be the large events of the Christmas shows, Valentine Ball and 4 year old Spring Pageant.  For these events, home baked and bakery cookies will be permitted as we will also have safe treats available for students with allergies.

If your child cannot eat certain foods, please notify the director and your classroom teacher of this situation immediately. It is the responsibility of the parent to notify the center if their children have food allergies. Parents will be provided with an “Allergic Reaction Procedure” form.  This must be completed and returned to CCUPC Preschool before the child can continue attending the preschool.

We want to thank you for your cooperation in helping to make CCUPC Preschool a safe environment for all children.