Dear Parents and Guardians,

I want to thank each and every one for thoughtfully and respectfully communicating
with us about the recent change to birthday celebrations at Cape Horn-Skye. We
appreciate people being candid and open as we work towards a solution that works
for everyone.

We know that birthday celebrations are important and many students feel proud to
share something special. Many parents expressed an interest in being able to bring a
healthy treat on their child’s birthday to share with others. This is a great option! I
am happy to encourage this, as it fits with our original goal of ensuring students
have access to nutritious foods that support learning and promote lifelong healthy
habits.

After considering the feedback and parental interests, I have worked with our
school nurse, and we have a few examples of kid-friendly healthy items that could
include:

Carrot sticks, celery sticks
Hummus
Pita chips
Unsweetened applesauce cups
Fruit cups
Natural fruit roll-ups/fruit leather
Nut-free granola
Nut-free trail mix
Raisins
Fresh fruit (bananas, grapes, strawberries, pears, clementine oranges)
Pretzels

Please know that parents are not required to bring any treats on their child’s
birthday if they do not wish to. Their classroom teacher will still celebrate your child
in their own special way.

Choosing items from the list above will help parents avoid common food allergies
while providing a fun and healthy choice for students who choose to participate.

Thank you again for the feedback,

Penny Andrews, Principal