503.1 STUDENT HEALTH AND IMMUNIZATION CERTIFICATES

To ensure healthy children at our public school, the Board requires the children to be properly immunized and encourages physical examinations in accordance with its policies and the law

Any student desiring to participate in athletic extracurricular activities or enrolling in kindergarten or first grade in the District shall have a physical examination by a licensed physician, and will provide proof of such an examination to the District.  A certificate of health stating the results of the physical examination and signed by the physician shall be on file at the attendance center. Each student shall submit an up‑to‑date certificate of health upon the request of the Superintendent/designee of schools. Failure to provide health information may be grounds for disciplinary action. 

Any student enrolling in kindergarten or any grade in elementary school in the District will have, at a minimum, a dental screening performed by a licensed medical professional (physician, nurse, physician assistant, dentist, dental hygienist) sometime between the student turning three (3) years of age and four (4) months following the student’s enrollment in the District, and will provide proof of such a screening to the District.  Students enrolling in any grade in high school in the District will have, at a minimum, a dental screening performed by a licensed dentist or dental hygienist sometime between one (1) year prior to the student’s enrollment in the District and four (4) months following the student’s enrollment in the District, and will provide proof of such a screening to the District. 

Parents or guardians of students enrolling in kindergarten in the District shall be provided a student vision card provided by the Iowa optometric association and as approved by the department of education.  The goal of the District is that every child receives an eye examination by age seven, as needed. The superintendent shall ensure the district collaborates with the Iowa Department of Public Health to ensure that applicants and transfer students comply with the blood lead testing requirements under Iowa law.

Students enrolling for the first time in the District will also submit a certificate of immunization against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, rubeola, rubella, and other immunizations required by law.  The student may be admitted conditionally to the attendance center if the student has not yet completed the immunization process but is in the process of doing so. Failure to meet the immunization requirement will be grounds for suspension, expulsion or denial of admission.  Upon recommendation of the Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Department of Public Health, students entering the District for the first time may be required to pass a TB test prior to admission. The District may conduct TB tests of current students.

Exemptions from the immunization requirement in this policy will be allowed only for medical, religious or undue burden reasons recognized under the law. The student must provide a valid Iowa State Department of Public Health Certificate of Immunization Exemption to be exempt from this policy. 

 
*Revised:  03/21/94
*Reviewed:  04/08/02
*Reviewed:  01/15/07
*Reviewed:  12/13/10
*Revised:  11/12/12
*Revised: 09/18/17
*Revised: 07/09/18
*Revised: 9/12/22