Kindergarten Health Information for Parents

Welcome to Kindergarten  

We are so excited for beginning of this new adventure for you and your child.  

The following are the minimum vaccination requirements for the State of Ohio:

• Five (5) doses of DPT (diphtheria, pertussis/whooping cough and tetanus) if the fourth dose of DPT immunization was given before the age of four. The second dose must be at least 28 days after the first dose. The third dose must be at least 16 weeks after the first dose and at least 8 weeks after the second dose.
• Four (4) doses of polio immunization if the third polio immunization was given before the age of four.
• Three (3) dose series of hepatitis B vaccine
• Two (2) MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) immunizations The first dose must be on or after the child’s first birthday. The second dose must be at least 28 days after the first dose.
• Two (2) does of varicella vaccine prior to kindergarten entry.

Ohio Law also requires that all students have an a Physical prior to starting school.  The physical needs to be dated in the current year (2021).  Obviously, this has been a different year.  If your child missed their physical because they could not see their doctor, please make an appointment for a physical as soon as possible. Immunizations are available from the Fairfield County Health Department at 740-652-2800 or from your healthcare provider. Please call the agency of your choice for further information or to schedule an appointment.  It is highly recommended that you do not wait until August to have your child's vaccines updated, as appointment times are limited. Ohio Law requires school districts to exclude any student who does not have record of receiving the required immunizations.

I will also be doing a vision and hearing screening for your child at the beginning of the year.  We usually get this completed at Kindergarten Screening, but once again things are different this year.

If your child has a chronic medical issue or needs to take medication during the school day please contact me.

Medication Reminders

No medication can be given at school without the proper paperwork.  State law requires that all medication brought to school be in the original container and be accompanied by a signed statement containing the child's name, medication name, dosage, and frequency of administration. This applies to both prescription and non-prescription drugs. 

1. Medication must be signed into the clinic by an adult.  Students cannot transport medication on the bus.
2. The medication permission form must be completed by the parent for non-prescription drugs and by the parent and physician for prescription drugs before a medication will be dispensed to a student at school.
3. New medication permission forms must be completed each school year.
4. Cough drops, essential oils, Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are medications and do require a completed permission form.
5. All unused medication must be picked up at the end of the school year.  Any unclaimed medication will be disposed of at the end of the year.

Link to Dispensing of Medication Form

If your child has a chronic medical issue or needs to take medication during the school day please contact me.

There are many common school age illnesses. Many of the illnesses require the student to stay at home. Sending an ill student to school puts other students and staff at risk. A sick child is uncomfortable and unable to concentrate during the school day.

Communicable Disease -  There are many Communicable Diseases that are common in school aged children.  Parents/guardians must inform the school if their student is diagnosed by a physician with a Communicable Disease.  Some examples would be:  Varicella (chicken pox), influenza (flu), strep throat, conjunctivitis (pink-eye), impetigo, head lice, pertussis (whooping cough), ringworm, fifth’s disease, measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), meningitis, hepatitis, scabies, or other communicable disease. 

•          A student with a temperature of 100.0 or above needs to be kept home. He or she may return to school when free of fever for 24 hours without the use of anti-fever medication or at the direction of the child’s physician.
•          A child who is vomiting or suffering from diarrhea needs to remain at home until he/she is symptom-free for 24 hours.
•          Any child who is on antibiotics for strep throat, impetigo, ringworm, bacterial infection or other condition needs to stay home until 24 hours after antibiotics/anti-fungal medications are started.
•          Any child who is complaining of headache, sore throat, cough, extreme fatigue, stomach ache, earache or injury that is severe enough to decrease the child’s ability to participate in class needs to stay home.
•          Any child diagnosed with pertussis (whooping cough) must remain home for five (5) days after antibiotic treatment has been started.
•          Any child with yellow or green drainage from the eye(s) should be seen by a doctor and needs to stay home for 24 hours after antibiotic drops are started, if they are prescribed. The child should have no drainage from eye(s) when returning to school.
•          A child with a rash of unknown cause should stay at home until a doctor confirms the rash is not contagious. Students with chicken pox need to stay at home for seven (7) days or until all the lesions are crusted.
•          Children with head lice must be treated and have no live lice. Nits are to be removed prior to coming back to school. 

I am looking forward to getting to know your child. Please feel free to call me or email me at any time with any questions or concerns.

Carole Osborne

School Nurse

Attachments Available to Download:

• Ohio School Health Physician's Report (Required form)
• Ohio School Health Physician's Report (Required form) (RTF)