Carson City students need to be immunized before school year begins

The Carson City School District is changing immunization requirements for all their students.

In previous years, the school district has allowed a grace period for students who haven’t received all of their immunizations completed before the school year, but officials are now saying students are required to have all immunizations completed before they can start the first day of school. This decision came from meetings between the school district and Carson City Health and Human Services.

“We need to get kids to be 100 percent compliant,” said district nurse Sheila Story. “We have been giving families time for immunizations but (the Health and Human Services) said that we need to be sharp and compliant and they shouldn’t start school if they don’t have completion or have started the series.”

Starting next school year, all current and new students will be required to have all their immunizations completed or be started with them by the time the first day of school starts. Story said this will be a part of the full enrollment process and without it, students will not be allowed into class on August 26. Conditional enrollment will not be accepted except for McKinney-Vento students and military families. The only exemption will be for medical or religious reasons and to acquire that exemption, families must pick up a form from one of the schools or the district office, get it notarized and submit it for approval to the school board who decides whether or not the accept it.

“The grace period is basically over,” Story said.

The district is in the process of sending home letters with students, indicating which immunizations they may need come the fall. The nurses check immunization records doctors input into systems called Web12 and PowerSchool, where all the immunization records are registered. The district will also begin making phone calls home and advertising in order to campaign for this new process.

“We are trying to be strict this year and creating a lot of stress now for us before the school year starts so that hopefully come the first day of school, it won’t be as cumbersome,” Story said.

If families can’t get an appointment with their doctor, the Health and Human Services or the Carson City School Based Health Center can also take appointments for immunization shots.

“Our goal is that the kids are safe, healthy and academically successful and part of that is getting their immunizations,” Story said.

For more questions or information on what immunizations a child needs and when visit the Carson City School District website or contact Sheila Story at 775-283-1675.