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• Each student has a hearing test in kindergarten for obtaining the required immunizations or risk exclusion.
through third grade and in seventh and eleventh Your school nurse can provide you with a blank medical plan
grades. card.
• Each student is screened for Scoliosis (curvature
of the spine) in sixth and seventh grades. If a child does not have all the doses listed above, needs
• Health Screening results are communicated in an additional doses, and the next dose is not medically
annual health screening letter. Parents/Guardians appropriate, the child must provide a medical plan within the
are notified when a screening result indicates a first five days of school for obtaining the required
potential area of concern and follow-up with a immunizations or risk exclusion. The medical plan must be
health care specialist may be indicated. followed or risk exclusion.

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Illness Children in 7 grade need the following ADDITIONAL
Please consider the following guidelines when making the immunizations for entry:
decision to send your child to school:
• Fever of 100 degrees or higher: children should • 1 dose meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)
be fever free (<100 ) for 24 hours without fever- • 1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis
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reducing medication. (Tdap), if five years have elapsed since last tetanus
• Uncontrollable coughing. immunization.
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• Vomiting/Diarrhea: children should be free of Children in 12 grade need the following ADDITIONAL
symptoms for 24 hours before returning to school. immunization for entry:
• Inability to sleep most of the night because they • 1 additional dose of meningococcal conjugate
don’t feel well. vaccine (MCV)
• If one dose was given at 16 years of age or older,
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The Pine-Richland School District follows the Allegheny that shall count as the 12 -grade dose.
County Health Department “Guide to Infectious Diseases for
Schools” to determine when a child should return to school These requirements allow for the following exemptions:
after an infectious illness. Specific information on strep medical reason, religious belief, or philosophical/strong
throat, pink eye, lice, chicken pox, and other common moral or ethical conviction. Even if your child is exempt
infectious illness in schools are outlined in the link above. from immunizations, he or she may be excluded from school
during an outbreak of vaccine-preventable disease.
Immunizations
Policy 203: Immunizations and Communicable Diseases Information regarding immunizations can be received from
In accordance with the Allegheny County Health the Allegheny County Health Department by calling 412-
Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the 578-8062.
following immunizations are required for school
enrollment/attendance: Lead Testing
Allegheny County requires that all children be tested for lead
For attendance, children in ALL grades (K-12) need the exposure at approximately 9-12 months old and again at
following vaccines. On the first day of school, unless the approximately 24 months. Children who have not had their
child has a medical or religious/philosophical exemption, a blood tested before 24 months must be tested as soon as
child must have had at least one dose of the following possible before the age of six or before entering
vaccinations or risk exclusion. kindergarten, whichever comes first.
• 4 doses of tetanus* (1 dose on or after 4 birthday)
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• 4 doses of diphtheria*(1 dose on or after 4 For more information, contact your family physician or:
birthday) Allegheny County Health Department, Housing and
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• 4 doses of polio*** (1 dose on or after the 4 Community Environment Program,
birthday) www.achd.net/safehomes or by phone at 412-350-4046.
• 2 doses of measles** This form has been added to the Kindergarten registration
• 2 doses of mumps** packet and is suggested for use by physicians to document
• 1 dose of rubella (German measles)** lead testing dates.
• 3 doses of hepatitis B
Medication
• 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) or evidence of The law which regulates the administration of medication in
immunity
*Usually given as DTP or DTap, or if medically the school and school activities is the same law that applies
advisable, DT or Td to hospitals and other institutions. The school cannot
dispense or allow any child to take any medication without
**Usually given as MMR
***A fourth dose is not necessary if the third dose was written permission from a physician and parent. This
administered age 4 years or older and at least 6 months includes both prescription and over the counter medications
(including but not limited to acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and
after the previous dose.
cough drops). If you anticipate or find that your child must
If a child does not have all the doses listed above, needs take medication during school hours, please obtain a copy of
the medication policy and a permission form on our website.
additional doses, and the next dose is medically appropriate,
the child must receive that dose within the first five days of All medication shall be brought to the nurse’s office, or the
school or risk exclusion. If the next dose is not the final dose main office if the nurse is in another building, by the
of the series, the child must provide a medical plan card
signed by his/her doctor within the first five days of school parent/guardian or by another adult designated by the
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