Seriously folks? I Actually appreciate someone is keeping track of whether my kids' classmates are current in their immunizations. It is a public health thing.

And not a huge burden. Bring the form with you every time you bring your kid for his annual medical or dental exam. Our doc and dentist keep extra DC forms if you need them. Scan the form so you have an electronic copy. Email it to the school and any camp that requests it. No one has ever asked me for the original. They are good for one year so you can submit an old form at re enrollment so long as it is less than a year old. Then update it when you go for your next visit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok now I feel like this whole new health cert every year is something someone started at DCPS not knowing how to read requirements from DOH. Even DC forms only says:

"If your child participates in athletics, the certificate will expire 365 days from the date of the exam listed on the form. To remain eligible for athletics, an updated Universal Health Certificate must be submitted to the school when a new physical occurs."

I can't find anywhere that says a new health cert is needed every year if you're at same school.

Participation in athletics has a higher standard.

Just do the forms, ladies. Not that big a deal.

Yes sports has higher standard that's why they require annual physical.

Why do you assume posters are ladies?

I have a strong feeling daycares, private, DCPS, charters only require the physical form annually because one entity a long time ago misread the law that says you only need it at enrollment, not every year for re-enrollment. So this sounds like another "it's always been that way" thing.

It is a big deal to require a physical every 365 days to some families. It's in the best interest to get physical every year but it's not required.

Anonymous wrote:Ok now I feel like this whole new health cert every year is something someone started at DCPS not knowing how to read requirements from DOH. Even DC forms only says:

"If your child participates in athletics, the certificate will expire 365 days from the date of the exam listed on the form. To remain eligible for athletics, an updated Universal Health Certificate must be submitted to the school when a new physical occurs."

I can't find anywhere that says a new health cert is needed every year if you're at same school.

Participation in athletics has a higher standard.

Just do the forms, ladies. Not that big a deal.

All of the day cares, private preschools, and charter schools our various children have attended require them yearly for re-enrollment.

We've gone to 2 charters - both checked dates on the medical and dental forms to ensure that they were not more than a year old.

Annoying as it may be, sometimes it's just easier to do it than try and parse the guidance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honesty think it's only required one time before enrolling in DC school. I can't find anywhere that says the form is required every single year (unless it's for sports). This would make sense and fall in line with every other state to my knowledge. Yes there are other required immunizations needed after K and for that an immunization print out should be sufficient. Can anyone find where the law says you must have a physical every year for DC School?

It's required every year. They will make you submit it. Doubt it's a law- probably a policy, but it's part of the "enrollment package" you need to turn in.

http://dcps.dc.gov/page/enrollment-forms


If you look at the top of the page it says, "School Health Requirements, School Year 2016-2017 Please turn in the following forms to the Registrar at your child’s school when you enroll your child. DC law requires that all students be current on immunizations to attend school. DC law also requires Universal Health Certificates and Oral Health Assessments for all students enrolling in all grades."

http://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/DC%20School%20Health%20Requirements%20Checklist_0.pdf

You enroll your kid each year.

Yes when you enroll but not for re-enrollment. I'd like to see where the law says students need physicals every year. On that exact form it also says "athletes need to submit form every year" if that's the case doesn't that imply that non athletes don't need it every year and non athletes just need to show immunization proof when the next shot is due?

And now it's the dental forms too...every year. Ugh! It's a pain. I understand there are kids who are not getting immunized but if your 11th grader has been done with their shots for years why do we need to do it? At least make it electronic for Petes sake!

It's such BS. I want to know what % of kids in DCPS have forms turned in each year. I can't imagine that is it anywhere near 50% in some schools. And yet each year, our WOTP school harasses us until we get the $&%& forms in. Because, hey, I don't have anything better to do, and have no other use for that $20, than to make sure the stupid form is done year after year after year.

Anonymous wrote:I honesty think it's only required one time before enrolling in DC school. I can't find anywhere that says the form is required every single year (unless it's for sports). This would make sense and fall in line with every other state to my knowledge. Yes there are other required immunizations needed after K and for that an immunization print out should be sufficient. Can anyone find where the law says you must have a physical every year for DC School?

It's required every year. They will make you submit it. Doubt it's a law- probably a policy, but it's part of the "enrollment package" you need to turn in.

http://dcps.dc.gov/page/enrollment-forms


If you look at the top of the page it says, "School Health Requirements, School Year 2016-2017 Please turn in the following forms to the Registrar at your child’s school when you enroll your child. DC law requires that all students be current on immunizations to attend school. DC law also requires Universal Health Certificates and Oral Health Assessments for all students enrolling in all grades."

http://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/DC%20School%20Health%20Requirements%20Checklist_0.pdf

You enroll your kid each year.

I honesty think it's only required one time before enrolling in DC school. I can't find anywhere that says the form is required every single year (unless it's for sports). This would make sense and fall in line with every other state to my knowledge. Yes there are other required immunizations needed after K and for that an immunization print out should be sufficient. Can anyone find where the law says you must have a physical every year for DC School?

Anonymous wrote:All schools require them yearly.

Only in K for VA. Maybe HS too?

Anonymous wrote:It just seems so excessive. Some camps and aftercare require it as well. Some camps are different state forms so can't re-use. Doctors charge $25+ a pop. With 2-3 kids, you're talking about upward of $200/year just on forms.

You need a new doctor. Ours will always give us the form if we request it at the time of that year's physical with no cost. If you need a replacement, it is $10. I just photocopy the original, which has never been a problem in the 6+ years I've been using daycares, schools, and camps in DC.

Ok now I feel like this whole new health cert every year is something someone started at DCPS not knowing how to read requirements from DOH. Even DC forms only says:

"If your child participates in athletics, the certificate will expire 365 days from the date of the exam listed on the form. To remain eligible for athletics, an updated Universal Health Certificate must be submitted to the school when a new physical occurs."

I can't find anywhere that says a new health cert is needed every year if you're at same school.

Anonymous wrote:VA form says child needs it before entry and must not be more than a year old but it doesn't say you need it every year.

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/health_medical/school_entrance_form/school_entrance_form.pdf

Same with MD. Only indicates one time before starting school, not annually.

http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/nr/rdonlyres/0244882c-7b2d-41bd-b6d9-78ffd3cb0d9c/6255/src6revised505.pdf

VA form says child needs it before entry and must not be more than a year old but it doesn't say you need it every year.

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/health_medical/school_entrance_form/school_entrance_form.pdf