The kids will need school supplies and probably new clothes, but don’t forget about vaccinations. State health officials say there is a list of immunizations that a child entering kindergarten is required to have.
Dan Hopfensperger is director of the Wisconsin Immunization Program with the state Health Department. He’s reminding parents to also make appointments now to have their older child’s immunizations updated. Vaccines have been proven to be a safe and effect way to prevent communicable disease, he says, especially in schools.
If kids are not immunized on time, Hopfensperger says the school will send out a legal warning on the 15th school day and then a second warning on the 25th day, depending on compliance. If they fail to comply on the 30th school day, the child’s name could be sent to the DA for follow-up — or, he says, the child could be prevented from returning to school for ten days or until the immunizations are given.
Generally, though, Wisconsin does very well with keeping up on immunizations, but Hopfensperger says “we’re not in a situation where we can let our guard down.”