Immunization Requirements

Children in ALL grades (K-12) need the following Immunizations for attendance: 

  • 4 doses of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (one dose on or after the 4th birthday)*
  • 4 doses of polio (4th dose on or after 4th birthday and at least 6 months after previous dose given)**
  • 2 doses of measles, mumps, rubella ***
  • 3 doses of hepatitis B
  • 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) or evidence of immunity 

*Usually given as DTP or DTaP or if medically advisable, DT or Td
**A fourth dose is not necessary if the third dose was administered at age 4 years or older and at least 6 months after the previous dose
***Usually given as MMR

For Attendance in 7th Grade

  • 1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) by the first day of 7th grade
  • 1 dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) by the first day of 7th grade

For Attendance in 12th Grade

  • 1 dose of MCV by the first day of 12th grade.  (First dose is given at 11-15 years of age; a second dose is required at age 16 or entry into 12th grade).

On the first day of school, unless the child has a medical or religious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had at least one dose of all the above vaccinations or risk exclusion.

Any child who does not have complete immunizations must receive the dose(s) within the first five days of school (if medically appropriate) or provide a medical plan for obtaining the required immunizations, signed by your health care provider, within the first five days of school or risk exclusion.  Medical Certificate forms are utilized to document medical plans of care.  Medical Certificate forms are available through your school nurse or online by clicking here.

These requirements allow for the following exemptions: medical reasons, religious beliefs, or philosophical/strong moral or ethical conviction. If you would like to claim an exemption on religious, philosophical or moral grounds, please complete this exemption form  and return to school, attn. school nurse. Even if your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be excluded from school during an outbreak of vaccine preventable disease.

For more information on school immunization requirements, please ask your school nurse, healthcare provider or call 1-877-PA-HEALTH.  

Physical and Dental Examinations

Pennsylvania law requires that children upon entry into school or transferring from out of state or out of country must have a physical examination and dental examination.  This regulation also applies to students transferring into our school district from out of state, out of country, or in states where transferred School Health Records do not meet these criteria.  This requirement includes children attending public, private, and parochial schools in Springfield Township.

Physical examinations and dental examinations done after September 10th of the year prior to school entry meet the State Health Regulations.  We encourage you to have these procedures completed by your family doctor and dentist who are familiar with your child's health history.  Please have the appropriate forms completed and return them to your child's assigned school in an envelope marked, "Attention School Nurse" on or before the opening of school in September.

Tuberculosis Screening

Tuberculosis (TB) screening for students will be done through the registration process.  A test for TB infection will be required for high-risk students.