Physicals and Immunizations:

View the full Table of Requirements.

Illinois State Board of Education and Bellwood School District 88 require all students entering preschool, kindergarten and sixth grade to provide a new physical examination and updated immunization records dated within a year of the start of the school year.  Physical exams must be on the state approved form.

To ensure adequate protection and a seamless start to the new school year for all of our students, please submit all required physical examinations and immunizations when submitting your online registration.  If the registration application has been submitted without the required health forms, submit them to your child's school as soon as possible.  Registration will be delayed for students that fail to  submit the required physical exam and updated immunizations at the time of registration.  Any student that fails to submit required medical forms will be excluded from school on October 1.  NOTE: ISBE does not allow any school to accept doctor’s appointments to avoid exclusion.  All Health forms are located in the side panel of this page and on the Health Services page.

Students transferring into Bellwood School District 88 from another Illinois school district must submit their most recent physical examination and immunization records before the student is allowed to enroll. Students that are noncompliant may have to update their medical records before registration is completed.

Students transferring to Bellwood School District 88 from an out of state school district must submit a new physical examination and updated immunization record dated one year within the year of enrollment. Out of state transfer students are given a 30-day grace period to comply with medical requirements.

Students in Sports:

Students in 7th and 8th grade that wish to participate in one of the available sports (including cheerleading) are required to submit a sports physical prior to tryouts. Sports physicals are only valid for 12 months; therefore, a new one is required each school year.

Health Requirements and Physicals:

• Students transferring into Bellwood School District 88 from another Illinois school district must submit their most recent physical examination and immunization records before the student is allowed to enroll. Students that are noncompliant may have to update their medical records before registration is completed.
• Students transferring to Bellwood School District 88 from an out of state school district must submit a new physical examination and updated immunization record dated one year within the year of enrollment. Out of state transfers are given a 30-day grace period to comply with medical requirements.

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The Illinois State Board of Education requires proof of a vision exam for all kindergarten students and any student transferring into the district, for the first time. Vision exams must be documented on the Illinois Department of Public Health vision form. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must present proof of their child/children having been examined by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist by October 1. A waiver may be completed for any qualifying student, please contact the nurse at your child’s school for more information on the waiver.  All Health forms are located in the side panel of this page.

The Illinois State Board of Education requires proof of a dental exam for all students entering kindergarten, 2nd, and 6th grade. Dental exams must be documented on the Illinois Department of Public Health dental form.

Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must present proof of their student(s) dental examination by May 15 of the current school year. A waiver may be completed for any qualifying student, please contact the nurse at your child’s school for more information on the waiver.  All Health forms are located in the side panel of this page.

Children of parents or legal guardians who object to health, dental, or eye examinations, or any part thereof, or to immunizations or to vision and hearing screening tests on religious grounds shall not be required to undergo the examinations or immunizations if the parents or legal guardians present to the appropriate local school authority a signed Certificate of Religious Exemption detailing the grounds for objection and the specific immunizations and/or examinations to which they object.  The grounds for objection must set forth the specific religious belief(s) that conflict with the examination, immunization, or other medical intervention. 

The certificate will be signed by the parent or legal guardian to confirm their awareness of the school’s exclusion policies in the case of a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak or exposure.  The certificate must also be signed by the child’s health care provider responsible for performing the child’s examination for entry into preschool, kindergarten, or sixth grade.  The religious objection provided need not be directed by the tenets of an established religious organization.  However, general philosophical or moral reluctance to allow physical examinations, eye examinations, immunizations, vision, and hearing screening or dental examinations will not provide a sufficient basis for an exception to statutory requirements. 

The local school authority is responsible for determining if the content of the Certificate of Religious Exemption constitutes a valid religious objection.  The local school authority shall inform the parent or legal guardian of exclusion procedures in accordance with IDPH’s rules, Control of Communicable Diseases Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 690) at the time the objection is presented.  The form can be found in the side panel of this page under "Health Forms."

Annual hearing screenings are mandatory for preschool children aged three or older in any public or private educational program or licensed child care facility, as well as for school-age children in kindergarten through third grade, those in special education, those referred by a teacher, or transfer students. These screenings are provided in all District 88 schools. Alternatively, a completed and signed report form indicating that the child has undergone an ear examination by a physician and an audiologist evaluation within the past 12 months is acceptable in place of the required screening services.

Annual vision screenings are mandatory for preschool children aged three or older in any public or private educational program or licensed child care facility, as well as for school-age children in kindergarten, second, and eighth grades, those in special education, those referred by a teacher, or transfer students. These screenings are provided in District 88 schools. Alternatively, a completed and signed report form indicating that the child has undergone an eye examination by a doctor specializing in eye diseases or a licensed optometrist within the past 12 months is acceptable in place of the required screening services.

The parent or legal guardian of a student may object to hearing or vision screening tests for their children on religious grounds. If a religious objection is made, a written and signed statement from the parent or legal guardian detailing such objections must be presented to the local school authority.

Students should not take medication during school hours or during school-related activities unless it is necessary for a student’s health and well-being.  When a student’s licensed health care provider and parent/guardian believe that it is necessary for the student to take medication during school hours or school-related activities, the parent/guardian must request that the school dispense the medication to the child and otherwise follow the district’s procedures on dispensing medication.  No school district employee shall administer to any student, or supervise a student’s self-administration of, any prescription or non-prescription medication until a completed and signed school medication authorization form is submitted by the student’s parent/guardian. 

No student shall possess or consume any prescription or non-prescription medication on school grounds or at a school-related function other than as provided for in this policy and its implementing procedures.  All medication must be delivered to the school by a parent or guardian in a container properly labeled by the pharmacy.  At the end of the school year, all medications must be picked up by an authorized adult.  No medication other than inhalers will be given to the student at the end of the school year.

A student may possess an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen®) and/or medication prescribed for asthma for immediate use at the student’s discretion, provided the student’s parent/guardian has completed and signed a School Medication Authorization Form. The school district shall incur no liability, except for willful and wanton conduct, as a result of any injury arising from a student’s self-administration of medication or epinephrine auto-injector or the storage of any medication by school personnel. A student’s parent/guardian must indemnify and hold harmless the school district and its employees and agents, against any claims, except a claim based on willful and wanton conduct, arising out of a student’s self-administration of an epinephrine auto-injector and/or medication, or the storage of any medication by school personnel. Nothing in this policy shall prohibit any school employee from providing emergency assistance to students, including administering medication.

The building principal shall include this policy in the student handbook and shall provide a copy to the parents/guardians of students. Please contact the nurse assigned to your child’s building for medication administration procedures.

• District 88 Medication Policy