For Immediate Release • February 28, 2006
Terren Roloff, Director
Community Relations
Phone: 354-7338
terrenr@spokaneschools.org

New vaccination requirement for students

According to a new Washington state law, all students entering kindergarten or sixth grade, or in a pre-school or child care program in the fall of 2006, must provide proof of immunity to varicella disease (chickenpox). The date (month, day and year) of varicella vaccination OR the approximate age or date the child had the actual chickenpox disease will be required.

Parents who are unsure if their child has had the disease are encouraged to talk to their health care provider about receiving this vaccination.

This varicella information will be required before children may attend school, beginning in the fall of 2006.

Parent notification letters will be distributed to parents of preschoolers and students currently in fifth grade before the end of the school year. Parents of kindergarten students who will be registering their child this spring should be ready to provide the needed information at the time of registration.

As with all immunizations, the parent may request a personal, religious or medical exemption and a parent signature is needed for this request.