Health Data Requirements: The Needham Public Schools, in compliance with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, requires the following documents before a student enters school:
A copy of a physical exam that contains documentation of a vision screening, TB risk assessment, and immunization record.
The school nurse must receive these documents as follows:
-
One year prior or 30 days after entry to the Needham Public Schools
- Entering grades preschool, K, 4, 7, and 10
- Annually prior to participation in school sponsored athletics
Here is a video explaining the physical exam, immunization and health screening requirements for students grade k-5
Required Immunizations:
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Regulation 105 CMR 220 requires students to be immunized before starting school. An immunization certificate/record that includes the month, day and year the immunizations were administered needs to be submitted to and reviewed by the school nurse before the student begins school.
Exemption - If there are medical reasons why your child has not been immunized, a certificate must be obtained from your physician and forwarded to the school nurse; this letter should be provided each year. For religious exemption, a letter must be provided annually, that states that the immunization(s) are against one's sincere religious beliefs. Please note that if there is an outbreak of a communicable disease, those students with exemptions may be excluded for the duration of the incubation of that particular illness.
Immunization requirements 2024-2025 School Year
Physical Examination:
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Regulation 105 CMR 200 requires a physical examination for all new students during the following increments:
- One year prior or 30 days after entry to the Needham Public Schools
- Entering grades preschool, K, 4, 7, and 10
- Annually prior to participation in school sponsored athletics
- At the high school level, a student participating in interscholastic athletics must submit a current physical examination. According to Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Guidelines to qualify for each sport season, the physical must be dates within thirteen months of the first day of practice. If a student's physical expires during the current sport season, a new physical needs to be submitted.
Here is an example of a student school health form Massachusetts health-record-form.pdf