District partners with school-based health centers to expand immunization and physical clinics before school starts

The committee reviewed memoranda of agreement with two community health partners to open four school‑based health centers for a two‑week period before school opens, with the goal of increasing compliance with required physicals and immunizations. Miss Peters described a no‑cost agreement in which Cornell Scott would operate centers at Davis and Truman and Fair Haven would staff clinics at Ross Woodward and Wilbur Cross between Aug. 18 and Aug. 28 (date range presented in meeting materials). The special arrangement allows any district student — regardless of which school they attend — to receive immunizations or the required school physical at any of the four participating sites. “This allows any student in the entire district, no matter what school they go to, if they are in need of an immunization or physical, they can go to any of those 4 schools,” Peters said. Committee members asked whether the two‑week push could also help collect physician documentation for food allergies that require school nutrition accommodations. Doctor Gerber raised food‑allergy documentation and EpiPen administration as an example of a health record that schools must have on file. District staff said food‑allergy documentation is managed through school nurses and food services and that the pre‑school immunization campaign may not be the proper vehicle to create long‑term documentation processes; staff said the initiative is an effort to reduce absenteeism by ensuring students meet entry requirements before school starts. Peters said the clinics will bill insurance in the usual manner and that the agreement does not require additional district funds. Committee members did not vote separately on the MOAs during the meeting; the packet included the MOU and committee motion forwarded multiple items to the full board for approval.