Health & Wellness

Ridgeland School District 122 continues to emphasize the importance of education and choice to promote a healthy lifestyle for pupils.  One of the goals of the Wellness Program is to develop collaboration among parents, support organizations and our schools to assist our students to make healthy choices.  The following are the examinations and timings of examinations required by the state of Illinois.

Required Health Examinations

A student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) shall present proof that the student received a health examination and the immunizations against, and screenings for, preventable communicable diseases, as required by the Illinois Department of Public Health within one year prior to:

  1. Entering kindergarten or the first grade;

  2. Entering the sixth grade; and

  3. Enrolling in an Illinois school, regardless of the student's grade (including nursery school, special education, Head Start programs operated by elementary or secondary schools, and students transferring into Illinois from out-of-state or out-of-country).

Proof of immunization against meningococcal disease is required from students in grade 6, beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.

 As required by State law:

  1. The required health examinations must be performed by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, an advanced practice nurse who has a written collaborative agreement with a collaborating physician authorizing the advanced practice nurse to perform health examinations, or a physician assistant who has been delegated the performance of health examinations by a supervising physician.

  2. A diabetes screening must be included as a required part of each health examination; diabetes testing is not required.

  3. Before admission and in conjunction with required physical examinations, parents/guardians of children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years must provide a statement from a physician that their child was “risk-assessed” or screened for lead poisoning.

  4. The Department of Public Health will provide all female students entering sixth grade and their parents/guardians information about the link between human papilloma virus (HPV) and cervical cancer and the availability of the HPV vaccine.  

All students in kindergarten and the second and sixth grades must present proof of having been examined by a licensed dentist before May 15 of the current school year in accordance with rules adopted by the Illinois Department of Public Health. 

Parents/guardians of students entering kindergarten or an Illinois school for the first time shall present proof before October 15 of the current school year that the student received an eye examination within one year prior to entry of kindergarten or the school.  A physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches or a licensed optometrist must perform the required eye examination.