School Nurse Corner

Dear Parents/Guardians,

It is hard to believe that we are ready to start the 2023-2024 school year. Hope everyone has had a good summer and we are looking forward to a great 2023-2024 school year.


Just a few reminders about physical and immunization requirements. All these requirements can be found at: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov › sites › 2021/03.


PCPS Seniors:

  • Effective July 1, 2021, two properly spaced doses of meningococcal conjugate vaccine are required.

  • The first dose shall be administered prior to 7th grade

  • The second dose shall be administered prior to the start of 12th grade.

  • Parents/guardians must provide written documentation of your child’s vaccination to the school nurse before the first day of school (August 10,2023)

PCPS 7th Graders:

  • Effective July 1, 2021 all rising 7th grade students are required to have 1 dose of meningococcal vaccine. The first dose shall be administered prior to 7th grade.

  • All 7th graders must have a Tdap vaccine booster prior to entering 7th grade.

  • Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) is required for all students and the first dose must be administered before the child enters 7th grade. **A parent or guardian has the right to decide if their child receives the HPV vaccine.

  • Parents/guardians must provide written documentation of your child’s vaccination to the school nurse before the first day of school (August 10,2023)

PCPS Elementary and PreSchool Students:

  • According to the Code of Virginia these students must have a comprehensive physical examination before entering public kindergarten or elementary school for the first time.   This physical examination must have been completed on or after August 10, 2022 to meet Code of VA and be accepted.

  • The parents/guardians must also provide written documentation of all the School & Day Care Minimum immunization requirements to the school nurse before the first day of school.

Your child may have the physical examination completed by your healthcare provider.  The Community Health Center of the NRV (540-585-1310 or 540-307-8255) can provide physicals by appointment only.  Some of our local pharmacies and urgent care centers have clinics that will provide school physicals.

Your child may receive his/her immunizations by your healthcare provider or at the Pulaski County Health Department (540-440-2188) or Radford City Health Department (540-267-8255) by appointment only.  Some of the local pharmacies may provide immunizations.  The Community Health Center on the campus of PCHS (540-307-8255) will provide immunizations by appointment only.  Please talk with the school nurse or nurse supervisor (540-643-0531) if you need help getting an appointment for your child’s physical and/or immunizations for school.

Your child will not be allowed to start the first day of school until the school has on record a copy of a completed comprehensive physical and all the immunizations requirements.  We encourage parents/guardians to bring  copies of their child physical and immunization forms to school by August 1, 2023.  This will give the school nurse time to review all the forms and make sure all required information is documented and prevent your child from any delays on the first day of school.

Thank you for your cooperation and we look forward  to having your child/children in Pulaski County Public Schools.