Health & Immunizations

Immunizations Guidelines

Parents, make sure your child is ready for school! You will need to bring your child’s Immunization Record to register your child for school, and again when your child has been promoted to 6th or 9th grade. It must show the complete date your child was given each required shot. If you do not have an Immunization Record or your child has not received all required shots, call your doctor now for an appointment or call the local health department for the date and location of the next immunization clinic.

Before you are allowed to enroll your child in an Arizona School, you must show evidence of the following vaccinations:

For All Grades:

(DTaP/DTP) Diphtheria, Tetanus & Pertusis, (DT) Diphtheria & Tetanus or Td:  3-5 doses (except Kindergarten which requires 4-6 doses), At least 1 dose must be after the child’s 4th birthday

(IPV/OPV) Polio: 3-4 doses, with the last dose being after the child’s 4th birthday. No more than 4 doses required.

(MMR) Measles, Mumps & Rubella: 2 doses, with the 1st dose on/after 1st birthday, 2nd dose must be at least 1 month after 1st dose

(HEP B) Hepatitis B: 3 doses, last dose must be after child is 24 weeks of age

Varicella (Chicken Pox):  1-2 doses 2nd dose is recommended, but required if 1st dose was given at 13 years old or older

MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL or students entering 6th through 12th grade (in addition to above):

Please bring an updated copy of your child’s Immunization Records when coming to pick up your child’s new class schedule for fall. No student will be allowed to return to school if they are missing any required immunizations

Tdap Booster and Meningococcal vaccine (MV)?

Students 11 years of age and older will be required to have one dose of Tdap vaccine if 5 years have passed since their last dose of tetanus/diphtheria containing vaccine. Students 11 years of age and older will also be required to have one dose of Meningococcal vaccine (MV). The implementation schedule is as follows:
«  In 2011 for a child entering 6th through 9th grades
«  In 2012 for a child entering 6th through 10th grades
«  In 2013 for a child entering 6th through 11th grades
«  In 2014 for a child entering 6th through 12th grades

Please note:

  • A Tdap Booster will be required for students in upper grades, if 5 or more years have passed since their last dose of tetanus/diptheria containing vaccine!  If one dose of Tdap already received, then next dose of Td is due in 10 years.
  • Even if the Meningococcal vaccine is not required for your child’s current grade, and your child is 11 years or older, it is still recommended that your child receive it. Many colleges will require it for attendance.

 Also recommended by the Health Department but not required for enrollment in school at this time:

All Grades: Hepatitis A (2 doses)
Students 11 Years or Older: Human Papiloma Virus (HPV/Guardisil) (3 doses) Vaccination

Please contact your family physician or local health department to receive any missing immunizations.

(Reference: Arizona Administrative Code, Department of Health Services – Communicable Diseases. Chapter 6, Article 7, R9-6-701-708)

Medications And School:

SUSD is a “Drug Free Zone.  All medications must be taken in the health office.  This includes non-prescription medication.

  • If your child needs to take medication during the school year, it is advisable that they be taken at home, before and after school, whenever possible.
  • If you must send medications to school, students MAY NOT transport medications! All medications must be in original packaging with complete labels from the Pharmacy. Parents must complete a Medication Administration Consent form before we can administer any medication.
  • For prescription medications that need to be taken both at home and at school, please ask your physician or Pharmacy to divide doses into two bottles. Taking medications to and from school daily is not permitted unless a parent drops it off AND picks it up!
  • According to state laws, we can not administer medications prescribed or bought outside of Arizona state lines (No medications from Mexico will be accepted).
  • If your child has moderate to severe asthma, diabetes, or life threatening allergies requiring they keep medications with them, please speak to the Health Office Staff.

Food Allergies, Special Medical Diets, And Chronic Health Concerns:

If your child has food allergies, please speak directly with your school’s health assistant, the cafeteria, and your child’s teacher to inform them of the allergy, severity, symptoms, and treatment. For moderate to severe allergies, it is always best to provide breakfast and lunches for your child, as we can not guarantee that your child will not eat something that he/she shouldn’t. If you plan to have your child eat in the cafeteria, and would like your child’s name and allergy placed on the cafeteria food allergy list, you must submit documentation of the allergy or special diet from your child’s physician. If your child requires an Epi-pen to be kept on campus, please contact the school health office immediately.  Students with Epi-pens, need to have a Food Allergy Action Plan on file in the health office, and at least 1 Epi-pen must be supplied to the health office annually.

If your child has Diabetes, a Seizure Disorder, Heart Condition, Cancer, or other serious and/or chronic health concern, please speak directly to your schools Health Assistant and your child’s teacher. In some cases, we may require documentation and an “action plan” from your child’s physician, to ensure we can provide the best care possible to your child. His/her safety at school is our top concern. Action Plans are required for students with Diabetes, Seizures Disorders, severe Asthma, and moderate to severe allergies. Action plans must be updated annually.

Please note, it is the parents responsibility to provide these forms/documentation annually with appropriate medical provider signatures.  Failure to do so means that the health office may not have the proper medical documentation and orders to follow in the event your child is having a health related problem at school.  This means we may need to send the student home from school more often, or even call Emergency Medical Services to treat a problem that may have been otherwise treatable at school if medical orders had been in place prior to the event.  Your child’s safety is our top priority, however we need physician orders to care for more serious health problems at school.

Medical Statement of Food Restrictions | Food Allergy Action Plan | Asthma Action Plan
Seizure Action Plan | Seizure Parent Questionnaire | Diabetes Medical Management Plan

District Wellness Policy:

AZ Nutritional Standards | Wellness Policy Guidelines and Procedures
SUSD Healthy Guidelines for School Snacks | Nutrition Calculator

Sports Physicals:

Does your student entering or in Grades 6-12 plan on participating in sports? If so, they are required to submit a valid annual sports physical to their school health office. Sports Physicals are valid for one school year, and must be submitted on or after March 1st for it to be valid for the following school year.

Sports Physical Forms my be obtained from the school health offices or printed on-line. Form 15.7-A  must be completed by a parent/guardian and Form 15.7-B must be completed by physician or nurse practitioner .  Form 15.7-C must be signed and dated by student and parents.  Sports Physical Forms can be completed at your Physician’s Office, The Sahuarita School Wellness Center, or other sports physical clinics throughout the area.

AIA Sports Physical Form 15.7 A 2012-2013 School Year:  Health History
AIA Sports Physical Form 15.7 B 2012-2013 School Year:  Physician Statement
AIA Sports Physical Form 15.7 C 2012-2013 School Year:  Brain Injury Concussion Statement

Where Should My Child Go To Get Their Sports Physical?

It is always best to take your child to their physician’s office to get all of their medical needs taken care of, including immunizations and sports physicals.

If that is not the best choice for your needs at this time, you are always welcome to contact the Sahuarita Wellness Center to see when they can give your child a sports physical. And verify current costs. Otherwise, you may look for clinics in the community that provide Sports Physical Services, often at discounted rates (i.e. $30/Sports Physical). Many Tucson area CVS Pharmacies and Walgreens have on site clinics that provide sports physicals, immunizations, and treat minor health illness and injuries.

What Is The Sahuarita School Wellness Center?

The School Wellness Center is  a fee based “on-campus” medical office hosted by United Community Health Centers, that is designed to assist with managing SUSD students’ Medical, Dental, and Behavioral Health needs. Any student enrolled in SUSD is eligible to receive health care services at any of their school based clinics. Parents are responsible for any fees for services (most insurance is accepted), and parents must complete all required registration and  health history paperwork each school year prior to visiting the clinic. If you would like your student to be seen by the Nurse Practitioner (or Physician if available), Behavioral Health Specialist, or Mobile Dental Clinic, please contact your student’s health assistant at his/her school to get paperwork and more information on making appointments.

  • Main Campus:  Sahuarita Intermediate School, Room 24
  • Sopori School

Students from Sahuarita Primary School, Anza Trail, Walden Grove or the Early Childhood Center may visit either Wellness Center Clinic, however parents will be responsible for transportation of students to/from the clinic.

For Wellness Center or the Dental Clinic Schedules or for further information or to schedule an appointment for your child, please contact the Sahuarita Wellness Center at (520) 625-3502 x1211.  Hours are subject to change.

The Mobile Dental Clinic serves the Main Campus, Anza Trail Campus, Walden Grove, and Sopori “on site”.  For more information, please contact the Mobile Dental Clinic at (520) 870-1809.

What Are The Most Common Illnesses I Should Monitor My Child For?

Common Colds and Flu plague schools year round. They are an unavoidable nuisance, however teaching your children to cover their cough/ sneeze with their elbows or arm and to wash their hands frequently will help them stay a little healthier. If your child is coughing or sneezing a lot, they may need to be kept home from school. Generally we do not notify parents that colds and the flu are going around, since that occurs all year long.

Other common communicable illnesses to be on the lookout for include Chicken Pox,  Conjunctivitis (“Pink Eye”) and Head Lice. You should check your child frequently for signs of these health problems, and if you suspect your child has one, then please DO NOT send them to school! They should be evaluated by a medical professional and receive treatment if necessary before returning to school.  If your child IS diagnosed with one of these problems, it is very important that you notify the school so we can monitor for potential outbreaks. Please have your physician write a note about the diagnosis (even if they are diagnosed with another problem) and any treatments needed, and how long a student is expected to be absent.

These nuisances and others are present in very small numbers throughout the school year. When we suspect that a child has one of these health concerns, we do send them home for medical evaluation and treatment. If we see more than an isolated case, or any unusual trend of illness, we will notify parents of classmates. Please do not be alarmed if your child says we checked his/her head for lice. We do periodic health concerns, we do send them home for medical evaluation and treatment. If we see more than an isolated case, or any unusual trend of illness, we will notify parents of classmates. Please do not be alarmed if your child says we checked his/her head for lice. We do periodic random head lice checks throughout the year, it does not necessarily mean they have been exposed to head lice.

If your child has “eye allergies” it is very important you have your physician write a note that we can keep on file to document this. If we do not have medical documentation, then we do have to send your child home for possible “pink eye” anytime they are red/irritated and have tearing or purulent drainage. And in some cases, even with documentation, we may still send students home if their eyes look like “Pink Eye” as opposed to allergies, especially if other cases of “Pink Eye” have been identified in the school.

ANY UNCOMMON, SERIOUS OR LIFE THREATENING (OR AN OUTBREAK) OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES WILL BE FOLLOWED UP WITH PARENT COMMUNICATION  LETTERS. We work closely with the Pima County Health Department and will follow their guidance on any public health issue’s affecting our schools.

When Should My Child Stay Home From School?

Student Attendance is very important for children’s education. We encourage good attendance with all of our students,  however sick kids should stay home from school. The following are general guidelines that the school may use determine if a child is too sick to stay in school.

  • Fever 100.0 or higher
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • “Red/Pink” Eyes with tearing or purulent drainage
  • Pain that does not subside after 15 minutes rest
  • Sore Throat with redness, swelling of throat and/or white exudate
  • Multiple or severe “cold” symptoms such as runny nose, watering eyes and sore throat
  • Flu symptoms: aching accompanied by fever, sore throat and /or headaches
  • Rash or other undiagnosed skin condition they may potentially be contagious
  • Other symptoms as determined by the Health Staff to interfere with the child’s ability to remain in school
  • SUSD has a “nit free” policy,any students suspected of lice or nits will be sent home from school for treatment and lice/nit removal.  Students must be evaluated by the health office before they will be allowed to return to school to ensure they return “nit free”.  As a precaution, you may wish to put long hair up, and teach all students not to share items that may touch their hair (hats, combs, headbands, etc.)

If your child comes to school and complains of illness, the Health Office will evaluate the child and determine whether or not they are well enough to remain in school.  Most students are able to return to class after assessment and minor treatment such as rest, toileting or snack are tried.

Students who are too sick to remain at school, will be kept in the Health Office and parents will be contacted to pick up their sick  child. Please make sure your emergency contact numbers are always up to date at the school. If you are called to pick up your child, please do so in a timely manner to avoid the possibility of passing illnesses to others.

Children can generally return to school after they have been fever free for 24 hours without medication, and other symptoms have improved. For conditions requiring antibiotics, students should receive medications for a full 24 hours before returning to school. Some illnesses may require a physician note before returning to school.

In the event your child is too sick to come to school, please call your schools attendance office as soon as possible to report the student’s absence.  Please also notify the attendance clerk of any health problems that may “spread” to the rest of the class such as chicken pox, head lice, pink eye, or other contagious illnesses (beyond common colds/flu) so that we may monitor the situation.  Please refer to your school for their attendance policies.

What Happens When My Child Visits The Health Office?

Most children LOVE to visit the Health Offices. They visit the Health Office for many reasons. Most children come for minor illness or injuries such as a tummy ache, mild headache, a small bump, scrape or scratch, or even dress code issues. Some children come because they want to get out of class, perhaps because of a tough subject. With the younger children, they often want to come because “Johnny got to go to the Health Office”. Others just need a little “TLC” (Tender Loving Care).

When a child gets a pass to the Health Office, they will most often be seen by one of our capable Health Assistants. The Health Assistants will evaluate the child to see if they have a problem that can be easily remedied with rest, band aids, icepacks (the kids LOVE icepacks whether they truly need one or not), a small snack, change of clothes, or even a “pep talk”. Whenever possible, children are returned to class as quickly as possible.

If a child soils clothing, he/she will be given a change of clothing if available, and the child will go into the bathroom alone to clean up and change. If students require assistance cleaning up, parents will be called immediately. Soiled clothing will be double bagged and placed in child’s backpack to be brought home and washed. If your child has frequent bathroom accidents, or you do not wish for your child be given our clothing, please keep extra clothing in your child’s backpack and let your child’s teacher know.  Most schools appreciate donations of gently used dress code clothing.  Schools are also in need of new underwear to give to students in the event of bathroom accidents.  Any clothing loaned to your students should be washed and returned to school in good condition.

When a child’s symptoms are out of the ordinary (head injury, facial injuries, etc) or the child appears to be too sick to remain in school, the Health Assistants will call parents and either ask for guidance as to what to do next, or request that the student be picked up from school. Sometimes they will refer the parent to take the child to a doctor for further evaluation.

Please remember, Nurses and Health Assistants CAN NOT DIAGNOSE children. We can only tell you what we see, and determine whether or not the child is well enough to remain in school.  If we suspect that the child MIGHT have a more serious health concern or potentially contagious illness, we may exclude the child from school and ask that the child be seen by a physician for diagnosis.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your School Health Assistant. If you have concerns they are unable to address, please contact the school administrator or district nurse.

Hearing and Vision screenings:

Hearing and Vision screenings are conducted annually at all Sahuarita Schools on the following students:

  • Students in Grades K, 1, 2, 4, 6, 9
  • All students receiving Special Education services or who have been referred for Special Education testing
  • Students who are new to the district and who do not have evidence of a hearing/vision screening from previous school year
  • Any student who is referred to the health office for a Hearing/Vision Screening

If students fail a vision screening, we will send a Vision Reerral form to the parent notifying them and referring the student for an eye exam.

If a student fails a hearing screening, state law mandates that a rescreening be performed in 4-6 weeks.  At that time, if a student fails a SECOND hearing screening, we will send a Hearing Referral form to parents notifying them and referring the student for a hearing evaluation, preferably with an audiologist.  However, if we suspect a child needs immediate medical attention, we will notify parents immediately regardless of whether it is the first or second screening!

How Can I Help My Child Stay Healthy At School?

  • Encourage children to get plenty of sleep
  • Encourage your children to eat a healthy well-balanced diet and drink lots of water
  • Teach your child to bathe regularly, brush their teeth, and wash their hands frequently, especially after toileting and before/after meals or playing outside
  • Teach your children to cough or sneeze into their elbow or shoulder and not their hands … hands will spread the germs
  • Donate hand sanitizer, tissues, and disinfecting wipes to your child’s classroom throughout the school year
Sopori Elementary School (Grades K-6)
Health Assistant:  Karen Salcido
Phone:  520-625-3502 x1302
Email: ksalcido@sahuarita.net
Fax:  520-398-2024

Anza Trail School (Grades K-8)
Health Assistant: Linda Thowson
Phone: 520-625-3502 x1742
E-Mail: lthowson@sahuarita.net
School Fax: 520-398-7121

Sahuarita Primary School (Grades K-2)
Health Assistant: Shirley Quintero
Phone: 520-625-3502 x 1106
E-Mail: squintero@sahuarita.net
School Fax: 520-393-7036

Sahuarita Intermediate School (Grades 3-5)
Health Assistant: Kim Stevenson
Phone: 520-625-3502 x1203
E-Mail: kstevenson@sahuarita.net
School Fax: 520-648-6121

Sahuarita Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Health Assistant: Deborah Ramirez
Phone:  520-625-3502 x1409
E-Mail: dramirez@sahuarita.net
School Fax: 520-399-1870

Sahuarita High School (Grades 9-12)
Health Assistant: Maria Ochoa
Phone: 520-625-3502 x1513
E-Mail: mochoa@sahuarita.net
School Fax: 520-399-1223

Walden Grove High School (Grades 9-12)
Health Assistant: Monica Reyes
Phone:  520-625-3502 x1820
E-Mail: mreyes@sahuarita.net
School Fax: 520-399-1223


District Nurse: Jeanine Sarnacki, RN
Phone: 520-625-3502 x1112
Fax: 520-393-7036
E-Mail: jsarnacki@sahuarita.net

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