Medical and Religious Exemptions
A parent or guardian of a student may object to immunizations on religious grounds.
If a religious objection is made to receive an exemption to vaccination, the Illinois Religious Exemption Form must be:
- completed and signed by the parent or guardian
- must be signed and dated by a health care provider indicating they have provided the parent or legal guardian of the student with information regarding the required examinations, the benefits of immunization, and the health risks to the student and to the community from the communicable diseases for which immunization is required in Illinois
- must include a written statement provided by the parent or legal guardian
- state the religious grounds for each request
- detailing the religious beliefs that prevent the child from receiving each required school vaccinations/examination being requested.
A parent or guardian of a student may object to immunizations on medical grounds specific to an existing medical condition of the student.
A medical objection to an immunization must be:
- Made by a licensed physician, advanced practice nurse, or a physician’s assistant indicating the medical basis for the objection.
- Endorsed and signed by the physician on the certificate of health form and placed in the student's permanent record.
- A separate written statement indicating the specific vaccine being medically contraindicated, attached by the health care provider responsible for completing the health examination, explaining the medical reason for the contraindication.
Should the medical condition of the student later indicate that immunization is no longer contraindicated to the health of the student, the immunizations requirements will then have to be met.
The State of Illinois School Health Law requires each student have a complete physical examination, including specific mandated immunizations upon entering PreK, Kindergarten and sixth grade. Sports physicals must be renewed every calendar year for participating students. The physical exam form is 2-sided (both sides must be completed) and requires 3 signatures. The signatures are:
- Immunization portion signed by health care provider.
- Health history portion signed by parent or guardian.
- Physical exam portion signed by physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner.
Communicable Diseases
ZESD 6 will observe recommendations of the Illinois Department of Public Health regarding communicable diseases.
Parents or guardians are required to notify the school health team member if they suspect their student has a communicable disease such as measles, German measles, chickenpox, whooping cough, scarlet fever, diphtheria, pneumonia, poliomyelitis, ringworm, impetigo, conjunctivitis, meningitis, mumps, influenza, or COVID-19.In certain cases, students with a communicable disease may be excluded from school or sent home from school following notification of the parent or guardian. The school will provide oral/written information to the parent or guardian regarding treatment or recommended follow-up. A student excluded because of a communicable disease will be permitted to return to school only when the parent or guardian provides a signed letter from a licensed physician stating the student is no longer contagious or at-risk of spreading the communicable disease.