It is time to start getting the kids ready for school! Regardless of whether a child is in their first year of attending school or their last, parents always have homework to do before the kids start back to school. Here are a few links that we have found to be very informative to help keep children safe at school.  These links are being provided for informational purposes only for our readers.

Elements bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.

Vaccinations

Is your child required to be vaccinated? CDC has provided information for parents to help them understand about vaccination. Near the bottom of the page, under More Information, is a list of frequently asked questions.  For more information about  vaccines, contact your doctor or local health department .
http://www.cdc.gov/features/catchupimmunizations/

Also, CDC has provided a pdf about understanding the risks if you do not vaccinate your child.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/hcp/downloads/not-vacc-risks-bw-office.pdf

Found a great printable guide to help understand about vaccines and keep track of when vaccines were given. “What to Expect: Guide to Immunizations”  from Author Sharon Mazel
http://www.gachd.org/What%20to%20Expect%20Guide%20to%20Immunizations.pdf

Selecting School

Is your child starting a new school? Helpful list of questions to ask and things to look for when selecting a school.
http://www.greatschools.org/find-a-school/school-visit/24-the-school-visit-what-to-look-for-what-to-ask.gs?page=1

Backpack Safety

Those books can be heavy! Safety issues to consider before buying your child a backpack.
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/backpack.html

School Lunches

Did you know there are new rules for healthier school meals?
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/08/school-meal-programs-shaping-up-nationwide/

How to keep your child’s lunch out of the danger zone.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/08/preschoolers-lunches-carried-into-the-danger-zone/

References and resource lists

NCEF has a large resource list in regards to healthy school environments for all year around.
http://www.ncef.org/rl/healthy_schools.cfm?date=4