The Indiana Department of Health requires that all schools obtain a written statement of each student’s completed immunizations. According to Principal John Williams, students who do not have the proper documentation on file before Sept. 12 may not return to school until it is provided.

To view the immunization requirements set by the Indiana Department of Health, click here.

“We have always asked for records, but if parents didn’t get them, nobody worried about it too much,” Williams said. “Nobody was going to tell a student they couldn’t come to school. The law has been in effect for a while, but now it’s going to be enforced.”

Williams said the central office has contacted parents who have yet to provide the proper documentation.

To help parents meet the requirements, the St. Francis Visiting Nurse Service will host an immunization clinic for all Carmel Clay Schools students on Sept. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the main cafeteria. Parents must accompany students to the clinic. The service will cost $14 for those without insurance.

“Right now, we have over 300 kids (who have not provided proper documentation),” Williams said. “That’s not a lot out of 4,600 kids, but on Monday, whatever is left of that 300 will not be allowed to come to school. If they come, we’ll call them down and send them home.”

Williams said he hopes the clinic will help to diminish this number.

“There’s lot of places for folks to get (immunizations),” he said. “They can go to the doctor or to the Hamilton County Health (Department), but we’re providing them too. It isn’t really isn’t our responsibility, but we don’t want kids at home. We want them here at school.”