Petersburg City Public Schools (PCPS) has announced a recommended vaccination checklist aimed at keeping students healthy and protected throughout the school year.
According to PCPS, the outlined vaccines required for students vary by grade level. For seventh graders, DTaP, meningococcal, and HPV vaccines are necessary. Kindergarteners need DTaP, polio, MMR, varicella, Hepatitis B (Hep B), and Hepatitis A (Hep A) vaccines. Twelfth graders are required to have the meningococcal vaccine. Families are encouraged to review these requirements, schedule or attend a clinic, and submit vaccination records to ensure student health and compliance.
Under Virginia law, parents or guardians must immunize children according to schedules established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). These immunizations are mandatory for attendance at schools and similar facilities. They include vaccines for Hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, polio, pneumococcal disease, HPV, rotavirus, hepatitis A, and meningococcal disease. Vaccines must be administered by qualified healthcare professionals or through local health departments that provide them at no cost to eligible children under programs such as Vaccines for Children or Medicaid.
Healthcare providers or health departments administering these vaccines must issue a certificate documenting the diseases vaccinated against along with doses and administration dates. The State Board of Health establishes regulations in line with recommended vaccines and allows public comment before adoption. Exemptions exist for religious objections or medical contraindications; parents may also opt out of the HPV vaccine at their discretion. The Board reviews these requirements annually and provides recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly.
PCPS serves approximately 4,400 students across nine schools with a staff of 672 and an annual budget of $70.5 million. The district’s mission is to prepare students as 21st-century citizens capable of collaboration and innovation. Its vision focuses on transforming learning opportunities so every student graduates with diverse choices. PCPS is governed by a seven-member School Board elected to four-year terms responsible for setting policies and overseeing the budget. Superintendent Yolonda Brown leads the district with board meetings held twice monthly open to the public.
