Registration and Enrollment

• An official certified copy of the child’s birth record must be provided (A photocopy of the child’s birth certificate will not meet this requirement). Information on obtaining a certified copy of a birth certificate is available at the Virginia Office of Vital Records. You can also visit DMV for information on how to get your Virginia birth certificate from them.
• At the time of enrollment, the child must be five years of age or reach his/her fifth birthday on or before September 30th of the current school year.
• If a certified copy of the child’s birth record cannot be obtained, the person enrolling the child must submit a sworn statement setting forth the child’s age and explaining the inability to present a certified copy of the birth record.

A School Entrance Health Form, MCH 213G, completed by a licensed physician, licensed nurse practitioner, or licensed physician’s assistant regarding the child, must be presented at the time of enrollment. The three-part form includes Part I-Health Information Form, Part II Certification of Immunization, and Part III-Comprehensive Physical Examination Report. The report must indicate that the child has received a comprehensive physical examination performed within the twelve months prior to the date the child first enters a public kindergarten or elementary school (K-5). The physical examination report must include “Recommendations to School” and other information as required by school division policy.

The health departments of all the counties and cities must provide the physical examination for medically indigent children without charge, upon request.

The Comprehensive Physical Examination is not required of any child if it violates the family’s religious beliefs and the child’s parent or guardian states in writing that the child is free from any communicable or contagious disease and there is no visual evidence of sickness.

For information and to download a copy of the VA School Entrance Health Form, visit:

• Enrollment Forms and Action Plans
• MCH 213G School Health Entrance Form Instructions

Documentation (Part II of the School Entrance Health Form MCH 213F) indicating that the child has received the required immunizations must be provided. The required immunizations include:

• Diphtheria, Tetanus, & Pertussis (DTaP, DTP) – A minimum of 4 doses. A child must have at least one dose of DTaP or DTP vaccine on or after the fourth birthday.
• Hepatitis B Vaccine – A complete series of 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine is required for all children. However, the FDA has approved a 2-dose schedule ONLY for adolescents 11-15 years of age AND ONLY when the Merck Brand (RECOMBIVAX HB) Adult Formulation Hepatitis B Vaccine is used.
• Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) – Effective July 1, 2021, a complete series of 2 doses of HPV vaccine is required for females. The first dose shall be administered before the child enters the 7th grade. After reviewing educational materials approved by the Board of Health, the parent or guardian, at the parent’s or guardian’s sole discretion, may elect for the child not to receive the HPV vaccine.
• Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR) Vaccine – A minimum of 2 measles, 2 mumps, and 1 rubella. (Most children receive 2 doses of each because the vaccine usually administered is the combination vaccine MMR). First dose must be administered at age 12 months or older. Second dose of vaccine must be administered prior to entering kindergarten but can be administered at any time after the minimum interval between dose 1 and dose 2.
• Polio Vaccine – A minimum of 4 doses of polio vaccine. One dose must be administered on or after the fourth birthday.
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, & Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) – A booster dose of Tdap vaccine is required for all children entering the 7th grade, if at least five years have passed since the last dose of tetanus-containing vaccine.
• Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine – All susceptible children born on and after January 1, 1997, shall be required to have one dose of chickenpox vaccine administered at age 12 months or older. Effective March 3, 2010, a second dose must be administered prior to entering kindergarten but can be administered at any time after the minimum interval between dose 1 and dose 2.

The 2020 General Assembly passed House Bill 1090 which amends the minimum vaccination requirements for attendance at a public or private elementary, middle or secondary school, child care centers, nursery schools, family home day care, or developmental center.

This legislation becomes effective July 1, 2021, and amends the Code of Virginia § 32.1-46.A.4 to require:

• Two doses of properly spaced human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (for males and females). The first dose shall be administered before the child enters the seventh
  grade.
• Two or three properly spaced doses of rotavirus vaccine, depending on the manufacturer, for children up to eight months of age.
• Two properly spaced doses of hepatitis A vaccine (HAV). The first dose shall be administered at age 12 months or older.
• Two properly spaced doses of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY). The first dose shall be administered prior to entry to the seventh grade. The second dose shall be administered prior to entry to the twelfth grade.
   

Minimum Immunizations Requirements for Entry Into Child Care and School

Any child whose immunizations are incomplete may be admitted conditionally, if the parent or guardian provides documentation at the time of enrollment, that the child has received at least one dose of the required immunizations and has a written schedule for completing the remaining doses within 90 days.

No certificate of immunization shall be required for the admission to school of any student if

1. the student or his parent submits an affidavit to the admitting official stating that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with the student’s religious tenets or practices; or
2. the school has written certification from a licensed physician or a local health department that one or more of the required immunizations may be detrimental to the student’s health, indicating the specific nature and probable duration of the medical condition or circumstance that contraindicates immunization.

Certificate of Religious Exemption for Immunizations ( PDF on VA Dept. of Education website)

Dinwiddie County Public Schools’ policy states that a child must attend school in the zone/district where he/she resides with a parent or legal guardian. Families who reside outside of Dinwiddie County are NOT eligible to attend Dinwiddie County Public Schools.

Parents/legal guardians must provide two proofs of residency plus a picture ID to verify identity. Residency documents must show the person’s name and address of where he/she is residing.

These documents will also be required for a change of address *.  Parents or legal guardians must submit at least one document from each of Column A and Column B **:

When registering a child, the parents/legal guardians must provide a document from Column A and Column B if they have a domicile (home/apartment) in their name or they are listed as an occupant on the lease.

If a family does not have a domicile in their name, such as:

1. If the family is living with another person/family in the other family’s home a Dinwiddie County Public Schools Address Affidavit is required. The tenant or homeowner cannot issue a lease to the person. The following is required:
   1. BOTH the parent and homeowner are to come to the school (call school for appointment)
   2. The one-page notarized address affidavit is required to be completed (NOTE: Affidavits are good for the current school year only, they have to renew each year with a new affidavit, provide new current documents and the homeowner and parent come to school each year.)
   3. Homeowner must provide three documents: one item from Column A, one item from Column B and one item from Column C (for identification purposes),
   4. Parents/legal guardians must provide two documents: any two pieces of business mail with their name at that address and one item from Column C (for identification purposes).
2. If it is a situation where the family lives in a home without a lease (this may happen if it is a relative’s home and they do not give them a lease), the parents/legal guardians must provide four pieces of business mail with their name and that address and a notarized letter from the homeowner stating they live there. Business mail does not include junk mail, class D mail, or hand written mail. We keep copies of all documents.
3. If the family is homeless/McKinney-Vento (MV) or they are foster children contact the school for information.

 *If it is a recent move (less than 2 weeks): enrollment can be handled by contacting your school and logging into your Parent Portal completing a change of address and uploading one item from Column A, with an allowance of 30 days from initial move to provide an item from Column B. If the change includes living at a domicile NOT in your name, the homeowner/leaseholder and the parent/legal guardian must come to the school with the notarized Address Affidavit and homeowner’s documents with an allowance of 30 days from initial move to provide the two required parent/guardian documents. These are considered cases of temporary “conditional enrollment.”

• Refer to policy JEC and JEC-R for additional information.
• Temporary Kinship Care Provider information. ​​​​​​​

REMEMBER: When you report an address change, you must provide proof of residency before the school can change your address. This includes if you report the address change in your Parent Portal.

If you are living with someone and the lease/mortgage and utilities are in their name, you must complete the DCPS Address Affidavit form below and have it notarized.

DCPS ADDRESS AFFIDAVIT

If a child has no regular, fixed residence but resides within the school division in a temporary shelter, institution, or place not ordinarily used as a residence, the school division may determine that a street address, route number, or post office box number, cannot be provided. The school division may accept an alternative form of address that it considers appropriate. Please speak with the school counselor and registrar for more information.

In addition to the above information, some other types of information you will need for enrolling your child or child you have legal custody of is the following:

• Proof of Legal Guardianship as defined by Code of Virginia § 22.1-3 (if applicable, like foster care, custody orders, etc.)
• Records from Previous School, including, but not limited to (we will request this information if you do not have these):

1. Transcript or Report Card
2. School Withdrawal Form
3. Discipline Report
4. Name and Address of Previous School

• Emergency Contact Information (up to four others, not including the parents or legal guardians)
• Other household member names of children under 5 and not going to be attending public school yet
• Health Information (conditions, medications, etc.)
• Home Language Information
• Birth Location and Date First Entered a Virginia School or US School
• Former Student Services Information (Examples include: If your child had at their former school an IEP, 504 Plan, Gifted Program, EL Services, etc.)