Sharp pencils and new sneakers aren’t the only “must-haves” for August. According to Audra Poterucha, DO, family physician at Story Medical Clinic—Nevada, the smartest school-supply list also includes up-to-date immunizations, an annual sports or well-child physical, and a family plan for staying ahead of the germs that swirl through classrooms each fall.
“Preventive care is every bit as important to academic success as homework and good sleep,” Dr. Poterucha says. “Kids who are protected from vaccine-preventable illness and cleared for physical activity miss fewer days and feel more confident in the classroom.”
Vaccines: What’s Required and What’s Recommended
Iowa law mandates several shots—most notably MMR, Tdap, and meningococcal—before students can attend school. But Dr. Poterucha urges parents to go beyond the minimum and consider these vaccines:
- HPV: Given as a two-dose series starting at age 9; prevents six types of cancer later in life.
- Flu: Updated formulas are released each fall; schedule them by late October for peak protection during winter surge months.
- Varicella and Hep A/B: Catch-up doses are available if your child started the series late or missed an appointment.
“If you’re not sure which shots your child still needs, bring us the school immunization form so we can discuss your options,” Dr. Poterucha says. “We can review the record in minutes and often give required and optional vaccines in the same visit.”
Well-Child Checks: A Comprehensive Approach
Well‑child visits at Story Medical go well beyond height, weight and a quick vision check. Those things are absolutely included and important, but in addition to those screens, each appointment is approached from a whole‑child perspective. These visits include discussions of:
- Mental health: They screen for anxiety, depression and ADHD and can start evidence‑based treatment on‑site—whether that’s counseling resources, medication management or a fast‑track referral to pediatric psychiatry.
- Lifestyle habits: Time is dedicated to talking about real‑life habits that shape classroom success, like setting healthy limits on phones and social media, protecting 8‑12 hours of sleep, and building balanced plates and active routines that fuel growing bodies.
The result is a single, comprehensive visit that covers mind, body and lifestyle—so kids head back to school ready to thrive.
Sports Physicals: More than a Signature
Most districts require a physical dated within the previous 13 months for any student athlete. Beyond listening to the heart and lungs, providers perform a series of screens, review concussion history, and assess mental health.
- Book early: Appointment slots vanish fast once practice schedules are announced.
- One-and-done: Pair the sports physical with vaccine updates so you don’t make two trips.
- Don’t forget forms: Iowa’s pre-participation physical form is downloadable at storymedical.org/sportsphysical; fill out the history page before you arrive to save time.
Germ-buster Basics for the Whole Family
In addition to getting in for a visit, there are a few things the whole family can do to maintain a healthy environment as the kids head back to school.
- Hand hygiene: The CDC still calls it the #1 way to cut classroom illness. Encourage 20-second soap-and-water scrubs before lunch and after recess.
- Backpack first-aid kit: Include travel tissues, a spare mask, and travel-size sanitizer.
- Early bedtime: Elementary students need 9-12 hours; teens still need 8-10. Adequate sleep improves immunity and focus.