Cabin John Middle School

Student Immunizations Information

Mandatory Immunization Requirements for Students - All incoming seventh grade students, as well as students in grades 8-12 that are new to the state, must receive vaccination against Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) and Meningococcal meningitis (MCV4) prior to the start of the 2024-2025 school year.  The requirements are in place throughout the State of Maryland.  Parents should contact their doctor to make sure their child is properly immunized and submit a copy of the documentation to the child's school as soon as possible.  To ensure all students have a chance to receive the necessary immunizations, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will hold free clinics for children in grades 7-12 in September.  

• Montgomery County Health Immunization Information
• Free Immunization Clinics - Dates and Locations of Clinics
• Frequently Asked Questions about Immunizations provided by the State of Maryland
• Vaccination Requirements  provided by the State of Maryland

County Offers Immunizations for Children Returning to School

County health officials are offering free immunizations to eligible children so that immunization requirements are met for the 2022–2023 school year. Immunizations for students new to MCPS and children in kindergarten through Grade 12 are available Monday through Friday, by appointment, at locations in Silver Spring and Germantown.  Appointments are available at:

Dennis Avenue Health Center, 2000 Dennis Avenue, Silver Spring; Phone: 240-777-1050

Germantown Health Center, 12900 Middlebrook Road, Germantown; Phone: 240-777-3380

Parents/guardians can access their child’s vaccination record online at no cost on the Maryland Department of Health’s web portal. Users can view and print official copies of vaccination records without a request to their health care provider.

More information about Maryland’s immunization requirements can be found on the Maryland Health Department’s website. 

General Health Information

• Fact Sheets- When To Keep Your Child Home From School
• Mandatory Immunization Requirements for Students 2020-2021
• 6th Grade Parents: Mandatory immunization requirements change when your child enters 7th grade
  
  Corona Virus Update from the CDC
• MCPS Update Regarding Use of Epipens in Schools:  Please read Anaphylaxis and Opioid Awareness Letter from Mr. Taylor.

From the Nurse:

With the flu and cold season upon us, it is often a good idea to remind ourselves that kids need a lot of sleep to grow and stay healthy (often more than they think they do), so it is up to us as adults to keep to a consistent sleep schedule.  Kids need 9-10 hours of sleep in elementary school and 8-9 hours of sleep in middle and high school.  Getting enough sleep will drastically reduce the likelihood of getting sick during this season.  Keeping kids home when they are sick is also very important in reducing the spread of illness, as is washing hands and coughing/sneezing into your sleeve.  Remember the 24-hour rule for antibiotics - kids must stay home until they have been on an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school.  I have attached a great flyer about Antibiotic resistance and overuse as it is the CDC's National Antibiotic Awareness Week.

And another handy item:

Cold vs. Flu Comparison Chart

Parent Information and Resources for Teen & Tween Health:

Sleep: Kids 10 - 17 years old need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep at night.  That translates to bedtime by 10 pm at the latest for most middle schoolers.  Hint: keep your middle schoolers phone out of their room at night so that they are not waking up at night texting each other, which is a common reason kids are not getting enough sleep at night at this age.  It is also not healthy to have your phone near your bed at night.

Diet:  Kids need to have regular meals, so be sure to pack them a mid-morning snack in case they are not big on breakfast.  8th graders do not eat lunch until 1 pm most days, so they really need breakfast or a snack to keep their brain functioning at optimal performance. 

Exercise:  1 to 2 hours of exercise every day is a necessary part of every child's healthy lifestyle.  Make sure your kids turn off the electronics and get moving every day.

Drugs & Alcohol:  Kids will start to be exposed to older students and hear or be part of situations that may involve drugs or alcohol in social situations outside of the home as middle schoolers.  As a parent, you will likely need to have several conversations about the subject over the next several years.  We encourage you to be a resource for your children in this area and to encourage honesty by focusing on behavior rather than the person in discussions.  Know where your teens and tweens are and who their friends are.  Understand as a parent that any type of drug, including nicotine and electronic cigarettes or vapes/juuls are illegal for minors under age 18.  These substances are also much more harmful to their brains and bodies than they are for adults.  Teen use of both drugs, alcohol, and nicotine are proven to increase the likelihood of addiction later in life.  Montgomery County has free drug testing for students under 18 years at SASCA which is a County clinic in Rockville, MD .  Parents can take their child for testing for free.  Just call for an appointment at 240-777-1430.    

Brain Development: Middle schoolers may seem like they are more mature than they actually are.  Their brain is developing such that they often know what they should do, but are not able to control the impulse to behave in a different way in the moment.  Their executive functioning and reasoning may not be fully developed until 26 or 27 years of age.  They are also experiencing the effect of hormones that will cause them to be more highly emotional at this time.  This is normal.   They need and want you to give them limits and boundaries so that they know you care and are doing what is best to keep them safe.  

From the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry:

Many parents do not understand why their teenagers occasionally behave in an impulsive, irrational, or dangerous way. At times, it seems like teens don't think things through or fully consider the consequences of their actions. Adolescents differ from adults in the way they behave, solve problems, and make decisions. There is a biological explanation for this difference. Studies have shown that brains continue to mature and develop throughout childhood and adolescence and well into early adulthood.  Scientists have identified a specific region of the brain called the amygdala that is responsible for immediate reactions including fear and aggressive behavior. This region develops early. However, the frontal cortex, the area of the brain that controls reasoning and helps us think before we act, develops later. This part of the brain is still changing and maturing well into adulthood.  Other changes in the brain during adolescence include a rapid increase in the connections between the brain cells and making the brain pathways more effective. Nerve cells develop myelin, an insulating layer that helps cells communicate. All these changes are essential for the development of coordinated thought, action, and behavior. 

Changing Brains Mean that Adolescents Act Differently From Adults 

Pictures of the brain in action show that adolescents' brains work differently than adults when they make decisions or solve problems. Their actions are guided more by the emotional and reactive amygdala and less by the thoughtful, logical frontal cortex. Research has also shown that exposure to drugs and alcohol during the teen years can change or delay these developments. These brain differences don't mean that young people can't make good decisions or tell the difference between right and wrong. It also doesn't mean that they shouldn't be held responsible for their actions. However, an awareness of these differences can help parents manage the behavior of adolescents.

Based on the stage of their brain development, adolescents are more likely to:

• act on impulse
• misread or misinterpret social cues and emotions
• get into accidents of all kinds
• get involved in fights
• engage in dangerous or risky behavior

Adolescents are less likely to:

• think before they act
• pause to consider the consequences of their actions
• change their dangerous or inappropriate behaviors

Brie Merritt Merritt , RN, SCHN

Brienne_B_Merritt@mcpsmd.org

(240) 406-1571