Free Health Fair for Orange County Students: Get Ready for School!

Children’s Safety Village, 910 Fairvilla Rd., Orlando, FL 32808, USA - The Department of Health in Orange County is rolling out the red carpet for students in grades K-12 this August with a vibrant and completely free back-to-school health fair. Scheduled for August 2-3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., this engaging event will take place at the Children’s Safety Village, located at 910 Fairvilla Road, Orlando.

This fair promises a wealth of services aimed at ensuring students start the school year healthy and ready to learn. Attendees can take advantage of essential health screenings including school physicals, vision and hearing tests—with referrals issued for glasses—and basic dental services. In addition, there will be fun activities, games, and giveaways to keep spirits high!

What to Bring and How to Participate

Parents and legal guardians, take note! You’ll need to accompany your child to receive services and make sure to bring their medical records along. For those looking to streamline their visit, appointments can be scheduled by calling 407-723-5004.

As we dig deeper into health initiatives, the School Health Services Program is doing a good deal to support families in the area. According to Florida Health, this program aims not just to provide health services but to ensure that students are healthy and ready for learning. Services include comprehensive assessments, immunizations, and necessary health referrals, all designed to remove barriers to education for students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. They work hard to collaborate with local partners, including Orange County Public Schools and the Florida Department of Education, to make resources available for students’ health needs, particularly concerning enrollment and immunization requirements. You can read more about their offerings on Florida Health’s website here.

Looking Beyond the Fair

But the back-to-school health fair is just the tip of the iceberg! Additional health events are on the calendar, giving families more opportunities to get necessary services. There’s another event on July 26 at Hope Community Center in Apopka, as well as an event at Edgewater High School on August 16. With free immunization events happening every Tuesday from June 10 to December 16, there’s a robust support structure in place for students up to the age of 18. It’s a good idea to contact Blanca Flores at 407-858-1438 for those immunizations, as appointments are required.

School health services are integral to ensuring students are not just present in class but actively learning, as highlighted by the Florida Department of Education’s commitment to minimizing health barriers in education. The statutory framework for these services operates through state and federal laws to support students across all 67 counties. It reinforces the notion that education and health go hand-in-hand. Without healthy kids, can we expect them to learn? It’s clear: health services are crucial for the ongoing educational success of our youth. Delve into the details on the Florida Department of Education’s page here.

In essence, the upcoming health fair represents a collective effort to bolster the health and well-being of our local students. By bringing together services, resources, and community involvement, we are taking strides toward ensuring every child is on the path to a healthy and successful school year.