School Bus Express Getting Kids Back to School

Hundreds of Newark families will go back to school Thursday worry-free thanks to the School Bus Express, the free immunization program offered annually by the city's Department of Child and Family Well-Being.

In fact, the waiting room of the William Street agency Wednesday was buzzing with parents and their school-aged children, waiting to get required vaccinations like booster shots and the PCV13 (pneumonia) vaccine.

"Our goal has been to get kids ready for school," said Dorothy McCall, immunization coordinator of the department.

In its second of three weeks, the School Bus Express program has administered immunizations to about 180 Newark children, many of whom coming from uninsured families. And there's plenty more to come. McCall said she expects the program to see one of its busiest days on the first day of school Thursday.

The state's for school-aged children before they start or return to school. The department is able to dole out free immunizations thanks to a supply it receives from the state; last year, the agency was able to give out 1,794 total shots last year.

"It'll most likely be like this 'til next week," said Julie Ahn, one of five or so nurses at the department. Ahn said the clinic is seeing about 60 children a day.

One of Ahn's patients Wednesday was 22-month-old Safee Wheeler, whose mother, Amelia Cummings, heard of the free program in the paper.

"I lost my insurance," said Cummings, whose 10-year-old son Shakon Cummings was in the next room also getting immunized before his first day at Madison School.

Hours for the School Bus Express, located at 110 William St., are as follows: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Extended hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30, Thursday, Sept. 6 and Thursday, Sept. 13. The program ends Sept. 14.

for more information on what to bring to get your child immunized.

Got back-to-school pictures? to upload them straight to Patch!