Backpacks are packed, pencils are sharpened and children across the Valley have returned to the classroom. But are they all ready to be there?

While it’s easy to focus on supplies, schedules and school lunches, one of the most important things you can do to set your child up for success is to make sure they’re protected from preventable illnesses.

Vaccines remain one of the most effective ways to keep kids in school and out of the doctor’s office. When children fall behind on routine immunizations, they’re more vulnerable to illnesses like measles, whooping cough and the flu, all of which can spread quickly in a classroom.