Authorization Agreement - Parental Assumption and Power of Attorney

Under Board Policy FD (Local), a minor student residing in the District, whose parent/guardian, or person having lawful control under a court order, does not reside in the District, shall present a Power of Attorney, or an authorization agreement as provided in Chapter 34 of the Family Code, assigning responsibility for the student in all school-related matters to an adult resident of the District. Parental Assumption guidelines to adhere:

• Recommended by a professional (doctor, therapist, etc.)
• Parents/Guardians are:
  • Deceased
  • Incarcerated
  • Living out of the state/country
  • Whereabouts are unknown
  • Hardship

A minor student living apart who has engaged in misconduct that results in any of the consequences found in Education Code 25.001(d) listed below shall not be permitted to attend a District school. If the student:

• Has engaged in conduct or misbehavior within the preceding year that has resulted in:
  • Removal to a disciplinary alternative education program; or
  • Expulsion;
• Has engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct in need of supervision and is on probation or other conditional release for that conduct; or
• Has been convicted of a criminal offense and is on probation or another form of conditional release.

*** A NOTARIZED POWER OF ATTORNEY IS REQUIRED FOR ALL PARENTAL ASSUMPTIONS ***

Power of Attorney Form

The guardian assuming parental rights must attach the following documentation to the online application:

• Notarized Power of Attorney 
• Parent/Guardian's Driver's License (or other issued ID)
• Proof of Residency (current utility bill or lease agreement)
• Student's Official Birth Certificate (required for new parental assumptions)
• Student's Previous Discipline Records (required for new parental assumptions)

Students applying for enrollment under a Parental Assumption will not be enrolled until all requirements have been met and approval is granted. Once approved, the guardian can proceed with enrollment.

Parental Assumption Application

If you have any concerns regarding Parental Assumptions, we are here to assist you. Please reach out to our Student Services team by email.

Steps For Creating An Email Account

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Parents who cannot produce a lease or utility bill under their name, or reside with a friend/family member, must complete a Shared Residency Application. The application must have the required documentation attached to be approved. A valid email address is required. Application notification will be sent to parents via email.

Parents must complete Returning Student Verification and/or New Student Enrollment in July to fulfill registration requirements. If the parent has a valid utility bill or lease in their name, an application is not required.

Please submit one application per family. 

Shared Residency Application

his chart summarizes the vaccine requirements incorporated in Title 25 Health Services, 99.61-97.72 of the Texas Administrative Code. Students will not be allowed to enroll if their immunization records are not presented to the school at enrollment and are not current. Galena Park ISD requests that the immunizations be presented at the beginning of the semester in which they are required.

The following immunizations are required for all Texas students:

PPCD/SPEECH

• Four doses of DPT/DTaP or DT if Pertussis is medically contraindicated
• Three doses of Polio (IPV)
• One dose of MMR, on or after the 1st birthday
• Three doses of HIB (a primary series with one dose on or after the 1st birthday) or 1 HIB on or after 15 months
• Three doses of Hepatitis B
• One dose of Varicella, on or after the 1st birthday, or a parent/physician statement of chickenpox illness
• Pneumococcal Vaccine. Complete series or 1 dose after age 2.
• Two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine

PRE-KINDERGARTEN

KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 6th GRADE

GRADE 7

GRADES 8 THROUGH 12

* Serologic proof of immunity or documentation of previous illness may substitute for vaccination.

Receipt of the dose up to (and including) 4 days before the birthday will satisfy the school entry immunization requirement.

EXEMPTIONS

The law allows (a) physicians to write a statement stating that the vaccine(s) required would be medically harmful or injurious to the health and well-being of the child, and (b) parents/guardians to choose an exemption from immunization requirements for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief. The law does not allow parents/guardians to elect an exemption simply because of inconvenience (a record is lost or incomplete, and it is too much trouble to go to a physician or clinic to correct the problem).

For children needing medical exemptions, an official document signed by the physician should be submitted to the school yearly unless the physician specifies a lifelong condition.

Instructions for the affidavit to be signed by parents/guardians choosing the conscience exemption, including for religious beliefs, are available at www.ImmunizeTexas.com.

WHAT IS MENINGITIS?
Meningitis is an inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria. Viral meningitis is the most common and the least serious. Bacterial meningitis is the most likely form of the disease to cause serious, long-term complications. It is an uncommon disease, but it requires urgent treatment with antibiotics to prevent permanent damage or death.

Bacterial meningitis can be caused by multiple organisms. Two common types are Streptococcus pneumoniae, with over 80 serogroups that can cause illness, and Neisseria meningitidis, with five serogroups that most commonly cause meningitis.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
Someone with bacterial meningitis will become very ill. The illness may develop over one or two days, but it can also progress rapidly within hours. Not everyone with meningitis will have the same symptoms. Children (over 1 year old) and adults with meningitis may have a severe headache, high temperature, vomiting, sensitivity to bright lights, neck stiffness, and drowsiness or confusion. In both children and adults, there may be a rash of tiny, red-purple spots. These can occur anywhere on the body. The diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is based on a combination of symptoms and laboratory results.

HOW SERIOUS IS BACTERIAL MENINGITIS?
If it is diagnosed early and treated promptly, most people make a complete recovery. If left untreated or if treatment is delayed, bacterial meningitis can be fatal, or a person may be left with permanent disability.

HOW IS BACTERIAL MENINGITIS SPREAD?
Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as diseases like the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been. The germs live naturally in the back of our noses and throats, but they do not live for long outside the body. They spread when people exchange saliva (such as by kissing, sharing drinking containers, utensils, or cigarettes) or when they cough or sneeze without covering their mouths and noses.

The bacteria do not cause meningitis in most people. Instead, most people become carriers of the bacteria for days, weeks, or even months. The bacteria rarely overcome the body’s immune system and cause meningitis or another serious illness.

HOW CAN BACTERIAL MENINGITIS BE PREVENTED?
Vaccination:
Bacterial meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis may be prevented through vaccination. The vaccine that protects against Streptococcus pneumoniae is called the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). This vaccine is recommended by the Advisory Council on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for children in the first year of life. Neisseria meningitidis is prevented through two types of vaccines. The first is a meningococcal conjugate vaccine, which protects against four serogroups A, C, W, and Y and is referred to as MCV4. The second is a vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B, also known as MenB.

The ACIP recommends MCV4 for children at age 11-12 years, with a booster dose at 16-18 years. In Texas, one dose of MCV4 given at or after age 11 years is required for children in 7th-12th grades. One dose of MCV4 received in the past five years is required in Texas for those under 22 who are enrolling in college. Teens and young adults (16-23 years of age) may be vaccinated with MenB. This vaccine is not required for school or college enrollment in Texas.

Vaccines to protect against bacterial meningitis are safe and effective. Common side effects include redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to two days. Immunity develops about 1-2 weeks after vaccination and lasts for 5 years to a lifetime, depending on the vaccine.

Healthy Habits:
Do not share food, drinks, utensils, toothbrushes, or cigarettes. Wash your hands. Limit the number of persons you kiss. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Maintaining healthy habits, such as getting plenty of rest and avoiding close contact with sick people, also helps.

WHO IS AT RISK FOR BACTERIAL MENINGITIS?
Certain groups are at increased risk for bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis. These risk factors include HIV infection, travel to places where meningococcal disease is common (such as certain countries in Africa and Saudi Arabia), and college students living in a dormitory. Other risk factors include having a previous viral infection, living in a crowded household, or having an underlying chronic illness. Children ages 11-15 years have the second-highest rate of death from bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis. Also, children aged 16-23 years have the second-highest rates of disease caused by Neisseria meningiditis.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU THINK YOU OR A FRIEND MIGHT HAVE BACTERIAL MENINGITIS?
Seek prompt medical attention.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Your school nurse, family doctor, and the staff at your local or regional health department office are excellent sources for information on all infectious diseases. You may also call your family doctor or local health department office to ask about the meningococcal vaccine.

Additional Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.html Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS): Immunization Unit: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/immunize/PreteenVaccines.aspx Infectious Disease Control: https://dshs.texas.gov/IDCU/disease/meningitis/Meningitis.aspx