Dear Parents & Caregivers,
This letter informs you that the annual mandated screenings will occur the first whole week in March. Screenings include body mass index (BMI), posture, vision, and hearing. The screenings aim to find early signs of possible problems in students. This is not a diagnostic service but a screening to identify young people needing further medical evaluation.
If your child has any unusual findings, you will be notified and asked to take your child to a physician as a precaution. The majority of students exhibit no findings. We will not contact you again until next year's screening if nothing unusual is found.
Screenings will take place during Wellness classes. Students will be asked to wear a sports bra or tank top during the postural examination on the screening day. This type of clothing permits more accurate observation of the back.
An SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) will also occur during this time. SBIRT is used to screen for alcohol, nicotine, tobacco, and other drug use. This health screening is required by Massachusetts law.
Students in grades 7 and 9 will participate in this screening, which takes about 5-10 minutes (one-on-one conversations). Students are asked about alcohol, nicotine, tobacco, or other drug use over the past year. Students not using substances will have their healthy choices reinforced and affirmed by the screener. The screener will provide brief feedback to any student who reports using substances or is at risk for future substance use. If needed, a referral to the Counseling Center will be submitted for further evaluation and contact parent/guardian.
The questions asked during this screening are listed in the CRAFFT screening tool at www.CRAFFT.org. Please read this tool, which the Department of Public Health has approved.
Please note:
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Screening results are not recorded. No information identifying a student is kept (for example, name or date of birth).
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Screening results will not go into the student’s school record.
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Screening results will not be shared without the permission of the student or their parent/guardian. However, results may be shared in the case of an immediate medical emergency or when required by state law.
Parents and guardians can help their children make healthy choices. One important way to prevent alcohol and drug use is to talk with them about your thoughts and expectations. Some resources that can help these discussions include:
As with any school screening, you can opt your child out of this process. Students themselves may also choose to refrain from taking part. If you do not want your child to participate in this screening or have questions, contact Nichole Russell, MSN RN, at nrussell@mgrhs.org.
Together, schools and parents/guardians CAN make a difference for the youth of the Mount Greylock School District.
Thank you,
Nichole Russell, RN MSN
School Nurse