Foxborough Public Schools Health Service Screenings
Dear Parents or Guardians,
This is a list of the following state mandated health screenings required for all Massachusetts public schools to perform. In the event your child’s results are out of normal limits you will be notified and be asked to seek further medical evaluation. If your child’s results are within normal limits you will NOT be notified: however, we will be happy to share the results with you if you call the nurse’s office. These screenings are highly recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
SBIRT SCREENING: 7th and 9th graders-- This screening is required by The Department of Public Health and has been developed to help prevent students from starting the use of substances, or intervene with early use. The screening tool that will be used is CRAFFT, the Mass Health-approved behavioral screening tool for use with children under age 21. Results of this brief, confidential and private screening will not be included in your child’s school record.
POSTURAL SCREENING: All grade 5th, 6th. 7th. 8th and 9th grade students will be screened in the spring. The screenings will be done by the school nurse during scheduled physical education classes. If your child does not have wellness he/she will be excused from another class. Grade 5 students will view an informational video to introduce this process and its purpose during their Wellness class. The purpose of this screening is to find early signs of possible spinal problems. It is not a diagnostic service but a program to identify young people who should have further medical evaluation. The majority of students exhibit no findings. Female students are asked to wear a SPORTS BRA, SWIMSUIT OR HALTER TOP to school during the screening period. This type of clothing permits more accurate observation of the back. If you DO NOT want your child to participate in the screening, you must provide documentation, from your child’s physician, stating the screening was performed, the date of screening and the results, as this screening is mandated by Massachusetts State Law. A physical form with the screening documented is acceptable.
VISION AND HEARING: These screenings are done as follows- Vision, Stereopsis and Hearing Screen-grade 1st, 2nd, 3rd; Vision only grades 4th and 5th; Vision and Hearing grades 8th and 10th.
BMI SCREENING: Height and weight measurements will be taken for each child in grades 1st. 4th, 7th and 10th grade. A Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure that is used to show a person’s weight for height age”. It is calculated using a formula that includes an individual’s height and weight. Just as a blood pressure reading or an eye exam test, a BMI can be a helpful tool in identifying possible health risks. Your child’s screening will be supervised by the school nurse or Phys Ed teacher, your child’s privacy will be respected at all times. The results are strictly confidential and will be kept in your child’s school health record. A BMI does not tell a whole story of your child’s health status. BMI does not distinguish between fat and muscle. For example, if a child is very athletic and has a lot of muscle, his/her BMI may be high even though the student is not overweight. Your child’s health care provider can explain your child’s BMI at his/her next well child exam. They are in the best position to evaluate your child’s overall health.
Sincerely,