• Screening for vision and hearing is state-mandated and is conducted routinely for all students in kindergarten and grades 3, 7, and 10. Screening is also conducted for all students new to public school and for any student upon request, with parental permission. Parents should contact the school nurse to make such a request.
• The school screening program is not a comprehensive exam–it is just a screen to detect possible hearing or vision deficits in children that may be affecting their academic success. If the screening test is positive, showing that the child may have a deficit, it is important that a complete exam be scheduled with a hearing or vision specialist to diagnose the problem and determine if treatment is needed.
• If a child screens positive (indicating a possible problem) the parent will receive written documentation of the results and recommendations for what steps to take next to have the child professionally evaluated.
• NOTE: It is also requested that parents let the school know how they will address the problem, by checking the appropriate box and returning the form to the school nurse as soon as possible.

• Schools have the option of performing scoliosis screening at school or providing parents with information about the condition and encouraging them to check with their health care provider if they have any concerns.
• A scoliosis information brochure is sent home to parents every year for students in 5th through 10th grades in the city school system.

• With the back-to-school paperwork, families are given the choice to opt-out of  height/weight/BMI measurement for their children. Once a year, physical education classes in grades 3-10 will take private measurements (excluding children whose families have opted out). Families will be notified prior to the measurement period.  This measurement is not a health screening, so individual data is not reported to families except upon request. Instead, summary data is used regionally and nationally for health research, and locally, we use summary data to support grants that fund health initiatives.

Rachel Rasnake, Director of Student Services
1562 Dairy Road
Charlottesville, VA 22903
(434) 245-2400
rasnakr1@charlottesvilleschools.org