Parents and Guardians,
I hope this email finds you finds you well and that you are having a great holiday season. Each year, I screen your students in the Kinder, 1st, 3rd, & 5th grades for their vision, hearing, and Acanthosis Nigricans (see below for definition) and the 5th grade girls for scoliosis. All new to GPISD students will need to be screened also, regardless of grade level. This year is no different. We want to make sure your student has every opportunity to succeed and live a healthy fulfilled life.
Please use this link to schedule your child's vision/hearing screening or sign the opt out form below & include the physician signed paperwork in the letter below.
The Texas Department of State Health Services requires students in certain grade levels to be screened for Hearing, Vision, Type II Diabetes, and Scoliosis. Because of this state law we are required to conduct these screenings during the 2020-2021 school year. Unless you choose to have your student screened by a physician and return that screening to your child’s school, we will be doing these screenings starting after the Christmas Break starting as early as January 6th, 2021. A second email will go out to parents after the 1st of the year with instructions to parents on how to secure a scheduled appointment. Please, make sure you have a current email on file in Skyward.
All virtual learners must be included in these screenings. Parents will have the option to choose what day and time slot they’ll be bringing their student to the school. There will be numerous time slots per day, and it is the parent’s responsibility to sign up then bring the student to the scheduled appointment. If you are not able to bring your child to the specific times allocated please call your school nurse, Deanna Hunt at 972-522-6706 by 02/12/2021 so that an alternative arrangement may be made.
A screening is not a diagnostic test and cannot identify the specific problem or suggest treatment options. A screening is a simple test and can indicate if a student would benefit from further evaluation. Any potential problems or concerns identified during the screening will be reported to the parent/guardian and the student will be referred to a professional for further evaluation. If you do not wish the district nursing staff/certified screeners to perform the screenings, you may substitute our screening with a professional examination by a health care provider of your choice. Because these screenings are state mandated, your consent to these procedures is automatic, unless you notify the school district in advance that you wish to do the screening with your healthcare provider of choice. A child’s parent, managing conservator, or legal guardian, or the individual under the scenarios described at Texas Family Code, §32.003, may execute an affidavit stating that a person, other than the individual secured by the facility to conduct screenings at the facility, shall conduct the screening (or that a licensed professional shall conduct an examination) as soon as is feasible. The facility may admit the child on a provisional basis for up to 60 days or may deny admission until the screening record(s) are provided to the facility. These screenings must be signed by a health care professional and turned in to your school nurse as soon as possible.
The deadline to opt out is January 8th, 2021.
Vision and Hearing Screenings are done for the following grades/ages: 4-year-old by Sept 1st, Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st grade, 3rd grade, 5th grade, & 7th grade.
Type II Diabetes Risk Assessment (AN) Acanthosis Nigricans is done for the following grades: 1st grade, 3rd grade, 5th grade, & 7th grade. Acanthosis Nigricans is a skin condition that signals high insulin levels in the body. It appears as a light brown or black, velvety, rough or thickened lesion on the surface of the skin. It can be found on the neck, armpits, and over the knuckles. Children who have the Acanthosis Nigricans marker on their skin may be at-risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes. The AN marker does not mean the student has diabetes. A student who is identified as having evidence of the marker will be referred to their health care provider for evaluation.
Postural or Spinal Screenings
Girls will be screened two times, once in 5th grade and again in 7th grade.
Boys will be screened one time, in 8th grade.
School-based spinal screenings help to identify adolescents with abnormal spinal curves and refer them for appropriate follow-up by their primary care physician. Screening can detect scoliosis at an early stage, when the curve is mild and may go unnoticed. Early detection is key to controlling spinal deformities. All students must remove their shirt for this exam. For this reason, we request that girls wear a sports bra or two-piece swimsuit top underneath their shirts on exam day.
Height and Weight measurements must be done for the following grades: Pre-K. KG, 1st, 3rd, 5th, & 7th graders. When returning letters with Screenings please, be sure to include these measurements or be prepared to bring in the student for these measurements.
By signing this you are agreeing to take your student to be screened by a physician and return it by January 8th. Any student returning this form that does not have the proper screenings for their grade level turned in by Jan. 8th, 2021, will need to be brought to the school for the appropriate screenings as required by Texas law.
Students Name (Printed) __________________________________
Students Grade Level_____________
Students Teacher_______________________________________
Guardian’s Printed Name_________________________________
Guardian’s Signed Name _________________________________
Date:__________________________
