South Washington County Schools Community Education

Early Childhood Screening is a free and simple check of how your child is growing, developing and learning. A trained professional will check: Vision and hearing Height and weight Immunizations Large and small muscles Thinking, language and communication skills Social and emotional development (via parent-completed questionnaire) You will also be able to talk about the screening results with a professional and discuss any concerns you may have. Screening between the ages of 3 and 4 provides the best opportunity for any health or developmental concerns to be found early. When screening results indicate to families and screeners that they need to take a closer look at a child’s development, the child may be referred for a health assessment, early childhood mental health assessment or an educational evaluation. Screening does not diagnose. Early Childhood Screening is a free program in Minnesota that checks how a child is developing and growing. Screening supports children as successful learners and promotes positive developmental outcomes. Screening may also lead to referrals for early learning opportunities. Where is screening held? Early Childhood Screening Office, District Program Center, 8400 E. Point Douglas Rd. S., Cottage Grove, MN 55016 What if my child has already been screened? If your child has been screened in another district, please send the screening summary to our office: screening@sowashco.org, Fax: 651-425-2720 For additional information or assistance with scheduling an appointment, call our Early Learning office at 651-425-7160 or 651-425-7181. If you need an interpreter, please call us at: 651-425-7160 or 651-425-7181 Español: Si usted no entiende la información, por favor llámenos al (651) 425-7209 Hmoob: Yog koj tsis totaub qhov tsab ntawv, thov hu rau vim muaj yam tseem ceem. Ua koj tsaug. 651-425-7160 Ti?ng Vi?t: N?u b?n không hi?u các thông tin, xin vui lòng g?i cho chúng tôi 651-425-7160 Soomaaliga: Haddii aad u baahan tahay turjumaan, fadlan wac 651-425-7160 Healthy Kids Minnesota: A Voluntary Testing Opportunity for Families SoWashCo Schools is partnering with the Minnesota Department of Health on a program that helps families learn about environmental chemical exposure. Children ages 3–6 can participate during Early Childhood Screening. The process is simple and the results are confidential. At the end of the appointment, families will complete a short survey and help their child provide a urine sample to test for more than 70 chemicals. PFAS (also known as “forever chemicals”) are not included. Participating families receive a free well water test kit and a $40 gift card. Participation is voluntary. When registering, please choose to opt in, decline or learn more at your appointment. For more information, please visit Healthy Kids Minnesota. Written notice: Eye exam and declining questions "Early childhood developmental screening helps a school district identify children who may benefit from district and community resources available to help in their development. Early childhood developmental screening includes a vision screening that helps detect potential eye problems but is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam." "The parent or guardian may decline to answer questions or provide information about family circumstances that might affect development and identification of risk factors that may influence learning." "Declining to answer questions or provide information does not prevent the child from being enrolled in kindergarten or first grade if all other screening components are met."