Getting Ready
Early childhood screening Did you know that screening is required for kindergarten entry into public schools? If your child has not yet gone through an early childhood screening, schedule an appointment as soon as possible for this important step. The screening is offered by the district at no cost to all children who live within the boundaries.
Screening is an early look at a child’ s development. It is required by the state of Minnesota for kindergarten entry into public schools. It is not a test to determine if your child is ready for kindergarten. If you have questions about your child’ s readiness for kindergarten, talk with your school’ s principal.
The screening is conducted by qualified professionals to help identify specific needs a child may have in these areas:
• Fine motor and gross motor skills.
• Speech and language development.
• Cognitive and social development.
• Vision and hearing.
• Height and weight.
• Immunizations and a health history review.
There will be time for you to review the results with the screeners and discuss any concerns you may have. Suggestions or referrals for follow-up services will be made when necessary. This screening is not a substitute for on-going health care by a family physician, dentist or other health care providers.
To schedule an appointment:
• Call 763-433-4833. If you use a TTY #, please call by using Minnesota Relay at 1-800-627-3529 or 711.
• Screening appointments are scheduled Monday through Friday during the school year. In addition there are limited summer screening days in June and August. Allow approximately one hour for the screening appointment.
• Accommodations needed to complete the screening should be arranged at the time the appointment is scheduled.
• Please make every attempt to keep your appointment. Call 763-433-4833 as soon as possible if it is necessary to cancel your appointment.
• If Anoka-Hennepin schools are closed for bad weather, early childhood screening will also be closed. Closing announcements are made on the district website: www. ahschools. us, social media pages, local TV channels and WCCO radio.
• Please try to make arrangements for the care of other children, so the child being screened will have your full attention.
Location Early childhood screening takes place at the Sorteberg Early Childhood Center, 11400 Magnolia Street NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448.
Children may be screened in other ways:
• A family physician may provide a health and developmental screening. Call the screening office, 763-433-4833, to obtain a form to be completed by the doctor.
• If your child has been screened by another district, please forward a copy of the screening results to Anoka-Hennepin’ s Screening department at the Sorteberg Early Childhood Center. You may fax the results to early childhood screening at 763-433-4803.
• Parents have the right to be a conscientious objector to the developmental screening process( a statement signed by parents must be provided to the Screening department if parents choose this option).
For more information call the early childhood screening office at 763-433-4833.
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