MCC Early Childhood Screening
The early childhood years from birth to the start of kindergarten are an important time of rapid learning and growth. Early Childhood Screening (ECS) is a program adopted by the state of Minnesota that helps to identify health and developmental needs of young children before they enter kindergarten. Screening during early childhood supports children's readiness for kindergarten and promotes positive child health and developmental outcomes. All of the information from your child’s Early Childhood Screening is important to his/her future school success. It is necessary to have children screened at an early age, usually around 3 to 4 years old, so there is adequate time to obtain help for any identified concerns before the child enters school.
The Minnesota Department of Health recommends the developmental screening instruments used in the Murray County Central School District. These instruments are approved by the Minnesota Department of Education for use in the ECS Program. The screening is required for entrance in Minnesota's public schools or within 30 days of enrollment into kindergarten.
The screening process provides an opportunity for young children and their families to access a wide variety of services and early childhood programs. Some of these programs include: Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), Little Rebels Preschool, Trinity Preschool, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Public Health Services, Follow Along, and Head Start. It also promotes and supports parents understanding of their child's health, development and learning.
During the screening, the staff will look at how your child sees, hears, moves, plays, talks, learns and behaves. The assessments include: vision, hearing, developmental screening (cognitive, fine and gross motor, language and social emotional development), immunizations, physical growth, risk factors that influence learning, referral for health care coverage and summary interview with parents.
Murray County Central provides the screening free of charge and it is offered twice per year, usually in January and August. MCC will be hosting the next screening on Monday, January 21st at West Elementary and it is open to all children born on or before October 21st, 2015 and have not been previously screened. Screenings will begin at 8:00 a.m. and we prefer that you call us to request an appointment time that works well for your schedule. Please call MCC West Elementary before January 14th at 836-6450 to schedule your child’s screening time or to let us know if your child has already had the screening completed at another school.
Thank you,
Amanda Tentinger LSN