Speech, language, hearing and vision screening for schools

Identification of exceptional children is an ongoing process within Morgan County Schools. Part of this process is the annual screening for speech, language, hearing and vision problems. The screening will be conducted during August and September.

Students to be screened include those referred by parents and teachers, students who are new in the school system and students entering kindergarten who did not participate in the pre-enrollment screening.

This screening is conducted to assure that eligible exceptional students receive a free appropriate public education.

Speech testing consists of the student repeating a list of words after the clinician. Sounds that are said in error will be noted.

Language testing consists of identifying common objects and everyday concepts in addition to a sample of spontaneous conversational speech.

Hearing screening will consist of pure tone measurement and a test of the middle ear function. To obtain a pure tone measurement, the child listens to three pitches in each ear presented at half the loudness of a normal conversational speech. A child suspected of a problem using this test will be rescreened within 21 days. During middle ear testing, a small rubber plug attached to a measuring instrument is placed in the ear canal. Mild ear pressure and a tone are applied to the ear. This procedure measures the movement of the eardrum. Children failing this test may be referred to an audiologist or a physician.

All results are kept confidential.

The schedule for the screenings are:

August 26 - Pleasant View Elementary and Greenwood Elementary.
August 27 - Paw Paw Headstart homebased 9-10 a.m. and Paw Paw Schools.
August 31 - Berkeley Springs High School and Warm Springs Middle School.
September 2 - Warm Springs Intermediate School.
September 7 - Widmyer Elementary.
September 8 - Berkeley Springs Headstart (a.m./p.m.)
September 9 - Widmyer Elementary.
September 15 - Great Cacapon Headstart.
September 22 - Doodlebugs.