Excellence in Education: Kiwanis vision screening team

From the Board blue book:

Vision Screening Team 2002-2010:

Rich Chyla
Karen Dean
Sandy Dugan
Steve Jorgenson
John Lieber
Terry McGeorge
Janice Morgan
Dale Radke

In 2002, the MPS School Nurses, who were few in number, were interested in ways to collaborate with the community to increase preventative health services available to students. MPS School Nurses began a program to screen MPS children for vision problems. Since the majority of elementary schools did not have school nurses to screen the children, a coordinated and sustained volunteer effort was required. Milwaukee Public Schools, Prevent Blindness Wisconsin, and the Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin came together to map and operationalize a district-wide volunteer vision screening event. This key group of community partners collaborated with Prevent Blindness Wisconsin and their teams of volunteers. Volunteer vision-screeners were trained and screened the children. School staff provided the follow-up.

The Kiwanis Club was one of the first volunteer teams to step forward and the only one that has the distinction of providing continuous vision-screening services to schools for each of the last seven school years.

Unintimidated by technology, these volunteers are trained to use the Suresight Autorefractor to screen K-5 and 5th-grade students, plus any special referrals made by staff. This year they provided vision screening in 15 MPS schools to a total of 2,000 students.

The Kiwanis Club team is professional, courteous, kind, and respectful to students, staff, and parents. They have given unselfishly of their time for many years to ensure that vision problems are not a barrier to learning. Many children have had their vision problems identified and corrected as a result of the Kiwanis Clubs vision-screening efforts. Schools that have been host to them are unanimous in their praise.

The Milwaukee Board of School Directors and the entire school community recognize and honor the
Kiwanis Clubs Vision Screening Team for dedication, outstanding leadership, and commitment to
excellence on behalf of the students of Milwaukee Public Schools.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Excellence in Education
• Kiwanis
• vision screening
• Milwaukee Public Schools
• MPS
• Blogging MPS