May 23, 2008 - If children are going to get a fair start in school they should be screened before that first day in the classroom.  That’s why Fair Start is reaching out to families…to make sure no child is missed.

Fair Start is a program that screens the motor, speech and language skills, as well as social development of young children.  If a child needs help with these skills, it needs to be identified before school starts.  Last year, for example, more than 100 children in the Thunder Bay area were sent for help with speech.  If these kids had not been screened they may have been sent to school without the support they need.

Unfortunately, some children are still slipping through the cracks.  Last fall, kindergarten teachers in Thunder Bay felt that they were still seeing a lot of students with speech concerns that had not yet been addressed.

That’s why Fair Start is stepping up efforts to catch every child that might need help.  When children are registering for school, the parents or guardians are being given a green JK Fair Start screening booklet.

That booklet shouldn’t be left on the shelf.  It needs to be completed with the help of the school, or Fair Start screeners in the community.  It is also important to return the booklet back to the school as soon as possible. 

So if that green JK Fair Start screening booklet has been completed, but is sitting on the counter, parents should make sure they return it to the school right away.  If the booklet has not been completed yet, parents need to book an appointment to make sure their child’s future is protected.  When it comes to success at school, the earlier a child gets the help they need the better.  An appointment can be made through the child’s school or by calling Fair Start at 625-8817.

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