SAD 29 students tested

    Houlton Elementary and Southside school students completed the Vision and Hearing screening with the help of many capable volunteers, including Penny Older, Paula Mooers, Becky Wiggins, Becky Corthell, Audra Cowperthwaite, Renee Grant, Kim Keehn, Darcy Lorom, Heather Johnson, Pam White, Cindy Callnan and Cindy DeLucca.
    The group effort is very effective in  helping the students. Each year, officials screen more than 600 students.
    The school system had three local prominent optometrists to screen all of the first grade students and any of the students that did not pass the school-based screening at Houlton Elementary, Houlton Southside and Wellington schools. They treated approximately 150 children with gentle kindness. Dr. Ellis, Dr. Newman and Dr. Philbrookall arrived with smiles, ready to screen classes of students. Dr. Goodwin has also been involved for years, along with Audrey York, who screened Wellington students.
CHECKUP — Taking part in the recent Vision and Hearing Screening Program for SAD 29 first-graders were, from left, front row: Katelynn Wilmot, Lauren McGillicuddy and Isaac Vega. Back row: Dr. Robert Ellis, Dr. Jessica Philbrook, Dr. Tonya Newman and SAD 29 Elementary/Southside School Nurse Eileen McLaughlin. Jr./Sr. High School Nurse Audrey York also participated in the annual screening effort.
    Letters will go out to all parents if their child did not pass the school screening on eyes or ears, or the screening from the eye doctors. If you have any questions on your child’s results that are sent out, you can stop by at Houlton Elementary School and see Mrs. McLaughlin, the school nurse from 8-9 a.m. to discuss any questions.  
    If your child passed the screenings you will not receive any notice. If you have concerns about your child’s vision or hearing, and they did pass, it is recommended to be seen by a doctor. Some conditions need to be picked up at a young age in order to correct.
    This does not take the place of a thorough doctor's office visit, but it often picks up on a student who may have gone undetected if not seen by an eye doctor. Dr. Philbrook recommends seeing an eye doctor at 10 months of age, age 2, prior to school and every year while in school. The 10-month well visit is covered by the American optometric Association. This free evaluation is called the “infant see” program.