Keeping you informed on Oklahoma’s education system

Developmental screenings set for September

The Oklahoma City-County Health Department has set the dates for developmental screenings for children age 5 and younger. The one-hour sessions include consultation about what is normal for specific age ranges, such as speech, language and behavior development. Appointments are required. Call 425-4412.

• Belle Isle, 5501 N Villa – Sept. 5, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Bethany, 3510 N Mueller – Sept. 7, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Edmond, 10 S Boulevard – Sept. 12, 1 to 5 p.m.
• Warr Acres, 5901 NW 63 – Sept. 14, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Midwest City, 8143 E Reno – Sept. 19, 1 to 5 p.m.
• Choctaw, 2525 Muzzy – Sept. 20, 1 to 5 p.m.
• Northwest, 5600 NW 122 – Sept. 27, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Village, 10307 N Penn – Sept. 27, 1 to 5 p.m.

Oklahoma City-County Health Department offers developmental screenings

If you haven’t taken your child to one of these yet, you should. It’s pretty cool. Here’s some information from the Oklahoma City-County Health Department:

The Child Guidance program at the Oklahoma City-County Health Department will offer developmental screenings for children birth to five years old at the following libraries and on the corresponding dates.

• Northwest – Thursday, July 26, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Belle Isle – Wednesday, August 1, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Capitol Hill – Thursday, August, 2, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Bethany – Friday, August 3, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Warr Acres – Friday, August 10, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Del City – Tuesday, August 14, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Edmond – Wednesday, August 15, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Midwest City – Wednesday, August 15, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

These will be individual sessions lasting approximately 1 hour with a Child Development Specialist, Speech/Language Pathologist and/or a Behavioral Health Specialist. Sessions include discussion about the normal range of early development as well as any parenting questions that the parent may have in the areas of Speech, Language, Development, and Behavior. Sessions are by appointment only. There is a small fee for screenings. Medicaid is accepted. No person will be denied services for inability to pay.

Free child developmental screenings offered this month

The Oklahoma City-County Health Department will offer free development screenings for children age 5 and younger this month at the following times and locations:

• Edmond – 1 to 5 p.m. July 11.
• Warr Acres – 9 a.m. to noon July 13.
• Midwest City – 1 to 5 p.m. July 17.
• Choctaw – 1 to 5 p.m. July 19.
• The Village – 1 to 5 p.m. July 24.
• Northwest Oklahoma City – 9 a.m. to noon July 26.

The private sessions last about an hour. The professionals check your child’s speech, behavior and other developmental milestones. There’s a small fee depending on income, but nobody is turned away because of the inability to pay. Medicaid is accepted. Appointments are required. To schedule one, call 425-4412.

I took my daughter to a screening a couple years ago – when she was just about to turn 1 – and it was great. I learned so much. I would recommend this to any parent. In fact, I recommend this to myself. My daughter’s almost 3 now. Maybe it’s time I take her back.

A rosy picture

More than 400 schools and libraries in Oklahoma are each receiving 40 large, high-quality reproductions of historically important American artworks.

They’ll also get a book full of information and ideas on how to integrate the art into the study of other subjects, plus access to additional lesson plans online.

Oklahoma’s 424 locations are among more than 26,000 schools and libraries nationwide taking part in Picturing America, a free initiative headed by the National Endowment for the Humanities to promote American history and culture.

Applications to receive the materials next year will be available again from Aug. 4 through Oct. 31 at this site.

Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter

Creepy, crawly, cuddly … summer bookworms

A summer reading program in Oklahoma hopes to ward off summer brain drain, the phenomenon that leaves students stumped when they return to school after lackadaisical summer vacations.

The “Catch the Reading Bug” program began yesterday at public libraries.

Children up to age 12 can sign up for the series of events, and very young children can even participate if someone reads to them.

Some libraries also offer summer reading programs for teenagers.

Youths who sign up get a free reading log, book bag and bookmark and can earn prizes for what they read. Libraries also offer story times and other activities for children.

Visit your local public library for more information and to check out your first book of the summer – maybe, for those who take literally the idea of a bookworm, the old favorite “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter