What Do I Need to Know about Assessing and Development For My Child?

An assessment is a tool that is used to provide parents and teachers with important information pertaining to a child’s growth and development. The purpose is to identify health, developmental and/or other factors that may affect a child’s learning, growth and development. But, the screening is just that—a screening, not a diagnosis. You can then take any information to your child’s pediatrician for further evaluation.  At our school, we use the Ages and Stages questionnaire. Ages and Stages Questionnaire addresses development in communication, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem solving, and personal-social skills. It is a tool to ensure development is on track and to identify children that would benefit from in-depth evaluation for developmental delays.

When your child enrolls at our school, we give an initial assessment after approximately two weeks of enrollment to get a baseline of where your child is developmentally. This will help the teacher in developing lesson plans based on the needs of each child both individually and as a group.

If your child is found to have some areas of concern, we will request a parent-teacher conference with you and then refer you to the appropriate agency who can further evaluate your child’s development. When children are ages birth to 3, BabyNet (1-866-512-8881) is the referring agency. When children turn 3 years of age, we refer to the Fort Mill School District (803) 548-2527.

We understand that words like “assessment” and “referral” can sound scary, but a referral is merely that—an opportunity to refer your family to a person with specialized knowledge to further determine what we can do to help your child’s growth and development and determine if additional resources are needed.

If your child is referred for a services screening, please don’t feel like there is something “wrong” with your child. If it is determined they could benefit from early intervention, that means they will receive additional help in preparing for the ultimate transition— kindergarten.

We, as professionals, have your child’s best interest at heart as do you. We are a team— teachers and families.

Early intervention is best! Often times, kids just need a little extra help to get ready to move onto the “big school.” And in the rare cases of more serious concerns like hearing loss, we want to help connect you and your child to help as early as possible.

Please discuss any questions or concerns about your child’s development with your child’s teacher. We love to hear from you, and we encourage you to request a parent-teacher conference anytime you feel the need.

Thank you for the honor of serving your family and the opportunity to work with your child each day. It is our greatest joy.