Dear Parent or Guardian:
As part of our effort to support the Whole Child, our school will be implementing a universal social and emotional screening for students.
Universal social and emotional screening can provide a fair and impartial way of looking at how students are progressing in their social and emotional development. Screenings can also help identify areas where school personnel can improve or adjust our supports.
Universal social and emotional screening is NOT an assessment or an evaluation. Instead, screenings are a useful tool to help identify students who may need extra social or emotional support.
Denver Public Schools currently uses a social and emotional screening questionnaire called the Behavior and Emotional Screening System (BESS). The online tool takes approximately ten minutes to complete and consists of 28 questions for the student to answer.
The social and emotional screening may occur two or three times over the course of the school year. Repeated screening helps us determine if the supports we provide to students are effective in meeting their needs.
You have the right, upon request to review the questions on the screener. If you would like to review the questions on the social and emotional screener, please contact:_____________________
You also have the option to EXEMPT your child from participating. If you DO NOT want your child to participate in social and emotional screening, please indicate so by signing and returning this form.
If we do not receive an OPT-OUT form from you, we will assume you are choosing to have your child participate in the social and emotional screening.
Thank you for your assistance as we work together to educate and support your student!
Sincerely,
School Representative
