PTA Volunteers Conduct Vision Screenings For Preschoolers

Brayden Wertz, 3, looked apprehensive as he was led into a small room near his classroom at Southminster Nursery School, where three volunteers sat waiting to test his vision. But he warmed up pretty quickly after the women started to play "eye games" with him, even smiling and giggling as he answered questions about pictures and letters hanging on the wall.

While Brayden thought he was playing games by naming colors and letters and objects, the volunteers were actually tracking Brayden's eye movements and scoring his answers to determine whether he passed their tests for acuity, color blindness and muscle coordination.

The volunteers are PTA members from the Mt. Lebanon schools who for more than 30 years have performed free annual vision screenings at the community's preschools even though the PTAs do not serve the preschools.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09071/955109-55.stm

MLFE and PTA To Host "Community Conversation"

The Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education and the Mt. Lebanon Parent Teacher Association are hosting "Community Conversation on Education in Mt. Lebanon" at 7 p.m. April 16 in the municipal building, 710 Washington Road.

Featured speaker will be district Superintendent John Allison and the audience may ask questions. "This event will provide a wonderful opportunity for me to have a conversation with the community about our schools and the progress we are making to meet the goals of our strategic plan," Mr. Allison said.

Vernadean Passodelis, foundation president, said the event may be the first what the foundation hopes is a tradition of such conversation. For more, call 412.478.7743 or visit www.mlfe.org.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08094/869940-55.stm