Thomas Blake Middle School

Postural screening requires your child to remove their shirt for their back to be viewed.  Girls should wear a sports bra or bathing suit top for privacy.  All health screenings are confidential and done on an individualized basis to protect the privacy of each child.  BMI and Postural Screening will be conducted first during  your child’s PE classes.  You will be notified if your child's postural screening requires follow up by their primary care provider. For more information about the state mandated postural screening program, please click here. 

SBIRT stands for Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment. SBIRT is a verbal substance use screening program with the goal of providing early identification of substance use risk behaviors, education and referral to treatment as needed to improve the health, safety and resilience of students.  The school nurses have found this individualized screening to be very beneficial in educating students about the risks of substance use.  SBIRT screening will be conducted starting the third week in March 2025 during your child’s health classes on an individualized basis.  

The SBIRT screening program focuses on prevention, and students’ responses will not lead to any disciplinary action. The results of SBIRT screening will not be included in students’ academic or health records. In keeping with M.G.L. Chapter 71, Section 97, information disclosed by students during verbal substance use screening is confidential, and unless a student is in immediate danger, parents will not be notified about the results of this screening without the student’s permission.  For more information about the state mandated SBIRT screening program, please click here.

We encourage all families to talk to their children about substance use. A child’s brain is not fully developed during adolescence and substance use during this time can substantially alter brain functioning often leading to addiction and long term health risks. Research shows that parental disapproval is the #1 reason adolescents decide not to use drugs or alcohol. For ideas on how to begin these important conversations, please see this parent guide.