Evening star., 1944-12-20
School
Health Program
Up for Action
,000-o-Yeor Plan
Will Be Submitted
To Supervisors Today

Proposals for a county wide school
health program to cost q minimum
Of $4,000 year will be presented to
the Fairfax County Board Of Super
visors today.
The program, patterned after the
health program now in effect at the
Franklin Sherman School at Nc
Lean, was outlined by Mrs. Arthur
z. Gardiner, president of the Nc
Lean Parent Teacher Association, at
meeting Of the County School
Board yesterday. It will be pre-
sented to the supervisors at the re-
quest of the School Board.
While School Board members, in
an informal discussion, indicated
approval Of a county health pro-
gram, they pointed out that such a
program should be closely co-ordi-
mated with the work Of the county
health department and therefore
should be the responsibility of the
Board Of Supervisors. It was en-
phasized, however, that while the
overall direction of the program
should be under the health oficer,
the preventive clinics within the
schools and the health education
program should be under the direc.
ton Of the School Board.
Proposed Personnel.
The program calls for appoint
ment Of health supervisor, four
school nurses, secretary, part-time
local physician and School Health
Advisory Committee consisting Of
the school health supervisor, a rep
resentative Of the School Board, the
county health officer, a representa-
tive Of the County Medical Society. a
representative Of the PTA and a
research consultant.
AS the program begins to oper-
ate, all children In the first, fourth
and seventh grades would be given
physical examinations, with only
those children in other grades who
seem to need medical attention re-
ceiving complete physical examina-
tions. Following this procedure, 1t
was explained, at the end of three
years all children in the elementary
school and in the first two years Of
high school would have been exam
ined.
In addition to the physical check
ups, corrective and preventive clin-
les. health education in the class
rooms would form an important part
OF the program, it was said. Here
children would be taught "how to
maintain health"
In referring the program to the
supervisors, the School Board point
ed out that appropriations for its
3operation might be obtained more
leasily If the school health work be-
|came an extension Of the County
Health Department, rather than q
second health department" set
up by the school system. It was
also indicated that State health
ffunds might be obtained to aid in
the operation Of the program.
Mclean PTA Praised.
Praising the Mclean PTA group,
w. A. Sherman, board member rep
resenting Providence district, said
many OF the county school improve
ments had originated in his dis
trict. II am sure you know this"
he said, "but I want you to know
that the board also knows it."
Meanwhile the Falls Church PTA
will ask the board to adopt a H.
point program Of improvements to
the town schools.
| The recommendations include re-
quests for 12-year high school
system, a $200-a-year increase in
teachers pay, s1,000-a-year m
crease in the salaries of the two
school supervisors, the employment
OF an assistant school superintend-
ent charged with the administra-
tton Of urban schools, the establish
ment Of a 100000 capital fund in
three years for school improvements
In the town and the purchase of
additional school land in the town
and additions to its present school
buildings.
The board said yesterday that In
plans for school improvements in
1856 a No. priority has been
given to improvements needed in
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