District to take part in state health survey

The New York State Department of Health has selected the City School District of Albany to take part in a survey about childhood weight.

State law requires that a student be weighed and his or her height measured as part of his or her school health exam for prekindergarten, kindergarten, second, fourth, seventh and 10th grade. These numbers are used to figure out the student’s body mass index, or “BMI.” The BMI helps a doctor or nurse know if the student’s weight is in a healthy range for his or her height.

The district will be sending the state a summary of 2016-17 “weight status information” – a report of where students’ BMI numbers fall on a scale ranging from underweight to obese. No names of or information about individual children will be provided. However, parents or guardians may choose to have their child’s information excluded from the survey report.

For more information, contact your child's school nurse.

The mission of the City School District of Albany is to educate and prepare all students for college and career, citizenship and life, in partnership with our diverse community. The district serves nearly 9,700 students in 18 elementary, middle and high schools. In addition to neighborhood schools, the district includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic opportunities for students, including four themed academies at Albany High School.