Milwaukee Public Schools: ‘Clear Days Ahead’ Program Provides Kids with Free Vision Screenings and Eyeglasses

Vision care at Kagel School and Westside Academy will help MPS students succeed

Media Contact

Andy Nelson, Media Manager | Office: (414) 475-8675 | Email: nelsonai@milwaukee.k12.wi.us
Girl with glasses using globe

MILWAUKEE – Nearly 500 Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) students ages four to fourteen received vision screenings in October, and those who require follow-up will get eye exams in November. Optometrists, opticians and volunteers from Wisconsin Vision, the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association, Milwaukee Public Schools, and Prevent Blindness Wisconsin will provide eye exams to about 200 students at Kagel School and Westside Academy. Students will then be fitted for glasses courtesy of Wisconsin Vision.

“A pair of glasses can make all the difference in a student’s ability to learn,” said Dr. Darienne Driver, MPS Superintendent. “We want to thank Wisconsin Vision and the MTEA for their work to ensure our students can see clearly and actively participate in their classes.”

“Undetected vision problems make learning difficult and stressful on students,” said Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association President Kim Schroeder. “Vision can affect a student’s attention span, reading comprehension, and behavior.”

Beth Bush of Wisconsin Vision explained that Wisconsin Vision has partnered with MPS schools to provide glasses for several years now, and the needs can be extreme. “Each year, we identify some students who are legally blind without glasses,” she said. Since the Clear Days Ahead program began in 2010, more than 800 pairs of glasses have been provided to MPS students.

WHEN
Media availability: 10 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017

WHERE
Albert E. Kagel School, 1210 W. Mineral St., Milwaukee, WI 53204

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About Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee Public Schools is committed to accelerating student achievement, building positive relationships between youth and adults and cultivating leadership at all levels. The district’s commitment to improvement continues to show results:

– More MPS students are taking college-level Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses;
– The MPS Class of 2017 earned $63+ million in scholarships; and
– MPS is home to seven of the state and nation’s top high schools according to U.S. News and World Report and the Washington Post.

Learn more about MPS by visiting our website. More news is available at mpsmke.com/news.