Overton School Board Agrees To Program To Help Kids With Vision Issue

Overton County School officials agreed Tuesday to participate in a program designed to correct a vision issue often confused with dyslexia.

It’s called Intermittent Central Suppression. Symptoms are identical to dyslexia, often causing misdiagnosis. Director of Schools Donnie Holman said one hour of wearing special glasses each day while reading, writing, or puzzling can correct the condition.

“What we were told that night is, there will be no expense for the rent of those glasses,” Holman said. “That expense is going to be covered, and then the school system will be able to use them. Those glasses will stay at the school, and only be used at school. That’s the way that we intend to use them right now.”

Holman said he spent time with the school system’s attorney reviewing the plans for the testing. He said the testing will be voluntary and require parental permission. He said children who elect to use the glasses will undergo an initial 90-second test that parents are welcome to be present for.

At the December Board Meeting, Cookeville Optometrist Dr. James Miller presented the board with glasses designed to identify and cure ICS. On Tuesday, the board discussed how best to communicate with parents about the opportunity. Holman said schools will send a flyer home and post the details of the program on the Overton County Schools website.

“One thing we want the parents to definitely know, this is optional,” Holman said. “It’s not mandatory. It’s just something that could hopefully help some children, and that’s all that we’re trying to do, is just help some children. That’s our goal.”

Miller said every two to three seconds, students affected by the disorder lose focus in the center of their vision. He said he plans to put a major emphasis on testing and treating third graders, as students who reach the third grade and cannot yet read are exponentially more likely to become high school dropouts.

In other business, the Board approved the lone bid of some $308,000 for an HVAC replacement at Livingston Middle School. Holman said the bid was right around the ballpark that he was expecting. The board approved a second bid, this one the low bid of some $55,000 for 250 ProBook Windows 11 Student Devices.

The board also approved a policy giving School Resource Officers access to Narcan, a drug that reverses the effects of an overdose.

“If you suspect that someone, a child or an adult, either one, has overdosed and you give them this medication, if you’re wrong and it’s not an overdose, it doesn’t affect them in a negative way,” Holman said. “It’s just a proactive way of trying to help a situation that could be very detrimental.”