The main entrance of Woodstock North High School.

Take a look at the emails from the parents of a high school student and the Superintendent’s reply:

First from the parents:

Dear Ms. Wrzeski,

Thank you so much for your response.

I do have a couple of more questions.

Does the permission which you mentioned mean a one-time permission given at the beginning of the year, or would this be always at the time of service?

While I appreciate your answer, I do have my concerns since I know for a fact that Title X moneys had to be available to use for contraceptives for minors as young as 12 without parental knowledge or consent.

How will the District clinic address/handle situations in which a pregnant student comes to the clinic for help?

Is there any policy in place that would prevent abortion counseling or referral for said student?

My husband and I were also wondering how the district will pay for this clinic once the grant money is spent?

Is this something the taxpayers will be expected to fund in the future?

Thank you again, for your response to our queries.

From: Ellyn Wrzeski
Sent: Monday, March 04, 2013 1:55 PM

To: Subject: Re: [Board of Education] Health clinic grant

Dear

I am writing in response to your most recent questions.

Lisa Tate, District 200 Health Services Director, is a co-respondent on this email as I wanted to make sure I was answering your questions accurately.

1. It is likely, as we do with almost all District services, that a parent will be asked to fill out a permission form which would be effective for the entire school year. However, follow-up information will be provided to the parents for students who visit the Health Clinic just as the District does now with students who see the nurse for any significant reason – excluding such things as a cut or scrape.
2. We will be contracting with a Federally Qualified health Agency who will be providing all of the health services including fees, billing, etc. The only thing that the District will be providing is the space and the construction costs which are grant funded. The clinic will have to be self-supporting and no District funds will be utilized for the ongoing provision of services.
3. Such a provider is not required to distribute contraceptives to minors and this will not be an issue. We can not speak to what happened in the 1990’s as we weren’t in Woodstock at that time but again can reassure you that we will NOT be providing contraceptive materials, advice or education. In the agreement, which will be drawn up between the selected Health Care Agency and the District, there will be explicit requirements that NO contraception distribution or education be provided to students.
4. Currently when a student presents as pregnant in our School Health Clinics, they are referred to a local health care facility. We provide no counseling regarding abortion, adoption or any other options. Our main concern is to get the student to a physician who can provide appropriate prenatal care.

Hopefully this information answers your questions.

Sincerely,
Ellyn Wrzeski and Lisa Tate

The previous article may be found here.