Email to secondary parents/guardians
Subject line: About 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey
Dec. 18, 2023
Dear parents/guardians of secondary students:
Poudre School District is among more than 130 Colorado school districts that administer the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey in the fall of odd-numbered years.
Developed by several statewide agencies, this important survey asks students about health topics including exercise; diet; alcohol, tobacco and drug use; mental health; suicide; bullying; sexual behavior; and how they have been or are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also asks students about school safety, trusted adult relationships, and other things known to relate to healthy choices.
For the 2023-24 school year, the survey will be administered to students in all middle and high schools between Jan. 9-19. Families may contact their school to confirm their school’s survey date. Preschool and elementary students do not take the survey.
Secondary students will receive the survey during class time. They may choose to answer only the questions they feel comfortable answering and may skip any of the questions in the survey. The survey is anonymous, meaning the answers students give will be kept private. No one will know how an individual student answers, and their responses cannot be tied to their student login or device in any way. PSD will be provided with aggregate data showing how all district participants responded.
Results from the 2021-22 school year survey drove PSD’s decision to increase the district’s number of mental health professionals and staff who are supporting students with disabilities. Survey results also led to a drastic increase in communications about mental health resources for students, staff and caregivers, in service of increasing awareness and reducing the stigma around seeking support. Student videos, tip sheets, community resources, and more are available on the PSD website at the following link: www.psdschools.org/programs-services/mental-health-services
Don’t want your student to take the survey? Parents must opt out between Dec. 18-Jan. 5 if they do not want their students to participate. To opt out:
· Log into ParentVUE using your parent credentials (click here to learn how to activate your ParentVUE account if you haven’t done so already)
· Select your student’s name and access the PSD Services Tracker by clicking PSD Forms and Applications
· Select Categories then all categories
· Click on the “Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS)” link (you can review copies of the survey)
· Click the green “Sign” button at the bottom of the screen
· A guide on How to Opt Out of the Health Kids Colorado Survey is available on the Community Tech Portal
Students who are not completing the survey will do other schoolwork during the survey time. If you do not opt out, your student will be given a survey.
We encourage you to discuss the topic with your child and share your views on their choice about whether to participate. The following information is provided to support parents/guardians in their decision-making process:
· Review the middle school survey in English and Spanish: bit.ly/HKCS-MSEnglish or bit.ly/HKCS-MSSpanish
· Read the high school survey in English and Spanish: bit.ly/HKCS-HSEnglish or bit.ly/HKCS-HSSpanish
· Watch an informational video about the survey here.
· Read Frequently Asked Questions here.
· Get more information from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment here.
Accurate information about how our students say they are doing is more important than ever. PSD uses the aggregate survey results, along with other sources of information, to make instructional, staffing and budgetary decisions to support our students and their educational and wellness needs.
Thank you for your continued partnership,
Sincerely,
Poudre School District