School Clinic

Outside the doors of Barre City Elementary and Middle School, James Taffel, the school’s co-principal, shakes the hand of every student who enters the building. For him, this shake is a way of saying “You matter.”

Meanwhile, inside, the administrative office bustles with activity. There are late passes to be written and breakfast to be eaten. And there’s a line starting to form in front of Nurse Practitioner Kathleen Bryant’s school clinic door.

Kathleen has been stationed here for two years as part of an innovative school based health center, a collaboration with the Barre City School District and CVMC’s Pediatric Primary Care practices. She and fellow Nurse Practitioner Linda Burger hold clinic hours at the school every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

Situated in a small office with a yellow school bus examining table, the practitioners provide health care to students during classroom hours. They do all the same things they do at the pediatrician’s office – evaluate and treat illnesses, run simple cultures and tests, manage recurring health concerns, provide ongoing care from chronic conditions and help “at-risk” kids get needed services. And their work is all tied into the records of the medical center.

For students like EmilyGrace Spaulding, the visit allows her to be evaluated without having to leave school. For busy working parents, single moms and those with transportation issues, the service is a godsend.

It’s all part of the school’s goal to provide wrap-around support for their kids.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to collaborate around what kids need,” said Co-Principal Jacquelyn Ramsay-Tolman, “Any time we can bridge the gaps between family and health care, and between worlds really, we want to do it. We don’t exist in isolation. This is a way for us to get back to the picture of whole child wellness.”