For the last few years, Ohio County Schools has sought to work with WVU Medicine to develop a part time school based health center at Madison Elementary School.
“Madison is located on Wheeling Island, and the Island currently has no pediatric acute care options,” explains Karin Butyn, Public Relations Director. “Having this option available for a student experiencing minor, non-emergent medical concerns like a sore throat or ear pain can make a huge difference not only for students, but to guardians as well.
The health center will be operational two days a week for four hours each day. Local nurse practitioner, Leah Thiemen, will be available to see patients with parental approval. “Parents and guardians play a crucial role. No student can be seen without explicit permission from their guardian. As a mom, to know that if my child had ear pain that began during the school day, the option to visit the health clinic could make a massive difference in his day and ultimately speed up his recovery process,” says Butyn.
Principal Andrea Trio adds “Madison Elementary School is proud to be the home for the new OCS/WVU Health Clinic. The clinic will have a significant positive impact on students by providing immediate access to healthcare services, which can lead to improved overall health and reducing absenteeism. Additionally, having a clinic on-site can ease the burden on families by ensuring each student has access to essential healthcare.”
The clinic was made possible through several grants including those from Sisters of St. Joseph, Health and Wellness Foundation, Martha R. Parlin Trust Fund, Congregation of St. Joseph's gift committee , Benedum Foundation, and Ann Sonneborn Charitable Foundation.
Ohio County Schools is proud to join the nearly 50 other counties in the state that offer school-based health centers. We encourage all stakeholders to join us for a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, September 4th, at noon at Madison Elementary.