School can be stressful enough at any age and in any grade without having a debilitating illness keeping a student housebound and falling behind. Before 1985, many children faced that struggle, but now they have an alternative – The First State School.
The little-known gem of the Red Clay Consolidated School District educates children who have chronic illnesses, making it possible for them to attend school while receiving treatment.
Located at Wilmington Hospital, the school is only one of three of its kind nationwide.
Co-sponsored by Christiana Care, it accepts any child from kindergarten through 12th grade living in New Castle County and educates students with individualized lesson plans that meet all of the state’s curriculum standards.
School Director Coleen O’Connor said that although the program is for sick children, it’s not that different from other public schools.
Students attend from 7:25 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., arriving by bus every morning. They have their own hallway with lockers, classrooms, a lunchroom and gym. They take regular classes, have family fun nights, go on field trips and take statewide standardized tests like other kids. Every year, there are graduation and awards ceremonies. When students receive their high school diplomas, whatever public high school they would have attended is listed.
And, the kids here are like any other kid.
“If you saw them in the mall, you wouldn’t say ‘look that kid is sick,’” O’Connor said.
There is one meaningful difference, however: health care is a major priority.
Fulltime nurses move in and out of the classrooms to provide treatment to students without interruption, and they take time to educate the children about their illnesses.
If a student needs a physician, they can just go see one in the building. Sometimes, the physician comes to the student.
Because the children have serious chronic conditions, like diabetes, sickle cell anemia, severe asthma and cancer, the staff is very conscientious about hygiene.
“We stress hand washing. If you feel sick, you wear a mask. If they need to rest, they rest,” she said.
More than 200 children have attended First State School, and 21 have earned high school diplomas from the program, the brainchild of Dr. Janet Kramer, former director of Christiana Care's Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Services, according to the Christiana Care website.
Junior Jose Fuentes first attended as a kindergartener, left after second grade, then came back for high school.
“It has changed my life,” he said. “I have kidney problems and I never had them under control until I came to the First State School.”
Martina Mosby, a nine-year-old First State Schooler, said students learn a lot and it’s not just the regular subjects, “especially in summer school when we learn about life skills.”
O’Connor said the kids inspire her: One day, she was going call in sick, but then remembered how sick the kids are and that they still attend class.
“This is an amazing place,” she said. “The kids here have taught me so much. I love waking up every morning and getting to go where I love.”
