Bridging the Gap: How Our School Re-Entry Program Helps Patients Thrive

For many children recovering from burn injuries or other serious medical conditions, returning to school can be challenging. Beyond the physical healing process, they can be anxious about returning to their school community after a long absence. To ease this transition, the Shriners Children’s Boston school re-entry program provides individualized support, ensuring patients feel confident and welcome when they return to the classroom.

The program was first conceived more than four decades ago, with the realization that transitioning out of the hospital, with splints, skin grafts or hair loss can be very difficult. Between the stares, abundance of questions and even sometimes teasing, children needed a support system to help them return to their everyday lives. If a patient’s family is interested in the re-entry program, a team from Shriners Children’s can explain aspects of their care plan, including treatments, bandages and other equipment in a school assembly with the patient present.

The program has since evolved to support patients and families by giving them step-by-step guidance for successful re-integration. Jackie Cola, a child life specialist who managed the program, said, “When we begin talking about (the process), it helps children start thinking of things they may expect will happen when they’re at school and how they want to share their story.” The psychosocial and school re-entry teams collaborate in supporting patients throughout their community reintegration. These include things such as leaving their hospital room for the first time or how to respond to staring in community places. This way, patients will be able to use transferable skills as they enter both the community and school.

The team will then contact the school’s administration to set up a presentation prepared by the school re-entry team in coordination with the patient and family. The presentation can be done in person or virtually, and typically consists of sharing information about the patient’s hospitalization, any new lifestyle changes, and lessons for their peers on how and when it is appropriate to ask questions. This way, the patient can feel empowered to share their story, and their peers can learn about ways to be inclusive. The school re-entry team provides additional support to teachers, principals, school counselors and students after the presentation, if needed.

“The main goal is to remove the mystery of hospitalization for the classmates that the child is going to be reintegrating with,” said Jackie. “We know kids are very curious, and it helps to address (their questions) all at the beginning, so the child can just focus on being themselves.”

Children may worry about how they’ll be perceived, struggle to catch up academically, or feel isolated from their peers after an extended hospitalization. The re-entry program seeks to address these concerns before the student returns to the classroom.

“One of the biggest challenges is mourning the things they missed out on – if they missed certain milestones like graduation or a (school) dance,” said Liza Gamelli, LICSW, CCM.

In some cases, families may move to Boston so they are closer to the hospital for their child’s extended care. In situations like this, the team helps the child integrate into a new school setting while still focusing on the patient’s story and showing how peers can help welcome them to their new school environment.

Shrines Children’s Boston patient Phila and his caregiver recently relocated to Boston to be closer to the hospital for his follow-up care. Staff from Phila’s new school collaborated with the re-entry team at Shriners Children’s to plan for his arrival, and scheduled age-appropriate presentations to his classmates. When Phila was enrolled, his care team gave a presentation about what he had experienced, explained his physical differences and focused on what peers and staff could do to welcome him. The re-entry team served as a bridge for Phila to successfully integrate into a new and potentially scary environment. According to child life specialist Brooke Allen, who participated in Phila’s school re-entry, “Students welcomed Phila with open arms and were soon rushing to sit next to him in his classroom."

For many families, the program is life-changing. Iremedie came to Shriners Children’s Boston after sustaining burn injuries. His mother was nervous about his return to school. However, after working with the child life and care management teams, his transition was smooth. She recalled Liza and Jackie being there on his first day back and how their presentation touched students and helped foster compassion among them. Iremedie is very thankful for Jackie and Liza, as they reminded him that he is “still the same person,” said his mother.

By addressing both educational and emotional needs, the school re-entry program ensures every child returns to school feeling safe, supported and ready to thrive.