June 10, 2025 -- A second grader sits propped up in a hospital bed at Nationwide Children's Hospital, medical devices beeping beside her, a stack of books in front of her, and a Columbus City Schools (CCS) teacher by her side. Between treatments, she's reading her favorite chapter. At that moment, she's no longer just a patient; she is a student.
"School brings that outside piece into the hospital," said Sam Shae, Intervention Specialist for Columbus City Schools. "For our students, school is such a beacon of light for them; we get to be an extension of their school back home and that normalcy for them. I think that is the biggest gift we give these kids."
Through a longstanding partnership with Nationwide Children's Hospital, CCS ensures that hospitalized students, regardless of where they are from, remain on their academic journey.
Caring for every student, a dynamic team of CCS certified K–12 teachers provide daily instruction for students receiving care, bringing a sense of structure and normalcy to young people experiencing prolonged or critical illness at the hospital.
"Sometimes kids are so excited because they don't want to deal with the medical stuff," said Dr. Candace Nespeca, Supervisor of the Program for Students with Orthopedic and Health Impairments. "These children are tired of every single person coming in to poke, prod, and question. It's honestly sometimes a respite to have someone to work on school with."
The District's team of hospital-based intervention specialists works with students from Central Ohio and across the country, not enrolled in Columbus City Schools, many of whom face extended hospital stays or repeat visits.
Lessons are individualized and flexible, often held at the bedside or in specialized classrooms, depending on the student's needs
"The work our staff is doing at Nationwide is just amazing," Dr. Nespeca said. "I can't begin to tell you how much effort they put into making sure that they're providing the educational services, but also understanding the child and their needs."
In these hospital classrooms, consistency matters. The familiar rhythm of reading, writing, and math helps students feel grounded amidst a disrupted life. Teachers prepare personalized lesson plans and often communicate with the child's home school to ensure instruction is aligned.
For some students, progress is marked by completing a worksheet. For others, it's the comfort of hearing a story read aloud between treatments.
"The kids are usually happy to see me," said Greg Yarman, Intervention Specialist at Columbus City Schools. "Every day I am floating around, sometimes I'll have five kids, and each one is working on a different subject. One might be working on algebra, while the other is working on American History. That adaptability piece is important."
In the quiet moments, when a student finishes their algebra or completes their American History test, the purpose of this partnership becomes clear. School gives students something familiar, something forward-looking, something to control.
"We're in one of the family's most vulnerable intimate settings here every single day," Shae said. "We show them that they can still live, be normal, and have a touchstone to the outside world. If we can have these students return to their schools, complete the school year, or graduate with their class, that means we did our job."
Though students receiving care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital may not be from Columbus City Schools. While they're here, they become CCS students, ready to dream big, achieve more, rebuild their routines, and push past a diagnosis.
