Belpre City Schools is proud to announce that it has partnered with Akron Children's Hospital this year to provide school-based health services for all students district wide. This partnership will allow students, with parental consent, to access a full host of services from the comfort of campus including annual well visits, immunizations and sport's physicals and is especially well suited for addressing minor illnesses like coughs, colds,flu, fevers, sore throats, allergy and sinus issues, pink eye and rashes. Akron Children's will also be able to consult with mental health and behavioral health practitioners to support the learners in our classroom each and every day. The family's insurance will be billed for any services and financial counseling is available for those without insurance. The clinic is slated to begin seeing students next month.
We will release additional details about how to provide consent for services, appointment times and other relevant details in the near future. Belpre City Schools understands that a child's success in the classroom is directly correlated with their physical and mental health needs being met. This announcement, in addition to our recent launch of no cost meals for our students, will ensure that our students are more ready to learn than ever before. Once the Women and Children's Hospital in Belpre opens, students will have easy and direct access to additional specialty care and clinical support offered by the region's only pediatric specialty care clinic. With access to all of these quality, wrap-around supports, Belpre, Ohio will remain the best place to live, work, and raise a family and we are excited to serve our community.
You can read additional details in the press release below.
Akron Children’s to Expand School Health Services in Marietta, Belpre Schools
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AKRON (Aug. 14, 2025) – As children head back to class in the Marietta and Belpre
City School Districts, they will have access to a wide variety of pediatric-focused health
services conveniently offered right in their school buildings through a new partnership
between the districts and Akron Children’s.
Akron Children’s School-Based Health Center (SBHC) is one of the services offered
through new contracts with Akron Children’s to provide School Health Services.
“With a parent’s consent, a nurse practitioner can provide a wide range of medical
exams and services in person or through telehealth,” said Mary Schatz, clinical nurse
manager, School Health Services for Akron Children’s.
For example, if a child is experiencing ear pain, the nurse practitioner, with the parent’s
consent, would exam the child’s ear in the nursing office or via telehealth if the provider
is at another building that day. If the provider diagnoses an ear infection, she would then
call in a prescription to a pharmacy, saving the child lost school time and the parent lost
work time having to get the child to doctor, urgent care or an ER. Insurance will be billed,
or financial counseling is available for those without insurance.
“SBHC is a very successful and proven approach to keeping children healthy in the
classroom and is especially well suited for addressing minor illnesses like coughs, colds,
flu, fevers, sore throats, allergy and sinus issues, pink eye and rashes,” said Brad
Cunningham, senior director of Primary Care and School Health at Akron Children’s.
Stacey Greenup, who also sees patients at the Akron Children’s Pediatrics offices in
Marietta and Belpre, is the lead certified nurse practitioner who will be working in the
Marietta and Belpre schools. Greenup is paired with a medical assistant in each school
building, who will also support the student’s health needs.
In addition, some schools will also offer in-school appointments for annual well visits,
screenings for hearing and vision, sports physicals and vaccinations. Students can be
screened for anxiety and depression, and the nurse practitioner can refer to a mental
health therapist, if behavioral health services are needed.
In all, Akron Children’s provides School Health Services to 44 school districts in Ohio
and provides school-based health center services to 17 school districts.
“School nursing is a continuum of care committed to keeping kids healthy and ready to
learn,” said Schatz. “It’s a privilege to care for the students in Marietta and Belpre
Schools and we are very excited to welcome them into our network.”
For more information or questions, call 330-543-7242 or visit akronchildrens.org/schoolhealth.
About Akron Children’s
Akron Children’s is an independent, nonprofit pediatric health care system that has been
caring for children since 1890. With two hospital campuses, seven regional health
centers and more than 50 primary and specialty care locations throughout Ohio, it is the
only health care system in northeast Ohio fully dedicated to pediatric care. Its vast
network of Akron Children’s Pediatrics offices offers convenient access to expert
pediatric primary care for patients from infancy through young adulthood. From School-
Based Health Care to Quick Care Online virtual visits and Akron Children’s Anywhere
app, Akron Children’s makes it easy for today’s busy families to find the high-quality care
they need. In 2024, the health care system provided nearly 1.5 million patient
encounters and employed more than 7,300 employees. Learn more at