Baltimore Teachers Fight Absenteeism by Embracing Health Worker Roles!
Determined educators in Baltimore are revolutionizing their roles by becoming community health workers to combat student absenteeism.
Solving absenteeism goes beyond the classroom for two Baltimore City educators. Faced with the challenge of students missing school due to health issues, LaShawn McClary and Kendra Summers have taken a pioneering step. With guidance from Johns Hopkins’ nonprofit Medicine for the Greater Good, these trailblazers are the district’s first teachers to also serve as community health workers.
Understanding the Absenteeism Problem
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new dimensions to existing issues. Teachers McClary and Summers identified a pressing cause: chronic absenteeism fueled by health problems. As stated in CBS News, asthma and other conditions emerged as significant barriers keeping students at home. Especially in isolated neighborhoods like Brooklyn in Baltimore, health resources are scarce, impacting school attendance heavily.
Teachers as Health Workers: A New Role
By stepping up as community health workers, McClary and Summers are breaking new ground. Their training enabled them to address not only their students’ needs but also the wider community. Emphasizing the importance of school-based health outreach, Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos notes, “Teachers are uniquely positioned to offer solutions.” Their efforts are akin to community-led interventions, meeting the very problems they encounter daily.
Initiating Change: Tackling Health Barriers
Practical solutions have already blended into school life. At Armistead Gardens, the focus is on providing nutritional support and educating families on air quality improvements. Meanwhile, at Farring, Summers is making a difference with asthma interventions and an immunization clinic, significantly reducing absenteeism by 18%.
Looking Ahead: A Vision for the Future
As the new school year beckons, the vision expands. The apprenticeship will further equip these educators to spread their impact. Dr. Galiatsatos’ aims are ambitious: he envisions a community health worker in every school across Baltimore.
Through their unwavering commitment and novel approach, McClary and Summers are transforming the landscape of education and community health, fostering a healthier environment for families.
Together, these devoted teachers and their community partners remind us of the power of local solutions—where inspiring change begins with proximity and understanding.
