Larry Connor, Connor Group managing partner, said he was not aware of any other private school like the Greater Dayton School in the country that had a similar clinic on its grounds.
“But everything we do is student-focused and student-centered,” Connor said. “The wellness center is a key component to helping our students achieve life-changing long-term outcomes.”
The partnership between Dayton Children’s and the school would help with scheduling health care services, the group said.
“Integrating into a school space allows health care to be more accessible for children and their families, all toward the goal of helping each child achieve their optimal health,” said Deborah Feldman, president and CEO for Dayton Children’s.
Dayton Children’s has already been working with the Greater Dayton School in other locations and the school says compared to their Medicaid-eligible peers in Montgomery County, their students are twice as likely to have an annual medical and dental checkup and almost four times as likely to be up to date on their vaccines.
The private school is focused on bringing kids out of generational poverty. It accepts low-income students, such as those who would qualify for Medicaid or food stamps.
The model includes kids in school from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, family-style meals with teachers, several activities and lessons in financial literacy and other life skills.
Previously, it was operating out of a building near Sinclair Community College’s campus.
Ryan Ernst, Kids & Community director, said there are 105 students in preschool through fourth grade. The school will be adding a grade each year until it has 400 students in preschool through eighth grade.
Parents pay an annual fee of $375 for one student, $600 for two students or $750 for three or more students, plus a school voucher, which this year is $6,165 for kindergarten through eighth-grade students.
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