(Wilson, N.C.) – September 26, 2025 – Sallie B. Howard School of Arts & Science is proud to announce the launch of its new school-based telehealth clinic on October 1, 2025—a groundbreaking wellness initiative that will provide students and staff with access to non-emergency medical care without ever leaving campus.
Through a partnership with the Carolina School-Based Telehealth Learning Collaborative and the Center for Rural Health Innovation’s Health-e-Schools program, the clinic will connect patients to licensed medical providers using TytoCare telehealth equipment. This technology allows for remote examinations, including listening to heart and lung sounds, checking ears and throats, and other diagnostic procedures.
The project is funded in part by a grant from the Healthcare Foundation of Wilson, whose support helps bring high-quality, accessible health care directly into the school setting.
The goals of the telehealth clinic are to reduce absenteeism due to illness and to strengthen the overall well-being and safety of staff and students. In addition to treating common conditions such as flu, colds, rashes, and ear infections, the clinic will also provide sports physicals and medication management.
The SBH telehealth clinic provides a direct benefit to students, who can be seen quickly and often return to class the same day, minimizing lost instructional time. It is also ideal for working parents, who no longer need to leave their jobs or arrange transportation for doctor’s appointments.
“By offering on-site medical care, we are removing barriers for families and ensuring that health needs are met quickly and effectively,” said Terry Foster, SBH Health Coordinator, who will manage the clinic. “This service keeps students learning and keeps staff teaching.”
While the clinic is convenient for treating illnesses quickly, parents are strongly urged to keep their sick child at home and visit their regular physician if he or she has a fever or symptoms. The telehealth clinic is designated for medical needs that arise during the school day.
Insurance—including all major carriers, Medicaid, and NC Health Choice—will be billed just as it is when visiting a primary care provider. No money will be exchanged in the clinic; copays will be billed directly. For children who are uninsured, a sliding scale fee will be available to ensure every family has access to care.
Parents interested in the program can register their child by visiting salliebhowardschool.com/telehealth.
To kick off the telehealth program, a community-wide Flu Vaccine Clinic will take place on October 1 from 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The first 20 people to get vaccinated will receive a gift card. Families are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to protect their child’s health as cold and flu season approaches.
The telehealth clinic is part of Sallie B. Howard’s broader mission to meet the academic, social, and wellness needs of its diverse student population. The idea for the clinic was initiated in 2023 by the SBH Parent Committee. For more information, visit salliebhowardschool.com/telehealth.
About the Carolina School-Based Telehealth Learning Collaborative
The Carolina School-Based Telehealth Learning Collaborative, funded by The Duke Endowment, brings together healthcare, education and nonprofit leaders with a shared mission: to promote student success by keeping young people healthy and in school. As pediatric providers, administrators, educators and telehealth pioneers, we represent different health and school systems in settings both urban and rural. What unites us more than anything is a passion for health equity and access to care. No matter our role or where we work and live in the Carolinas, we’ve come together to build an initiative that we know works. By sharing knowledge, resources and strengths, we’re able to help new telehealth programs launch successfully and become sustainable. Together, we’re expanding the availability of school-based telehealth to benefit as many schools and families as possible. We are at the forefront of using telehealth as a solution and since then have devoted our efforts to helping other districts to the same.
About the Center for Rural Health Innovation
The Center for Rural Health Innovation (CRHI) was founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in the state of North Carolina in 2010. The express purpose of CRHI is to “employ new and emerging health technologies to improve access to quality health care in rural communities”. This mission has been realized through the Health-e-Schools Telehealth program that provides healthcare access to more than 80,000 North Carolina students in more than ten rural school districts across the state.
About the Healthcare Foundation of Wilson
The Healthcare Foundation of Wilson is a public foundation that was established in February 2014 when Wilson Medical Center was purchased by Duke LifePoint Healthcare. The assets received, as well as prior hospital reserves, provide the funding for the responsive and strategic grants awarded and many of the physical improvements to the hospital. The Foundation’s mission is to invest in collaborative efforts that influence and measurably improve the health and wellness of the greater Wilson community. Since the first grants were issued in 2016, over $70 million dollars have been expended. The Foundation remains committed to creating a healthier Wilson community and looks forward to more collaborative partnerships in the future. For more information about the Healthcare Foundation of Wilson and its programs, visit their website at www.healthcarefoundationofwilson.org.
About Sallie B. Howard School of Arts & Science
Sallie B. Howard School of Arts & Science, a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School, is a free, public charter school founded in 1997 in Wilson, N.C. that serves 1,200 students in grades K-12. Named after the legendary author, educator, playwright and actress Sallie Baldwin Howard, SBHS is dedicated to ensuring that every child – privileged or underprivileged – gets the kind of education that will allow them to become more than they ever thought they would be. With a performing arts-based curriculum, a study abroad program that has brought hundreds of children to nearly all 7 continents, a culturally diverse faculty and student body, and the addition of a high school, Sallie B. Howard School is preparing its students to become 21st century industry leaders both locally and globally.
Media Contact:
Saptosa Foster – Chief Communications Officer | Sallie B. Howard School of Arts & Science
sfoster@sallieb.net – 252-293-4150
