Stanford Family Guide

Your Child’s Education

The Hospital School

Stanford Children’s Health works with the Palo Alto Unified School District to give school-aged in-patients free educational support. During the school year, the Hospital School is open for any Kindergarten-12th grade student. There are two classrooms within the hospital: Primary School (Kindergarten to 4th Grade) and Secondary School (5th Grade to 12th Grade). The classrooms are on the 3rd floor of the West Building.

Monday to Thursday

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Friday

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

*The school follows the same calendar as the Palo Alto Unified School District calendar. This means it is closed during the summer months.

For More Information

Hospital Educational Advocacy Liaisons (HEAL) Program

It can be hard to return to school after a hospital stay, so we created the HEAL Program to help with learning and school needs.

What can HEAL do:

  • Administer tests looking at how the brain works so we can give you advice on the right school program.
  • Give information about special education programs and services.
  • Talk to schools about your child’s time in the hospital so they understand how to help.
  • Give tips on how to work with schools.
  • Help make plans for going back to school. This includes helping families with
  • Individual Education Program (IEP), 504, or Student Support Team (SST) meetings.
  • Connect you with other experts and services that can provide tests and give extra help.

For More Information

Health Education: Getting Ready for Procedures

Child Life Specialists have toys, events, and education services for children staying in the hospital. Our Child Life team can also help your family prepare for surgery or a medical test. They use photos, drawings, devices, and dolls to teach your family about the procedure. Visits are planned around the needs of each family and the age of the patient. They can also give your child tips for deep breathing, imagery, and distraction to keep them calm.

For More Information

  • Call (650) 497-8336 from your phone or dial 78336 from a hospital phone.

Education for Siblings

Child Life Specialists can also help siblings prepare to visit the hospital. They can explain what they might see and how medical devices work and give tips for siblings wanting to help their brother or sister. Our team can help any family in the hospital. They can also provide special instructions on the different rules for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) visits.

For More Information

  • Call (650) 497-8336 from your phone or dial 78336 from a hospital phone.