Kaiser Permanente is partnering with The Primary School to open its second campus in Hayward, a project that will integrate early childhood education, health care, and family support services.

The Primary School, which opened its flagship, tuition-free school in East Palo Alto in 2016, will work with physicians and staff at Kaiser Permanente and school, community, and parent leaders to design the new program. A preschool class is set to open in fall of next year.

“We have had the great privilege of learning and growing our first school in East Palo Alto in close collaboration with families, community organizations, and local leaders,” said The Primary School CEO Courtney Garcia. “We look forward to working closely with the community and Kaiser Permanente to help children and families in Hayward access a more comprehensive health and education program.”

Health Care and Education

The Primary School and Kaiser Permanente staff from the Sleepy Hollow Medical Offices in Hayward will help design the new school’s health care program and will work closely with local early childhood educators on developmental screening and support, mental health, and parental support.

“Kaiser Permanente has a long history of supporting the integration of health, emotional resilience, and education through partnership with unified school districts across our communities,” said Janet Liang, president, Kaiser Permanente Northern California. “Kaiser Permanente sees the integration of health care and education in the early years of life as a powerful way to influence social determinants required for lifelong emotional, physical, and mental health for young children and their families. We are excited to now include The Primary School as a partner in championing innovative educational models for vulnerable families and children in Hayward.

“This partnership with The Primary School allows Kaiser Permanente’s care team to work more frequently with underserved children and families alongside their teachers and counselors,” Liang added. “This is an incredible opportunity to develop the interdependent science of learning, emotional development, and long-term physical health. We are pleased to build upon the investments we have made over the years to community organizations in Hayward, including La Familia, Seneca, and Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, that provide services to students and their families in the Hayward Unified School District.”

History of Supporting Education

Across Northern California, Kaiser Permanente has funded school-based health programs, rebuilt playgrounds, installed water stations, revamped teacher break rooms, and helped upgrade school cafeterias.

“We know that good health and well-being are fundamental to learning for children,” said Paul Espinas, MD, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente’s Sleepy Hollow Medical Offices in Hayward who also will serve as Kaiser Permanente’s medical director at The Primary School. “Our partnership with The Primary School will help us further explore how best to integrate children’s medical care with their educational experience.”

The Primary School Hayward campus Executive Director Mizgon Zahir said she knows firsthand the power of resilience in her hometown, and she thanked city leaders for collaborating on the school project.

“The passion of the community is seen daily by the way we stand together and lift one another up,” said Zahir. “Together, we can move mountains and make change for our families. We are thankful to Mayor Barbara Halliday and City Manager Kelly McAdoo of the City of Hayward, our City Council, Superintendent of Hayward Unified School District Dr. Matt Wayne, and all of our stakeholders and community partners who have demonstrated their commitment to health, education, and our work to bring services to Hayward.”

Read the full press release here.

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