School Reintegration Effort Helps Valley Children’s Rehab Patients Return to Class

Published August 19, 2026

MADERA, Calif. – For children recovering from life-altering injuries, returning to school can be as challenging as the medical rehabilitation that came before it. At Valley Children’s, a unique school reintegration program helps patients during that transition, turning the classroom into an extension of recovery.

Brent Poppen, a peer counselor in rehabilitation services at Valley Children’s, is part of a team that supports patients as they return to campus following life-altering injuries.

The effort, which focuses on patients who have been admitted to the rehabilitation program at Valley Children’s, aims to help those patients re-enter school environments safely while educating classmates, teachers and staff about the changes they may experience.

“We have an approach here in rehab: getting the kids back on a campus is a big priority,” Poppen said.

The rehabilitation team at Valley Children’s typically works with patients for weeks before they continue their recovery at home and in the community. Because of that, returning to school is viewed as a critical milestone.

“We get the kids for a short amount of time, and we try to maximize those two weeks, four weeks or six weeks that we get the kids knowing the biggest recovery is going to come when they’re back at their school campuses or at home,” Poppen said.

Poppen brings personal experience to the role. After suffering a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed as a teenager, he began using a wheelchair and understands firsthand the challenges students face when adapting to a new reality.

As part of the reintegration process, Poppen accompanies patients back to campus and works directly with educators to create supportive learning environments. That may include determining where a student should sit in the classroom, selecting an appropriate desk and identifying accommodations based on a student’s specific needs.

Students who use power wheelchairs may require higher desks, while those using manual wheelchairs may need lower workspaces. Children recovering from brain injuries may need to sit on a particular side of the classroom because they have reduced awareness of one side of their surroundings.

Poppen also helps schools identify the safest and most accessible routes across campus for students using wheelchairs, walkers or crutches and considers additional needs such as access to shade during outdoor activities. He also teaches staff and students about the medical equipment the patient is now using, whether it’s a wheelchair, braces or a ventilator.

In addition to physical accommodations, Poppen educates school staff and students about the child’s diagnosis to foster understanding and support.

To encourage empathy and inclusion, Poppen often brings sports wheelchairs to campuses, allowing students and staff to experience maneuvering the equipment themselves. The goal, Poppen said, is to ensure students feel comfortable returning to the routines and relationships that are central to childhood.

“When you’re back on the school campus, the kids don’t think about school as being therapy. They’re just hanging out with their friends. And really, that’s 8 or 9 hours that they’re getting their therapy. So when we can make the kids feel comfortable going back onto campus or even excited about going down to campus, it’s a win for us,” Poppen said.

The impact extends beyond the recovering student. School leaders say classroom visits and educational sessions help classmates better understand what their friend has experienced and alleviate uncertainty about the return.

One of those students is Lilly, who spent 168 days at Valley Children’s recovering from a life-threatening neurovascular injury. Throughout her rehabilitation, she worked closely with Poppen and the rehab team as they prepared her for life beyond the hospital. This month, Poppen joined her at Liddell Elementary as she returned to school for the first time since her injury.

“It puts the kids at ease a little bit. They got to understand a little bit more what was going on,” said Erin Gunstream, principal of Liddell Elementary. “They got to see their friend and that she was well and she was there. And it might look a little different, but it’s still Lilly.”

“It’s a win for the families. It’s a win for the patients, and it’s also a win for the peers back on that school campus where they get some disability education about what it’s like to go through something difficult,” Poppen said.

By combining practical accommodations with disability education and peer support, Poppen and the rehabilitation team at Valley Children’s aims to ensure that students returning after serious injuries can focus less on the obstacles ahead and more on being kids again.