Collaboration will provide care to scholars and faculty

Emerald Charter Schools has announced a landmark partnership with Cherokee Health Systems to provide medical care and expanded services for scholars and faculty members of Emerald Academy.

This innovative partnership will enhance the model of a traditional school nurse and expand opt-in offerings to include access to telemedicine, on-site diagnostic and prescription services, and referral to a broader health network. The clinic, operated by Cherokee Health Systems, is located inside the school and staffed by a full-time nurse.

“We are not aware of a model anywhere else where this type of care is taking place within a charter school setting, and certainly not in our area,” said Emerald Charter Schools President Steve Diggs. “This access to high-quality care is a tremendous win for families in our city, and while it was in the works long before the pandemic, we believe this is a tremendous resource to have available during this season.”

The school is deploying a hybrid model for learning this year, with parents having the option to choose in-person or distance learning for their scholars. Applications to attend the school are available throughout the year, and any Knox County resident with a rising kindergarten through eighth grade student is eligible to apply to this tuition-free, college preparatory school.

“The health of our scholars and faculty is a key component of success in the classroom. While we are continuing to work with local health officials and monitor the very dynamic situations created by the pandemic, I am particularly excited that our families will have access to this great benefit,” said Emerald Academy School Director Lauren Moore.

Cherokee Health Systems is a nonprofit organization that provides primary care, behavioral health and addiction services to over 70,000 people living across the state of Tennessee.

Emerald Youth Foundation, a sister organization to Emerald Charter Schools, previously launched a partnership with Cherokee Health Systems to open a clinic at the Haslam-Sansom Ministry Complex at Lonsdale in December 2019.

For more information about the school’s reopening plan, visit emeraldacademy.org/reopening.

For details about applying to Emerald Academy, visit emeraldacademy.org/enroll or call the school at (865) 249-7223 weekdays between 7:45 a.m. and 4 p.m.