Valley Parents Winter/Spring 2024

CONTENT S

4 FURRY FRIENDS WITH LISTENING EARS

A growing number of libraries offer children the opportunity to sign up to read to a therapy dog. The experience offers a low-pressure environment for the kids to practice reading aloud.

8

MENTORS HELP SHARE THE JOY OF READING

Volunteers partner with students around Hartford to bond over a love of reading during recess through the Everybody Wins! program. Some need the extra time to practice while others are just looking for more time to spend with a book.

: ON THE COVER

Vivienne Underhill, 7, reads “The Couch Potato”by Jory John and Pete Oswald to Nala, a 2-year-old boxer therapy dog, at the Fiske Free Library in Claremont on Jan. 25. The library hosts three therapy dogs who visit for children to read to in 15-minute slots.

VALLEY NEWS / REPORT FOR AMERICA —ALEX DRIEHAUS

Anna Marie DeVito, left, reads a book with her son Max DeVito, 2, both of Hartland, during story time at the Hartland Public Library on Jan. 20. The library is among those who encourage patrons to participate in 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, in which adults read to children younger than 5.

VALLEY NEWS —JAMES PATTERSON

Winter at the Hood Museum of Art

MAKER DROP-INS

Shrinky Dinks: 16 March, Saturday, 1:00–4:00 pm

Board Games: 2 May, Thursday, 3:00–6:00 pm

Give yourself a break, meet new folks, and create! Stop by anytime during the program. All materials provided and no experience necessary.

STORYTIME IN THE GALLERIES

2 May, Thursday, 3:00–3:45 pm

Introduce your little ones to the museum with stories and play in the galleries. Look at art together and engage in hands-on activities inspired by the contemporary artists featured in Gilded For children ages 4–5 and their adult companions. Space is limited. Register for free online.

SPECIAL PROGRAM: Multilingual Day

18 May, Saturday, 1:00–3:00 pm

Celebrate the many languages of our community with an afternoon at the art museum! Drop in with a friend or meet new folks to speak shared or different languages. Join one of the two guided bilingual close-looking experiences in Spanish and Mandarin or try the self-guided printmaking activity. Language speakers of all ages, whether fluent or working on it, are welcome. No registration required.

All programs are free and open to all!

Family programming at the Hood Museum combines play, exploration, and creativity through games, conversation, and art making. Learn together through interactive programs inspired by the exhibitions for kids of all ages and their parents/caregivers.

6 E Wheelock Street, Hanover, NH • hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu

Children practice reading skills with dogs

Program helps build literacy levels and promote self-esteem

By PATRICK O’GR ADY Valley News Correspondent

CLAREMONT —At the Fiske Free Library earlier thisyear, a young girlwas asked ifshe would liketoread toNala,a2-year-old boxer,whovisits the library withher handler as partof the Read-toa-Dog program.

“The girl said, ‘I can’t read yet,’”Nala’s handler, Vicki Bonneau recalled. “So we gave her a book and she ‘read’the pictures in the story to Nala.”

Itwas justoneexampleof howcaninesare sometimes better than adults at prompting a child to read.

“I would say it is building confidence to read and it builds their self-esteem,”Bonneau said about the program duringan afternoon sessionat Fiske. “There is nojudgment from the dogif you stumble or arehaving arough timewith aword. Adog does not care if you go slow or read the wrong word.”

Nala is a therapy dog and has gone through all of the appropriate training toensure she will behave around children. Bonneau, who works as a paraprofessionalat MapleAvenue ElementarySchool in Claremontand brings Nalato school,said she wasawareof Read-to-a-DogthroughCaringAnimal Partners,a New Londonnonprofit. She thought it would be a good fit for Fiske.

Last October, she began bringing Nala to the library twice amonth. Nala shares herduties with Ben,a goldenretriever,andArwen, abordercollie, ondifferent days.Eachchildand caninepairread together for 15 minutes.

“She was the power behind it,”Fiske Children’s LibrarianMartha DeTore-Woodssaid aboutBonneau.

First up forNala on a lateJanuary afternoon was4-year-old BarrettBentley andhis dad,Eric. Seated in the corner ofthe children’s section, Eric Bentleyread acoupleofbooks aboutTheIncredibleHulkwithNalalaying onalargepillownextto

VALLEY NEWS —JAMES M. PATTERSON

Nala the boxer wakes up from a nap after Anastasia Underhill, of Claremont, 11, right, finishes a chapter of the Magic Ponies book she chose for a 15minute reading session with the therapy dog at Fiske Free Library in Claremont on Jan. 25.

About CIS

The CIS Program is a voluntary program that supports pregnant women (and their families) and children age zero to six. Family Support Home Visiting is one of the programs within CIS. Families who receive this service work on goals that help their children grow and thrive. Goals are unique to each family and range from meeting basic needs (access to food, housing, income, medical support, transportation, etc.) to supporting first time parents. Home visitors provide parenting support, advocate for families, and connect them to community resources.

Children practice their reading skills with dogs

RE ADING FROM S4

Barrett, who knew a few words in the book and fed the dog some treats.

Anastasiaand VivienneUnderhill, whoattend BluffElementarySchool, came to the library with their mother, Nicole.

Anastasia read a Magic Ponies bookto Nalawhileholding herpaw. She scratched under her chin and fed her afew treats. AsAnastasia’s 15 minutesended, Nalarested herhead on Anastasia’slap andclosed her eyes.

“I have been doing it since November,”Anastasia, 11,said after her readingsession. “Ilike sittingwith Nala. Shelikes thefood andis agood listener.”

Vivienneread Nala“The Couch Potato,”byJory John.She wonthe boxer ’saffectionwith treatsandoccasional pets.

“She is cute, and there are so many things I like about her,”Vivienne, 7, said.

Bonneausaid theprogramallows many children contact with a pet that they maynot otherwisehave intheir lives.

“I finda lotof kidsare unableto have a pet and have that bond with a pet,”Bonneau said.“The kids who read to Nala take to her well.”

DeTore-Woods saidthey assessed the popularity ofthe program and knew one dog twice a month was not enough.Caring AnimalPartnersvolunteersSusan FletcherbroughtBen and Sandraleigh Spreckler brought Arwento expandthe programto threedogs.There areeight15minutesessions availableeach month,with oneofthe dogsavailable for an hour twice a week.

“It is popular,”DeTore-Woods said. “I am booked to the end of the month (February) andhave kids wait-listed.”

An article inSC Psychological Enterprises byStanley Coren,a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, reported findings of a study comparing progress of 7and 8-year-oldchildren readingto an adultor toa dog.Assistance wasprovided either by anadult reader or the dog’s handler. Coren stated that children withreading difficultieswill feel ashamed,lose self-esteemasthey struggle and losetheir motivation to readwhen askedtoreadin frontof classmates.

Theresearch teamconcluded fromthe studyresults that“while reading improved in both conditions, thecanine-assisted readingsupport

“We are always trying to engage kids at many different levels, and there are many ways of participating at the library.”

KATE MINSHALL children’s librarian and library director at Enfield Public Library

contributed to greatergains in both oral reading and reading comprehensionscoresthan didtheadult-assisted intervention,”according to the article.

LathamMemorial Libraryin Thetford andEnfield PublicLibrary alsoconduct Read-to-a-Dogsessions.

“I think it is a great opportunity for libraries tohave this,”said KateMinshall, children’s librarian and library director at EnfieldPublic Library. “Wearealways tryingtoengagekids at manydifferent levels,and there aremanyways ofparticipatingatthe librar y.”

At an early February, one-hour Read-to-a-Dog event at the Enfield library, Francine,a blackpoodle, and her handler,Mary AnneLevine, heardfourreaders ingradesranging from first to fourth.

“It was great,”Minshall said. “Francine is loving and affectionate.”

Minshall said a first grader, apprehensiveabout readingin frontof Francine’s handler,had hermother read.But slowly,she beganparticipating and, after the 12 minutes of reading, was eager tosign up for a March reading spot.

Minshall said she wants to keep the programgoing and willmake adjustments as needed.

“We are just tryingto get as many kidsaswecan whowanttoparticipate andreach outto asmany aswe can and tell them, ‘Here is an opportunity, would you like totry it?’”she said.

AtLatham Library,assistantdirectorEmilyZollo saidtheybegan theprogram latelast summerwith Dasher, a yellowLabrador. Dasher’s owners, Rayand Mary Chin,are li-

brarypatrons andbring Dasherto Thetford Elementary School.

Zollo saidit hasbeen asuccess and on a recentFriday in early Februarythere wereeightreaders for Dasher.

“I’m hopingto getkids interested in reading,particularly kidswho are starting toread on theirown,”Zollo said. “It isreallygood practicefor kids learning to read,to read aloud, and sometimes kidsmight be more comfortable reading to a dog.”

An addedbenefit isnew library members for Latham.

“It isa greatway tobring people intothe librarywhomightnot beregular library users,”Zollo said. “We’ve seen some new people,which is always fantastic,and havesigned up some new library cards.”

Patrick O’Gradycan bereached at pogclmt@gmail.com.

VALLEY NEWS —JAMES M. PATTERSON Barrett Bentley, 4, left,and his dad Eric Bentley, ofClaremont, stop to admire Nala, atherapy dog that Vicki Bonneau, middle, brings to the Fiske Free Library in Claremont every other week to read with children, on Jan. 25. Bonneau is a para-educator atMaple Avenue Elementary, and she and Nala are oneof three therapy dog teams that visit the library for the reading sessions. Anastasia Underhill, 10, of Claremont, is at right.

YOUTH MENTORING WORKS

Young adults who had mentors:

Are more likely to report engaging in productive and beneficial activities than youth without a mentor.

Have more positive visions of themselves and their futures and achieve more positive outcomes in school, the workplace, and their communities.

Report setting higher educational goals and were more likely to graduate from high school and even go on to college.

We love WCM! Our daughter struggled with peer interactions, but having a mentor through WCM has helped her to come out of her shell and open up to others. She is thriving and happy to have someone who is always there for just her, and is happy to listen and help with any situations and feelings she may need guidance in.

WWW.WCMENTORS.ORG

Mentor volunteers have a desire to spend fun-filled time with children in need of a special friend and are fully committed to the needs of their mentees and to youth mentoring in general. A mentor’s goals are to develop a close friendship based on trust, respect, and communication, promote fun and healthy life choices through safe, creative activities, increase the mentee’s self-esteem, and foster awareness and accountability for his or her actions.

Activities are determined by the mentor pairs and might be outdoors, indoors, or at any of the regional attractions in the Upper Valley (many of which provide discounts or free access for mentor/mentee pairs).

‘If kids love to read, they will read more’

Mentorship program pairs students with encouraging adults

By PATRICK O’GR ADY Valley News Correspondent

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION —At White River School on a Tuesday morning in late January, most of the children put on their hats, mittens and snow pants and headed out to the playground.

But others went in a different direction: downstairs to spend about an hour reading, playing games and enjoying some conversation with their adult mentors through the program Everybody Wins! Vermont.

“I like it because it is fun, and I can get tired of recess,”said third-grader Violet Albers about her time with her mentor, Stephanie McCaull, of Norwich, who has been with the program a total of seven years — save for a break during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the small table before them was Violet’s book choice, “The Tail of Emily Winsnap”by Liz Kessler.

There was also the popular Mad Libs word game book and a card game.

“Each card has a picture, and you use the pictures to tell a story,”Violet said.

At the table next to McCaull and Violet were Bradley Driver, a third-grader, and Frank Olmstead, who joined Everybody Wins! a year ago on the recommendation of his wife, who also is a mentor. Spread out on their table were small tiles, each with a letter, and Bradley and Olmstead, of Norwich, who turned them over randomly to try to build words.

Bradley also described his time with Olmstead as “fun.”

“We almost always read and we are trying to complete this log with a list of books,”Olmstead said,

At the White River School,Susan Caruso reads with first-grader GenevieveO'Connell onJan. 30in White RiverJunction. Carusohasvolunteered forthe Everybody Wins! Vermont programat the school for five weeks.

8Valley Parents, February2024

VALLEY NEWS JENNIFER HAUCK

Relationships form foundation of reading mentorship

MEN TORS FROM 8

opening the folder with the log sheets and book titles, including the “Bad Kitty”series, one on Abraham Lincoln and a Dr. Seuss book.

White River School has been involved in Everybody Wins! Vermont for about 20 years, which is the longest of any school.

Meghan Riege, Everybody Wins! site coordinator at White River School, said every fall she explains the program to all students in grades one through five. For those who express an interest, she will first obtain a permission slip from a parent or guardian, then speak to the students individually. While some may need help in reading, others are strong readers who want some extra time reading and want a new friend, Riege said. Mentors and mentees are paired for one to five years.

“The mentor/mentee relationship is the foundation of the program,”Riege said. “It is the most important thing, and then the reading. The love of books stems from that engagement with books and the mentors sharing their love of books and the desire to read with kids.”

Teaching children how to read —the responsibility of the teachers and paraprofessionals —is not the mentor’s role, Riege emphasized. “The mentors share their enthusiasm for reading and learning what books the students like. In class, they are told what they will read; we emphasize students choosing what they like to read.”

Ellen Kucera is the program manager for the East region of Everybody Wins! She is restarting programs at Westshire Elementary and Samuel Morey in the Rivendell Interstate School District and in Tunbridge in the First Branch School District, all of which were shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kucera said they are beginning with second-graders, but expect to expand later to include third-, fourth- and fifth-graders.

“We are getting the word out and getting a site manager,”Kucera said, adding that schools interested in the program reach out to Everybody Wins! to begin the process. “There are a lot of little logistics that need to be done. Right now we are actively looking for volunteers.”

Beth Wallace, executive director of Everybody Wins! Vermont, said finding mentors in rural areas can sometimes be a challenge.

“Generally speaking, once people know about the program, it is not that hard to find mentors,” Wallace said. “People really want to help; that has been my experience. They want to help kids, and they understand why reading is really important.”

Before the pandemic, Wallace said they had more than 20 volunteers at Tunbridge Elementary, which now has students in grades K-4.

“In a tiny town like that, we had a mentor for every child who wanted one,”Wallace said.

Wallace said being more empathetic and participating in more extracurricular activities are additional benefits of mentoring.

“What Everybody Wins! does is combine mentoring with literacy,”Wallace said. “So the focus is a friendship between an adult and child during which you read books, explain ideas and have conversations and fall in love with language and

VALLEY NEWS - JENNIFER HAUCK

At the White River School, Everybody Wins! Vermont volunteer Patty Maxfield, of Lebanon, and thirdgraderSarah Lemireplaya wordgameon Jan.30inWhite RiverJunction.Maxfield hasbeen volunteering with the program for eight years.

stories.”

The love of reading can expand opportunities for children.

“If kids love to read, they will read more, get better at it, and that opens all kinds of worlds for them and they do better in schools,”she said.

Back at White River School, Richard Nuegass, of Norwich, shared his time with fourth-grader Cooper Clews. They read “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,”which Cooper described as “pretty funny.”

“I think reading is close to being the most important skill a kid can have,”said Nuegass, who was introduced to the program through the Lions Club in Norwich. “It opens their eyes to the world, and I love telling stories.”

Meanwhile, Patty Maxfield filled in a Mad Libs story and did word searches with Sarah Lemire, a thirdgrader. Her reasons for becoming a mentor were echoed by others at White River School.

“I love the child I work with, and it is so much fun,”Maxfield, of Lebanon, said. “I always leave here feeling really good.”

Upstairs at White River School, Susan Caruso and Laurie Levinger spent time with their mentees.

Caruso, who had a long career in the medical library at the University of Vermont and at Dartmouth’s Baker Library, said she learned about Everybody Wins! on Facebook and began in December.

“I wish I had known about it sooner,”Caruso, of White River Junction, said, reading to Genevieve O’Connell, a first-grader. “I like her, and I like the reading. We made a big jump today. At first she didn’t want to read but now picks out her own book.”

Genevieve held “Dory Fantasmagory: Head in the Clouds,”by Abby Hanlon.

“I read it at my house,” Genevieve said about the book she chose. “It is about a little girl’s imagination and her imaginary friend, a witch.”

Nearby, Levinger, of Norwich, admired a drawing by her student, first-grader Naima Piluszewska, who drew herself twirling on ice skates.

“I get to hang out with Naima; she tells me stories and draws, and I read to her,”Levinger said about why she mentors. “In between reading and drawing, we talk. She tells me about her family and her kittens that live in the garage.”

Wallace said the late U.S. Senator

Jim Jeffords, of Vermont, participated in Everybody Wins! while in Washington and brought the program, which was started in New

York City, back to his home state. It is limited to Vermont schools now, but when it was first introduced around 2000, Claremont’s Bluff Ele-

mentary School joined and has been allowed to continue. Bluff site coordinator Toni Williams, who has been with the program about nine years, said they have 18 mentors for students in third, fourth and fifth grades.

“We are doing well for a small school,”Williams said in the library where five pairs of mentors and children sit together reading and playing games. “The advantage of Everybody Wins! is that it is not just about being a reader but being a buddy. …They really build a relationship and the kids look forward to being here.”

Wallace, the executive director of Everybody Wins!, emphasized the importance of that relationship building.

“Having that experience of being read to by somebody you care about and cares about you is a foundational experience,”Wallace said.

Those interested in learning more about the program and becominga mentorcan visiteverybodywinsvermont.org/become-a-mentor. Patrick O’Gradycan bereachedat pogclmt@gmail.com.

VALLEY NEWS PHOTOS - JENNIFER HAUCK EverybodyWins! VermontvolunteerSpencerWallack, ofWhiteRiverJunction, reactstothegame heandfourthgrader C.J. Stocker are playing at the White River School on Jan. 30 in White River Junction. After reading a book together, the pair finished with the game. Wallack is in his first year volunteering the program.

While eating her lunch, third-grader Violet Albers and volunteer Stephanie McCaull,of Norwich,playa wordgameatthe WhiteRiverSchool onJan. 30. McCaull has been with the program for seven years.

Encouraging a pursuit of literacy

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten incentivizes grown-ups to read to their children

By PATRICK O’GR ADY Valley News Correspondent

HARTLAND —With plenty of booksat homeandregular visitsto the children’s section of the Hartland Public Library, MarlyAshworth understands the value ofreading to her young children.

That’s where the family participatesinthe 1,000BooksBefore Kindergarten program: Ashworth’s oldestdaughter, Ellis,5,completed 1,000books already,and heryounger daughter,Rhys, 2,is onher wayto

the same accomplishment.

“It’sbeen wonderful,”Ashworth said. “Theykeep atally atthe library and make it so easy to check mark books (that have been read).”

Theprogramis freeforfamilies and libraries —though there are materialsthatcan bepurchasedfrom the 1,000Books byKindergarten foundation, a national nonprofit based in Nevada —and can be structured and designed tosuit each library ’s needs and resources.

Amy VanderKooi,children’s librarian at the Hartland Public Li-

brary, saidthey began1,000 Books not quite two years ago.

“Forus, itisrecognizing howimportant it is for kids to be read to at a young age andhow that translates intolotsof literaryskillsdownthe road,”VanderKooi said.

Visible benchmarks at the Hartlandlibraryfrom theprogramengage and encouragechildren to love reading. Participants canalso chart their progress at home, adding to the fun.

InHartland,a pillarinthelibrary has large, colorful crayon cutouts

and a child’s nameon each one. As children reacha milestone—such asreading100or 200books—the numberispasted onthecrayonand the child earns asmall prize such as atote bag,small stuffedanimal ora free book.

“Thekids gettheirname upthere and,forlittle kids,that’s exciting,” VanderKooisaid aboutthecrayon cutouts.

Families getlog sheetsto take homeand whenachildreads abook,

VALLEY NEWS / REPORT FOR AMERICA —ALEX DRIEHAUS Youth Services Librarian Amy VanderKooi, center, reads “What Pete Ate from A to Z”during story time at the Hartland Public Library in Hartland on Jan. 20.

Literacy program looks to get families reading together

BOOKS FROM S12

they cancolor asmall picture.Books readduring storytimeat thelibrary or maybe with a grandparent over Zoom also count.

“We have differentways to encourage that excitementand participation,”VanderKooi said. “It is really funto seewhenthey bringtheir sheets backand you seehow they personalizethem, suchascoloring them in, using a different color on different days.It issomething thatbecomes part of the ritual with the family.”

Ashworth saidtheir involvement at thelibrary was“kick-started”in late2020 duringthe COVID-19when they could order abag of books and pick it up curbside.When the library reopened, Ashworth visited regularly

with her children and was impressed by the large children’s book collection. She signed up Ellis for 1,000 Books,andher daughterwasimmediately engaged, keeping close track of the books she read.

“She couldsit foran houror two and read withus,”Ashworth said, addingthat Ellisattends anearby preschool and they comeover to the library for readingdays. “That was all becauseof thatprogram andbecause ofthe Hartland Library.It has been a big part of our life the last four years.”

VanderKooi said theyhave flyers around the library promoting the program. When families come in with preschool-aged children, staff members try to bring it up.

“We let parents know and encouragethemto signup,”VanderKooi

said.

While 1,000 books may seem like a lot, VanderKooi said they are usually short books with not many words and mostly pictures.Reading thesame book several times counts toward the 1,000.

“If you read one book a night, then you aredone in threeyears,”VanderKooi said.

Upon completion,the childis rewarded with a certificate.

In Claremont, ReneeMayer and her daughter, Martille, now 6 and a first-grader at Maple Avenue ElementarySchool, begantheprogram at FiskeFree Libraryin earl2021 amid the pandemic.

The familyhad movedto Claremontfromthe WestCoastacouple months priorafter Mayer’s husband got a job offer. Theyknew no one in

the community, and there was no preschool because of the pandemic.

“The only place I could take her wasthe library,”Mayersaid. “I was blown away by the children’s section. It is an amazing collection.”

Though shehad readto her daughter froma youngage, Mayer saidtheydecidedto signupfor1,000 Books Before Kindergarten and read books from thelibrary even though they had plenty of books at home.

“I wanted to develop that relationship withour family andour library,” Mayer said. “It becamepartofour weekly routine: Get20 books from thelibraryand readeachoneand record whatwe read onthe paper they giveyou. We wantedto expose herto asmanybooksand storiesas possible.

“It wasreally inspiring,”Mayer

VALLEY NEWS / REPORT FOR AMERICA —ALEX DRIEHAUS

Names of children participating in the1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program decorate the wall at the Hartland PublicLibrary on Jan. 20. The program encourages young children to get excited about reading. After every 100 books they read, participants can collect a sticker or a prize like a bag or book.

added. “It is such a great program to do with kids, and the library makes it fun.”

FiskeLibrary hadrun theprogram forseveral years,but interest waned during COVID. More recently, children’s librarian Martha DeToreWoods has beenworking to bring awareness tothe programfor families with young children.

Tina Bergeron’s 6-year-old son, Jevin, completed the program at Fiske in2022, andher 2-yearold, Rhyer, willbegin it later.She credits DeTore-Woodsfor making1,000 Books fun and engaging for the children.Theyget tallysheetstheycan color in, receiveprizes and stickers

for each 100 books read.

“We liketo makeit abig dealbecause it is,”DeTore-Woods said.

After kids read 1,000 books, they earnaframed certificate,amedal andafreebook atasmallceremony at the library.

“He loved it, and it gave him that much more incentiveto read,”BergeronsaidaboutJevin. “It is a great program to keep you on track to read to your kids,and it is agood way for kids to keep you on track as well.”

Bergeronalso organizesa monthly readingprogram onSunday mornings at the ElksClub with a guest reader and three free books for children who attend.

VanderKooi saideven though many children entering kindergarten can’t readyet, theprogram places themin anenvironment wherethey get comfortable with reading.

“Having thatfamiliarity with reading and being read to, starting to haverecognition ofletters andalso liking to read because it has been such a positive part of their life, goes along waybothinliterary skillsand

thecomfort thatgoesalong withit,” VanderKooi said.

The parents, she said, get a lot out of it as well.

“Most parents areexcited to read to their kids because itis a nice time to betogether andit isa wayto validate the importance of reading,”VanderKooi said.

Patrick O’Gradycan bereached at pogclmt@gmail.com.

Valley Parents, February2024

VALLEY NEWS / REPORT FOR AMERICA —ALEX DRIEHAUS JohnCrossley, right,helpshissons Casper,4,center,and Hector,7,draw dinosaurs that start with the first letter of their names during story time at the Hartland Public Library on Jan. 20. The theme of the week for story time was the alphabet, and participantsdecorated letters after reading alphabet books.

Pediatrics

Healthcare for your children, and the whole family is here at Valley Regional Hospital. Preventative medicine including immunizations is critical to your child’s health. Our providers support the growth and wellness of your newborn and they care for patients up to age 18. If you have been looking for a compassionate and skilled pediatric team to support the needs of your growing family, contact us!

Corinne Sullivan, MD

Juliann Barrett, DO

Victoria Johnson, MSN, CPNP-PC, SANE

Jillian Rafter, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

Marcella Meier, MSN, FNP-C

Valley Regional Hospital – WE CARE about your children!

Valley Regional Hospital

www.VRH.org

Valley Regional Hospital has been caring for the greater Claremont community since 1893.