The Hutch School, Seattle

Today's New York Times reports on the Hutch School in Seattle Washington, the only hospital-sponsored academy in the U.S.  LINK

The school, which costs about $400,000 a year to run and is free to all students, was started 25 years ago in an effort to make it easier for families. It has three teachers and a math tutor who rarely assign homework and a social worker who suggests relaxation techniques for anxious moments.

In the competitive world of cancer treatment, the Hutch School gives a marketing edge to the two transplant centers in Seattle that are affiliated with the Hutchinson research center. And it gives an extra layer of protection for patients whose immune systems are severely compromised. Students and staff members wipe tables and computers with disinfectant and stay away from school if they have the slightest sniffle, all in an effort to keep them from spreading germs among one another and back to their sick relatives.