Staff Focus: Claire Hanlein, Physical Therapist

October 29th, 2015

Claire Hanlein has been a physical therapist in the Howard County Public School System for 15 years. She collaborates and works with staff in several schools to ensure students with physical challenges are given the opportunities to access their school environment, including the classroom, hallways, school building and playgrounds. Hanlein is a strong advocate for her students, ensuring they get what they need to move.

“In school-based physical therapy, our goal is to have the child be able to access his or her academic environment and have functional school mobility,” Hanlein said. She works both one-on-one directly with the student but also does indirect work with classroom staff members who interact with the student on a daily basis. Hanlein enjoys the comprehensive approach of working with students, enabling her to engage with a diverse range of children, staff and therapists at multiple schools.

Hanlein works in the Infants and Toddlers Program and spanning through the school ages in elementary and middle schools. She works with students in Deep Run Elementary School, Bellows Spring Elementary School, Elkridge Elementary School, Rockburn Elementary School, Thunder Hill Elementary School and Elkridge Landing Middle School.

She has found fun and engaging ways to motivate moving. Her students often work with bikes and scooters, even in the school hallways. All her students learn to play soccer, Hanlein’s favorite sport. Hanlein has also trained two therapy dogs and has been a member of Therapy Dogs International since 1998. Her dogs, Denali and Cedar, have made many guest appearances at schools, and her current dog, Cedar, continues to visit nursing homes and other special events.

Hanlein came to the school system with broad therapeutic experiences throughout the Mid Atlantic region and with all ages, including in therapeutic recreation, aquatic therapy, massage therapy, sports massage and manual therapy. She even designed a therapeutic pool in rural Virginia. But Hanlein, who’s from Maryland, returned to play soccer and be close to family. She was also ready to work for the school system because “children are a lot more fun!” Hanlein said.

She recalls always wanting to be a physical therapist, as far back as middle school. An athlete herself, Hanlein explains the connection between her love of soccer and her physical therapist role with, “I like to move. I think everybody should have that opportunity. Our children need to move. It stimulates thinking. As an athlete, I am appreciative of what I have been able to do. My children inspire me. I have great appreciation for the challenges they go through.”

Playing soccer since she was a kid, Hanlein now competes on the national and international level. Her teams have won titles, including the silver both in 2009 in Australia and in 2013 in Italy at the World Masters Games; and champion or runner up every year since 2000 in the United States Adult Soccer Association’s Veterans Cup.

“Claire truly embodies the spirit of what it means to be a physical therapist in the Howard County Public School System,” said Program Head of Physical Therapy Jane Jung-Potter. “Her passion with working with our students, her community work and her personal wellness goals make her one example of the dedication that is instilled in all the physical therapists in the county.”

Hanlein appreciates the collaborations with her fellow physical therapists. “I feel privileged to work with them,” Hanlein said. “Each person is dedicated to the population we serve. We are all physical therapists but have a variety of training. We’re all working toward increasing a child’s independence–whatever fashion that might be.”

Physical therapy services are provided in the HCPSS to facilitate motor skill development and to build optimal access to the educational environment for children from birth to 21 years of age. PT services include: assessment, plan, adaptations/accommodations of equipment, accessibility issues and functional outcome measures to progress children and students toward independence in motor skill development and functional mobility. Physical therapists work collaboratively within the Individualized Education Program team of other service providers and professionals.