After 32 years of inspiring young minds in Mansfield classrooms, Mary Jane Brewer is embarking on a new chapter — one that keeps her close to the students and community she loves. Brewer has accepted the position of Wellness Center Coordinator for Mansfield Schools.
“I feel truly blessed for this opportunity to continue serving our students, staff, and community in a new capacity,” Brewer said.
Located on the Mansfield Elementary campus, the Wellness Center is a vital resource that offers a wide range of health services through trusted partners including Mercy Clinic, Bishop Dentistry, Newman Counseling Services LLC, and Baker Counseling Services LLC.
“The Wellness Center is a tremendous asset to our school and community, and I’m passionate about helping it grow to support even more families,” Brewer shared.
The district first allocated space for mental health services at the Wellness Center in 2013, and in 2020, providers were given permanent offices. Newman Counseling Services, LLC, and Baker Counseling Services, LLC, each maintain an office on campus, providing mental health support to students and families. “We are open to referrals from all providers,” said Meghan Newman, LPC.
Superintendent Joe Staton noted that when he came to the district, outside providers were already seeing patients, but that it became a priority to give them a permanent, dedicated office space.
“Our mental health providers are invested in this community. Both Meghan and Tara have children in Mansfield Schools, and they want to see our kids succeed,” Brewer added.
Brewer’s plan for the Wellness Center includes adding an on-site vision care provider to serve students. “At other district campuses, providers often share space,” Staton noted. “Here at Mansfield, they’ll have their own dedicated offices.”
The district-owned facility already includes dedicated office space for an optometrist with three exam rooms. Dental provider Dr. Bryan Bishop has also made the Wellness Center his professional home, with three exam rooms and a dedicated orthodontics room.
Mercy Clinic’s nurse practitioners, Carmen Oxford, APRN, CNP, and Loretta Smithson, ARPN, offer general practice services including well-child exams, sports physicals, immunizations, acute illness treatment, and chronic disease management.
Leona Skaggs, practice manager, explained the center’s layout: “We have five exam rooms, provider offices, a nurses’ station, lab, and reception area. We even have an isolated waiting room reserved for students so they don’t have to wait with the general public. Again, it’s all about the students.”
Skaggs added that Brewer’s role will help coordinate care, ensuring students get from the school nurse to the clinic quickly and efficiently.
Brewer herself has seen the benefits of having a school-based clinic. She recalled being stung by a wasp last year on the playground: “I didn’t have to leave work to go wait at a clinic. I was able to come over here, get a shot, and get back to class.”
The same convenience applies to parents, she said. “If a mom suspects her child has an earache, they can still send them to class. We can have them seen, treated, and back in the classroom without parents missing work or kids missing school.”
Future plans for the Wellness Center include extending services to the district’s new preschool addition.
“It’s all about the kids,” Staton said. “The more we can do to remove barriers to learning, the more successful our students will be.”
