Why School Attendance is Important

Guest Bio: Heidi Schumacher, MD FAAP

Heidi Schumacher, MD FAAP is a practicing pediatrician and serves as the Assistant Superintendent, Health & Wellness at the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education. In this role, she oversees the health and nutrition portfolio of the District's educational system, including the implementation of COVID-19 policies and programs; drives city-wide strategy and policy related to the intersection of health and educational outcomes; and leads inter-agency partnerships with the Departments of Health and Behavioral Health on service delivery models as well as cross-sector data sharing and population health strategies. She has written and spoken extensively on the role that the pediatrician can play in supporting school attendance.

Dr. Schumacher previously served as the Deputy Chief of Student Wellness at DC Public Schools and Medical Officer at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. She is a graduate of Duke University and the University of Vermont College of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency and chief residency at Children’s National Health System in Washington DC, where she continues to see patients. She is an active member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, including serving on the Executive Committee of the AAP’s Council on School Health and Past Secretary and School Health Chair of the DC chapter.