Originally from southern Minnesota, Sara Baldwin moved to Duluth as a child. After graduating from Duluth Central High School, she knew occupational therapy was the career she wanted to pursue. 

“OT involved many things I was interested in — helping people, use of purposeful activities and crafts in therapy sessions, options for work with a wide age range of people, and studies focused in science and psychology.” 

Sara attended Bemidji State University for two years and then transferred to the University of Minnesota to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy. Her volunteer work while at Bemidji State University reaffirmed her decision to pursue a career in OT.

A Day in the Life at Coupeville 

Located on beautiful Puget Sound, Sara works at Coupeville School District in Washington, providing school-based OT services to students from preschool through high school. She resides on Whidbey Island (where Coupeville is located) and provides in-person services at the school.  

“My drive into work only takes me 10 minutes, and I get to see the ocean, mountains and forests along the way! Not a bad situation at all,” adds Baldwin.  

On a typical work day, Sara arrives at her office around 8:15 a.m. and spends time coaching and working with her students, or sometimes works with them on a specific skill before trying it in the classroom. She observes the students and offers ideas to other teachers on how to help a student who may be having trouble with visual tracking, keeping their handwriting on the lines, or following directions and staying focused. She sets-up adapted tools like bouncy bands, move and sit cushions or wobble stools for students to use in class.

Sara also spends time writing evaluation reports or updating goals and progress on an IEP. An IEP meeting is typically held two days a week, allowing her the opportunity to share a student’s progress and goal with their family. She enjoys conducting evaluations and trying to find the underlying issues that are impacting the student’s success in the classroom, and then working on activities to compensate for the issues or fix them.

“What I like most about my job is the kids. They are both inspiring and a challenge, and they say both funny and wise things every day. They make me want to continue to learn new ideas and try new things to help make their lives better. That’s a win for both of us!” 

“The other thing I like most about being an OT is the opportunities it has offered me. I have been able to live and work in four states in the U.S., in South Korea, and in Germany during my career. I’ve had opportunities to travel and to meet and work with many caring and wonderful people,” adds Baldwin.

The Care Options for Kids Difference

Sara learned about Care Options for Kids (formerly The Hello Foundation) school-based services in an online job search nearly two years ago. At that time, she was working as an OT providing school-based services to students in the Department of Defense Education Activities (DODEA) schools in Germany. Sara and her husband had been living in Germany for 10 years, and felt it was time to return to the U.S. to be closer to family. 

“The options for providing OT services remotely, in a hybrid model, or in person, had great appeal. After talking with two of the school-based providers, I was convinced it was a good place to work. Both had very positive things to say and had been with the company for several years. They were helpful and supportive, and made me feel welcome. The transition to Care Options for Kids has been smooth, and happily has not changed the things I found appealing about The Hello Foundation,” adds Baldwin.

Sara’s proudest accomplishment as an OT is to see someone she’s working with reach a goal. She always strives to support and help them reach their goals for greater independence, strength and skills. 

“I’ve had the privilege of working for many years with people of all ages in hospitals, clinics, homes and schools. Seeing the smile of accomplishment on a child’s face is my reward.”  

In her spare time, Sara enjoys spending time with her 19-month-old grandson, hiking or wandering along the shore of the ocean. Life on Whidbey Island has allowed her to work on crafting, shell painting and making projects from driftwood, shells and stones.

“I like to travel and I have fun trying to cook specialty foods from other countries. I enjoy reading, watching movies and hanging out with my family and husband too.” 

Sara’s greatest inspiration on a professional level has come from a few exceptional therapists she has had the opportunity to work alongside during her career. 

“Watching their skilled techniques with autistic children, or their ability to use clinical observations to see cues about underlying issues causing observed problems, or their excitement about a new therapy activity and willingness to teach it have been a steady source of inspiration to me.”  

Sara’s Three Tips for New Clinicians 

1. If you are new to a position, I’d suggest getting a mentor. See if there is someone who has done that work for a while who can be available to answer your questions and give you tips on every day “how-tos” -- someone that gives you feedback could be helpful information for you. 
   
   
2. Ask questions whenever you’re unsure about something. Don’t fret over it. Just ask and get the support or answers you need.
   
   
3. Be ready to flex your plans. It’s not unusual for whatever you’ve planned as a session to go sideways, especially if you’re working with kids. Be ready to try something else and don’t let it throw you. It happens all the time to everyone! 

Join Our Team

At Care Options for Kids, we partner with school districts to provide seamless support for students, integrating into the school setting to deliver speech and occupational therapy and enhancing their social, emotional, and behavioral growth so they can better access the curriculum.

We are committed to making a difference for our people through empowerment and encouragement to be there for themselves and their own families. We provide the choices and opportunities our people need to enhance their lives and grow their careers so they can provide better care for others. We believe in making a difference in every way, every day.

We hire speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology assistants, school psychologists, and occupational therapists. Our community of professionals fosters growth for one another and for the kids we serve. Join our team!