Healthy Schools Campaign

The Free Care Rule: Why Schools Deserve More Funding for Student Health

School nurse Saria Lofton keeps her students safe and active on the playground.

Forty percent of school-age children miss three or more days of school per year due to illness, and it isn’t just the flu -- chronic illnesses such as diabetes and asthma are more common and remain unmanaged. Mental and emotional health issues urgently need addressing as well. 

Although all children have the potential to achieve in school and deserve a great education,  children who suffer from unmanaged conditions and illnesses are more likely to fall behind.

At HSC, we believe in increasing funding and access for school nurses and health services. One critical avenue that can lead to progress? The clarification of the free care rule. 

What is the free care rule?

School nurses should be reimbursed for their work, as they would be for working in a doctor’s office. But HSC believes that a misinterpretation of the free care rule is standing in the way. The free care rule states that Medicaid funds may not be used to pay for services that are provided for free to everyone in the community. For example, if all children in a school receive hearing evaluations, Medicaid cannot be billed for the hearing evaluations provided to Medicaid recipients unless all students, regardless of insurance status, are billed for the services as well.  

Why is the free care rule standing in the way of student health?

As currently interpreted, the free care rule requires that schools bill a variety of private insurers as well as Medicaid, creating a tangled web of paperwork that many schools can’t even begin to navigate.

How can we make positive change for student health?

HSC believes that a simple clarification will make a big impact. We’re asking lawmakers to clarify that the free care rule does not apply to schools. In fact, schools should bill Medicaid for the services they are providing.

Why is this clarification of the free care rule so important?

School health services, when properly funded, can be a lifeline. School nurses provide critical health services in schools across the U.S. -- they’re not just for Band-Aids and saltines, despite the stereotype.

Kentucky is one state where schools are permitted to bill for health services through Medicaid, and therefore can in part provide more funding for school nurses. In large, rural Hopkins County, nurses received more than 33,000 visits, with more than 6,000 unique ones among the county’s 14 schools. Attendance and immunization rates improved, as has the Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) rate.

As Alexis Seymore-Dawson, a teacher in the area, explained, “School health is often the only health care my students receive.”

Results can be seen in urban school health, too. San Jose Unified School District was part of a five-year demonstration placing full-time school nurses at two elementary and two middle schools and linking them with an FQHC-certified school health clinic. The results were remarkable: a dramatic decrease in ER visits for asthma, a decrease in student absences and the school district saved thousands in Average Daily Attendance funding.

What is HSC doing to clarify the free care rule?

HSC is continuing to engage with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to allow for and implement this increase in funding for school health professionals.

How can I help?

We encourage parents, teachers, nurses and community members to take a look at our Health In Mind report, created in partnership with Trust for America’s Health, detailing recommendations to Secretaries Arne Duncan and Kathleen Sebelius on how to incorporate health and wellness into education policy. Look into your own schools and communities. See if there is a focus on school health; learn whether a nurse or other professional is present in your school, and discover what kind of health initiatives are already offered. Together, we can take even more steps for healthier schools and students through the amazing work of school nurses.

Stop Germs! Handwashing Is a Winner in the Fight Against Colds & Flu

The flu has been making headlines all winter, and recent reports show that it's still an epidemic. As coughs, colds and the flu make their rounds through our schools, we're promoting a time-honored way to stay healthy: handwashing. Here's a roundup of healthy handwashing tips.

Six steps to wash and dry hands: 

1. Wet hands with clean warm water.
2. Apply soap.
3. Rub hands together vigorously and scrub all surfaces for 20 seconds, about as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. 
4. Make sure to wash under nails, watches and jewelry since millions of germs gather there.
5. Rinse with clean water.
6. Dry with a clean, single-use paper towel.

A fun way to help kids remember to wash their hands? Make it a club! 

The Scrub Club, an initiative of National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International, is a hand washing club that inspires and teaches kids to wash their hands to stop the spread of germs, while giving them the tools to teach their fellow students the techniques.

In the 2008-2009 school year, school nurse Luisa Ramirez, RN, from Lily Lake Grade School in Maple Park, IL created her own incentive program at her school using the ideas and steps from the Scrub Club... About 70 percent of the student population participated and the proper hand-washing techniques were taught in health class.

Students took home a Scrub Club Handout and on the back Ramirez created a form for students to share with the idea that each student would teach the handwashing steps to five other people. 

“They could be family or friends.  The family or friend signed the form, attesting they had received the training. They had a two week window to return their signed forms,” said Ramirez. “Kids had fun being the teacher at home. Parents were happy to see and learn from their children.”

When students returned their completed forms, they received a Scrub Club Sticker [pdf] to solidify their membership in the Scrub Club and were allowed to sign their names on the Scrub Club poster outside of the principal’s office. The class that returned the highest percentage of completed forms received a celebration.

Plus, now's the time of year to celebrate all the hard work and dedication of school nurses. All year long, school nurses advocate for healthier school environments, remind kids about healthy habits such as handwashing, and care for those affected by cold and flu season.

Check out some past blog posts about the amazing work of school nurses to promote handwashing and much more!

School Nurse Leadership Spotlight on Ponzella Johnson: "No nurse is ordinary -- we’re all extraordinary."

by Brittany Wright, HSC media and outreach specialist

After hearing school nurse Ponzella Johnson sing the song she uses to energize her 400 students, I knew that she was an extraordinary woman. This weekend, Johnson will celebrate her nine year career serving as a champion for wellness. 

The New York native and school nurse at Harriet Tubman Learning Center has a well-rounded background in the fields of psychology and women’s health that she developed before bringing her expertise to schools as a nurse. Her biggest inspiration for transitioning to school nursing was starting a family. When her son was born, she looked ahead and knew that she wanted to be able to enjoy quality time with him and that school nursing would allow her to share the same time out of school.

When I asked her what she loves most about her position, she said, “the children, making an impact on [their] lives. That’s what propels me to get up every morning.” She adds, “I live in the community, the kids look like me. They trust me to make a difference. When you love what you do, they know it.”

At P.S. 154 in New York, Ponzella Johnson serves as the asthma and diabetes educator, teaching students and staff how to manage these health issues. She also serves on the wellness council where she imparts what is expected from both a medical and public health perspective. Additionally, she serves on the safety council to prevent children from being hurt. The council oversees every aspect of safety from the meals served to playground equipment safety. 

The school nurse applies her personal motto, “teamwork makes the dream work” to her vision for school wellness. “Dream is an acronym for Daring to Reach Enormous Attainable Milestones,” she said. That daring attitude has led to impressive accomplishments: the school has received recognition and grants for its strong wellness programs.

Earlier this year, Johnson worked with the physical education teacher to identify 16 students who were obese and facing other health issues. Together, they follow the students’ weight and blood pressure and provide opportunities for physical activity. The students also learn about nutrition and do self-esteem exercises. She has already seen a difference in the student’s eagerness to make healthier decisions and has noted that their attendance has increased. “The focal point is action,” she said. The program has become very popular, with requests from dozens of other students!

In addition to supporting at-risks youth, Ponzella has created a walking club program with pre-K and kindergarten students and teachers. She is excited to see the program double in participation with increased attendance. “They’re walking to school, they’re healthy and they feel good. We do it twice a week, but now, they want to do it more. It’s very popular,” she explained. 

The school nurse doesn’t just challenge students to live healthy, actively lives, but staff and colleagues as well. She encourages participation in group fitness and encourages them to be role models for the school. “Being a role model helps me while I help [kids],” she said. “It helped me look in the mirror in terms of being healthy.”

Johnson said she was amazed by her experience participating in HSC’s School Nurse Leadership Program this year. “It was important for me and my colleagues to hear from other school nurses,” she said. 

She advises other school nurses who want to impact the school community’s health to start by building a relationship with the principal. “Let the principal see how wellness can impact the school,” she said. She also encourages school nurses to use other schools’ experiences as a springboard. She frequently receives calls asking for advice on wellness and said nurses can learn valuable strategies from simply reaching out to each other. 

Working with parents has also strengthened the Johnson’s priority on wellness. She said parents are willing to help, especially when it comes to their children. Lastly, she encourages school nurses to tell people what they are doing. Ponzella added that sharing her wealth of knowledge has made her a valuable player, especially in fighting stereotypes around her job title.

As I concluded our call, I complimented Ms. Johnson on her extraordinary work. She replied, “No nurse is ordinary, we’re all extraordinary. Do it with the children in mind. Nothing but good comes from that.”

We couldn’t agree more! Congratulations to Ponzella Johnson on her remarkable work and nine year anniversary as a school nurse!

Leadership for Student Health: Spotlight on School Nurse Diane Driver

After developing pneumonia and chronic fatigue syndrome, Diane Driver -- who had always described herself as active and healthy -- decided to shift the direction of her 22-year nursing career to take care of herself and educate children and families to do the same as a school nurse in Waukegan, Illinois. From this role, she participated in HSC’s School Nurse Leadership Program. 

While serving an elementary school, the School Nurse Leadership alum secured a variety of grants to promote health and wellness. Eventually, she became the district nursing supervisor. In this role, Diane's leadership was key to helping nurses and other school leaders work together. 

She encourages school nurses to create buy-in with school administrators. Diane advises that "even with a district policy, you need to figure out how to make the building administrator passionate." For example, one of Diane's principals was a big current events reader, so she clipped every research article on obesity and gave them to him until "he finally gave in and got rid of the vending machine." When another principal was hesitant to give up birthday celebrations with unhealthy treats, Diane created the "You've Been Snacked" party consisting of contests, prizes, and fruit and veggies and got the students to try a variety of fruits and vegetables. 

Last school year, Diane again called on her leadership skills when the district decided to eliminate 13 Certified School Nurse positions. She worked with other nurses and collected data on the value of school nursing translated into dollars and presented that information, along with data on attendance reimbursement, nurses' work with special education students, Medicaid reimbursements, and issues around the Nurse Practice Act to the school board. As a result, not only did the district retain the 13 positions, but they added two additional positions that the nurses hadn't even requested! Diane explained that "our message was that we were saving students’ lives, not saving our own jobs."

Diane’s goal is to make the public understand the value of a school nurse. "We need to talk about what we do,” she said. “They need to see how important we are to the health of the kids."

Diane also devotes her time to mentoring new nurses in her school district and feels this type of mentoring improves job satisfaction and increased the nurses' comfort in the role. 

Most recently, she assumed the presidency of the Northlakes Division of the Illinois Association of School Nurses, "as a part of my pursuit of leadership in nursing." She added, "I hold myself to high standards to stay current with knowledge in my profession, and actively seek ways to share my knowledge and experiences with others." 

Kudos to Diane for her leadership for student health and for the field of school nursing! 

Congratulations to Cook County School Nurses!

by Donna Fishman

HSC is proud to announce the graduation of 14 school nurses from the School Nurse Leadership Program in suburban Cook County this winter. An additional 10 nurses participated in the three-day leadership course that was sponsored by the Communities Putting Prevention to Work of the Cook County Department of Public Health. The school nurses in the program serve thousands of students across the area. 

We were so impressed with their accomplishments in the area of wellness, especially given the high ratio of school nurses to students, funding cuts and the increasing number of students with special health care needs in their schools. On the second day of the program, HSC asked the nurses, “What one change will you make after today?” Here are some of the responses: 

• I will continue working on a strategic plan with a new food vendor.
• I will investigate staff wellness programs.
• I will step up as a leader.
• I will suggest starting discussions with food vendors about food choices/selections that better meet the needs of the school population.
• I’m going to start a wellness committee.
• I’m going to meet with my school wellness team to develop an action plan.
• I’m going to start presenting ideas to the administration.

Some of the school nurses have already put ideas into action. One participant said, “For the last couple years, I have wanted to start an employee wellness program and now the wellness committee is on board with the idea.”

The Cook County SNLP alums were dynamos and I was thrilled to see them gain new leadership skills. As part of their third and final day of training, school nurses made presentations on school wellness topics such as healthy fundraising, physical activities, and making healthy decisions. 

One participant summed up her experience in the leadership class this way: “I need to be refueled and re-energized sometimes and this workshop has done that. I really appreciate the  support of HSC. There is still lots of work to be done at all levels in schools and districts. Let our voices be heard about school health.”  

Congratulations again to the School Nurse Leadership Program graduates!

Follow our school nurse updates on the blog for more spotlights on school nurses. We encourage school nurses and school nurse advocates to sign up for our school nurse newsletter.

Colorado School Nurses Speak Up for School Wellness at State Capitol

by Donna Fishman

HSC is pleased to be partnering with the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Health Foundation for the Colorado School Nurse Leadership Institute, a three-day leadership training for Colorado’s school nurses.  The first day of training in October 2011 was led with the wisdom and expertise of national school nurse educators Phyllis Pelt and Martha Bergren as well as Cody Belzley from the Colorado Children’s Campaign. 

Last month, we held the second day of this training at the Colorado Department of Education, across the street from the beautiful state capitol. Belzley returned to educate the participants on the legislative process and essential advocacy skills, which were put to work at the State Assembly soon thereafter. A panel of two state representatives and one state senator shared their passion, key legislation, and tips for having an impact on legislators with the school nurses. Representatives Tom Massey and Cindy Acree as well as Senator Jeanne Nicholson participated in the panel discussion.

Sen. Nicholson is a former school nurse and really connected with the nurses as a colleague who has used her leadership skills to create state-level policies. She was a great role model for the nurses. 

“I will now be more engaged in what is going on at the state level and will contact my representatives and state my concerns when I feel something needs to be done,” said one nurse who participated in the session. 

Rounding out our training was a presentation on leadership by Mary Anne Wesoloski, a school nurse in Barrington, Ill., who completed the School Nurse Leadership Program back in 2008. Mary Anne has taken on a prominent role in advocating for school wellness in her school district and shared the many exciting initiatives she founded included a walking path and walking school bus. Mary Anne exemplifies the leadership undertaken by our School Nurse Leadership graduates. 

Colorado Regional School Nurse Consultants

“This training is amazing. I am so lucky to be part of this team. This feels life-changing to me,” said a school nurse participant after the presentation.  

School nurses are phenomenal advocates for school wellness. This institute challenges school nurses to go above and beyond to showcase their remarkable leadership on school and community health. 

As one nurse put it: “This training has really stretched my brain and made me think about what I can do.” 

Kudos to all of the Colorado school nurses who are taking part in the Colorado School Nurse Leadership Institute.  

For more spotlights on school nurses, check out our school nurse updates on the blog. And school nurses, be sure to sign up for our school nurse newsletter.

School Nurse Leadership Spotlight: Sheila Grogan

Our School Nurse Leadership Training and school nurse advocacy efforts create opportunities to connect with school nurses, who are phenomenal resources and often untapped champions for wellness in their schools. One such advocate is Sheila Grogan.

After 17 years working as a medical-surgical nurse in Chicago, Sheila switched to school nursing. For Grogan, the turning point came after she assisted a neighbor, a special needs teacher, with a party for students. Since then, special needs children have been the focus of Sheila's 22 year school nursing career. 

"I love my job, I love the people I work with. Special education teachers are some of the most hard-working, dedicated people I've met in my life,” said Grogan. “This work is giving back to society. If we are able-bodied, it's our call to help those that aren't able-bodied.”

Sheila serves 125 students in her case load and supervises nine nurses who provide direct student care to these students categorized as "severe and profound," with both cognitive and medical needs. Sheila's job includes 17 classrooms in 15 different buildings across her district.

The school nurse attributes much of her success to her colleagues. “The team I work with is very gifted, and truly care about the outcomes of their students and they help the children be the most successful in life that they could be,” she said. “Our team comes back to school each day [to think of] new ways to work with these kids. I'm very proud to work alongside the teachers in our program."

Sheila doesn't see a leader as just one person who would have many followers. She feels "leaders motivate groups to move in a positive direction so you need to be equal to the people in your group. In a school setting, not just one person can do it. My style is that I like to work with groups and to bring my knowledge as a nurse who's the only medical person on the team -- the nurse is bringing a whole point of view that you need to educate people about."  The goal is to "have happy, healthy students and families. The nurse is in the center."

Through the School Nurse Leadership Program, Grogan realized how she can become an asset to her school. Sheila says: "The program made me realize I did have leadership qualities and that I should use them. Before, I wasn't very comfortable being in charge and now I am. My nursing supervisory role certainly has grown and I'm much more comfortable with that and with guiding the group and saying, 'No I don't think that's in the best interest of the students.' I use my voice more and state my opinions.” 

Sheila was concerned about the nutrition and physical activity of her students and during the leadership course she advocated for healthier snacks in the classrooms that include all five food groups and for a movement specialist who works directly with students. Additionally, Sheila instituted family education to teach parents how to help their children become more active, including yoga classes.

Working with special needs students ages 3-25 has been rewarding for Sheila. Her goal is "getting kids to move on to be productive successful citizens. With this population with cognitive problems, you want them to be successful at whatever level they can be."

Sheila is an award-winning school nurse leader. Last year, the National Association of School Nurses made her the first Special Needs Nurse of the Year recipient and the Illinois Association of School Nurses named her School Nurse of the Year.

Kudos to Sheila for her hard work and accomplishment as a school nurse leader!

To see more spotlights on school nurses, check out our school nurse updates on the HSC blog. And school nurses, be sure to sign up for our school nurse newsletter! 

School Nurse Leadership Spotlight: Cam Traut

Earlier this year, Healthy Schools Campaign hosted its fifth annual School Nurse Leadership Training. In celebration of this milestone, we're profiling nurses who have been part of the program to find out how their experiences have changed the way that they view their positions and the impact they have in their schools. We spoke with school nurse Cam Traut, currently a school nurse at Libertyville High School in Illinois, who took part in the first class of HSC’s School Nurse Leadership Training.

Traut began her career at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, working in the pediatric Intensive Care Unit. At that time, she was also a volunteer with her church’s youth ministry. She mentioned to a friend how she was beginning to feel burnt out by her job, but wanted to continue working with children. It was then that her friend suggested school nursing. Cam was initially skeptical, as she pictured the stereotyes of school nursing that we’ve described before. But as she researched, she found that school nursing was much different from that image and that it was her new calling. 

Cam’s day-to-day duties include administering medication to roughly ten students and providing care to a handful of students who have type-1 diabetes. She also provides traditional care such as tending to any injuries and students who become ill. Additionally, Cam provides advising and counseling to teachers and parents alike if they approach her about a situation where a student may need extra care of some sort, recognizing that she is a great resource for questions they may have relating to the health and well-being of their students.

She is also a leader in taking steps to ensure that her school provides a healthy environment, and serves as a central school resource for health and wellness issues.

For example, Cam’s school has seen a rise in concussions over the past year, so it has also been her job to educate students, parents and teachers alike about the short-term and long-term effects and how concussions can ultimately change the learning process for the student over time. 

“I kind of became that center person that brings it all together and starts looking at this issue at different levels,” Cam said. “I think about how the School Nurse Leadership Training helped me out and this is a great example of that.”

Cam attended the very first School Nurse Leadership Training focused on developing wellness programs in schools. The training program gave her the materials she needed to approach school leaders and explain how important health and wellness are to a school environment. She plans to implement a wellness program and council for her school throughout the school year. 

“I feel I’m a very valued part of what we do at Libertyville,” said Cam. “It’s been essential to show the students and staff the role that the school nurse plays with students. . . and how important that is.” 

Kudos to Cam for applying what she learning in the School Nurse Leadership Training Program to her invaluable work at her school! 

To see more spotlights on school nurses, check out our school nurse updates on the HSC blog. And school nurses, be sure to sign up for our school nurse newsletter!

How Do School Nurses Contribute to School Wellness?

Healthy Schools Campaign traveled to Colorado earlier this summer to kick off the Colorado School Nurse Leadership Institute that was hosted by The Colorado Health Foundation with the Colorado Department of Education. The event was well-attended by school nurses, district level health service managers, and regional consultants. Some advocates traveled eight hours to attend the event!

Cody Belzley of the Colorado Children’s Campaign discussed obesity and provided an overview of state and federal laws to help school nurses take advantage of school wellness resources. 

School nurses do yoga exercises at the School Nurse Leadership Program 
While there, we spoke to two school nurses who reflected on the role school nurses play in the health and wellness of students. Check out the video below to hear what these phenomenal leaders said about school nursing.

  

School nurses are natural advocates for school wellness, but they are also advocates for student achievement. Common sense tells us that healthy students are better equipped to learn and succeed academically. 

Thanks to the school nurses who shared insight on their crucial role in school wellness!

For more spotlights on school nurses, check out our school nurse updates on the blog. And school nurses, be sure to sign up for our school nurse newsletter.

What Most People Don’t Know About School Nurses Is. . .

Here at HSC, we love working with school nurses! Through our School Nurse Leadership Training and school nurse advocacy efforts, we've met school nurses who are remarkable champions for wellness in their schools and advocates for health at the local, state and national levels.

We know that school nursing today is about so much more than the "Band-Aids and asprin" image of the profession that nurses say they still encounter. But what else do school nurses wish we knew? We took the opportunity to chat with school nurses at our recent leadership training in suburban Cook County and loved the insight the school nurses shared. Check out the video below and then . . . go find out more from your school nurse!

 

Thanks to all the school nurses who shared their perspectives!

For more spotlights on school nurses, check out our school nurse updates on the blog. And school nurses, be sure to sign up for our school nurse newsletter.

Spotlight on Saria Lofton: School Nurses "Are Invaluable Resources Beyond Band-Aids and Cuts"

The HSC team caught up with Saria Lofton, a school nurse in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), on the last day of classes to spotlight her integral role in promoting health and wellness. Saria is a graduate of HSC's School Nurse Leadership Training, a program that prepares school nurses to take on leadership roles to promote wellness or environmental health in their schools.She has shared her leadership skills at several school nursing conferences. For more than six years, Lofton has served as a school nurse. She began her career working in hospitals, but transitioned to CPS after she did community service with a school.

Saria fits five CPS schools into her jam-packed schedule. Her day starts with meetings to discuss special needs, followed by assessments, wellness checks, phone interviews, and follow-up on asthma and food allergy action plans. Lofton seizes the opportunity to provide resources beyond the typical first-aid.

“I also educate teachers about cross-contamination, asthma, and other health challenges the students face,” she said. “I try to talk to everyone: teachers, classes, and parents.”

When she has time, she likes work on nutrition education and gardening projects with students. “One of my schools added a garden, where we have planted tomatoes,” she said.

She also spends time in the classroom, by looking at food ingredients and nutritional value with students. Lofton’s priority is to bring a new perspective on health and wellness to the schools. 

The school nurse notes that much of her progress is informal. “I have more access to parents, staff, and administration to discuss health and wellness,” she said. 

Saria points out that school nurses are often underutilized despite their significant roles in the well-being of students.

“We have a lot of potential to greatly impact the lives of students, especially with children that already have health challenges,” she said. “Schools nurses have a wealth experience from working in a variety of settings and have so much to offer.”

Lofton encourages people to think of her role beyond first-aid. “School nurses have a wide array of knowledge: disease prevention, chronic illness, and dealing with health and wellness overall.”  She encourages people to “utilize school nurses to their fullest potential; it is in the benefit of the whole school and the whole community.”

She adds, “people should know that we are invaluable resources beyond band-aids and cuts. When kids aren’t receiving the essential necessities impacting their health, we can be an integral force in providing multidisciplinary approach to education.”

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We are grateful to Ms. Lofton for speaking with us about her role as a school nurse, leader, and health advocate!

For more spotlights on school nurses, check out our school nurse updates on the blog. And school nurses, be sure to sign up for our school nurse newsletter.

Plus! Check out Saria Lofton speaking at a HSC event. 

School Nurse Spotlight: Loree LaChance

The HSC team put in a call to O’Fallon, Illinois to speak with school nurse Loree LaChance, a graduate of HSC's School Nurse Leadership Training, a program that prepares school nurses to take on leadership roles to promote wellness or environmental health in their schools. With more than 15 years of experience in obstetrics, LaChance decided to become a school nurse after substituting in schools.

“When I started this job, it scared the tar out of me, because it’s so far out of my comfort box,” she said. “It has been a fabulous learning experience and has helped me grow professionally.”

LaChance has served as a building nurse for K-5 grades at J.E. Hinchcliffe Elementary School for six years and has headed the district health services for three years. During a typical day, she tends to the expected bumps and scraps, but also ensures that the school district is meeting state-mandated policies and regulations.

With an undergraduate degree in nutrition in addition to her education and experience in nursing, the school nurse focuses on making health and wellness a priority. Loree has also worked with parents to create Healthy Kids Corner, a website with health resources for families. “I hope it inspires them to change or include something new into their everyday lives,” she said. 

LaChance spearheads several projects to promote wellness in throughout the district. She works closely with food service to help her district meet the Gold standard set by the HealthierUS School Challenge. She is most proud of Hinchcliffe’s wellness walk, where the entire school walks a half mile. The school nurse also works closely with school food service providers and staff to work on ways to improve school food.

She encourages teachers to model the behaviors and habits they want the children to develop. Leading by example, LaChance bikes to work to demonstrate simple ways to incorporate physical activity into one’s daily routine.

LaChance discussed a mantra that she firmly follows. “Former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders, 15th Surgeon General of the United States once said ‘you can’t educate a child that is not healthy, and you can’t keep a child healthy that is not educated.’”

LaChance hopes that people will seek her and other school nurses out as resources because, she explained, school nurses provide tools to help children lead healthier lives and solve problems. 
“Eating right, having enough physical activity, and providing a healthy environment is important,” she said. “It goes so much farther than a band-aid.”

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We are grateful to have Loree LaChance serve as a role model for wellness and advocate for health resources.

For more spotlights on school nurses, check out our school nurse blog updates on the blog. Be sure to sign up for our school nurse newsletter.You can also read school nurse resources here.

Check out her Healthy Kids Corner website with tools to help empower families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking. You can also check out her staff page for resources.

A Hero for Healthy Schools: School Nurse Hortense Tyler

Earlier this year, HSC teamed up with Chicago Public Schools and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to present Heroes for Healthy Schools, a series focusing attention on the role everyone can play in ensuring that all children are able to succeed in school and live healthy lives. We invited our readers across the country to nominate individuals they see making a difference for kids’ health at school and in the community. Today, we are happy to spotlight one of the many Heroes for Healthy Schools you wrote to tell us about!

Hortense Tyler

Samuel Jordan, Principal of Jesse Owens Community Academy, nominated school nurse Hortense Tyler as his Hero for Healthy Schools. He wrote:

"Our school is a pre-kindergarten through third grade school. Our students present a multitude of health issues, including asthma, diabetes, cerebral palsy and sickle cell anemia. Mrs. Tyler gives each case her special attention, often times coming to check on these students on days when she could be elsewhere. She is not required to tend to first-aid issues, but she does. She never says, ‘no.’ She also finds time to handle her special education responsibilities, as a member of our evaluation team."

We caught up with Mrs. Tyler to ask her more about her role as a school nurse.

Hortense Tyler has been a nurse for 37 years and a school nurse for 26. She covers staffing for nine different schools and may visit three to four schools on any given day. At Jesse Owens, she works with a specific group of students with diabetes or asthma whom she must see daily, so she arranges her schedule to accommodate many different students.

Like many school nurses, Mrs. Tyler believes that the role of the school nurse extends far beyond the outdated stereotype of giving ice packs and Band-Aids and focuses on supporting students’ learning and well-being. To her, a school nurse is “someone who is highly educated and is very well-prepared in the specialization of what school nursing is.” She said that the field of school nursing “has evolved tremendously over the years and our responsibility has grown as well.”

Though she does provide ice packs when needed, she also sees herself as an educator and works to make a difference in broad health issues in her schools, “to enhance what is happening in whatever school building I am in, whether that be as an advocate for the children or their parents.”

Kudos to Hortense Tyler for making a difference in the health of her students!

Funding School Health Services as Students Move from Hospitals to Schools

by Rochlle Davis, HSC president & CEO

This week, I read with great interest the letter to the editor in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, submitted by HSC board member Dr. Martha Bergren. The letter was in response to a recent study published in Pediatrics which conducted an important analysis of the resources needed to support children who have been discharged from hospitals, but still need machines to help them breathe. The article found that the number of children requiring long-term assistance with breathing has significantly increased in the last decade and that increased resources are needed to provide care for this group of children.

In her letter to the editor, Dr. Bergren raised the important point that we must consider the impact that this group of children has on the U.S. public education system and the important role that schools can play in providing care to this vulnerable population. Dr. Bergren points out:

“With states drastically decreasing funds for Pre-K - 12 education, it is imperative that funding of school health services be re-examined. As the numbers of children with Complex Chronic Conditions and children who require health services in schools increase at an alarming rate, a sustainable funding solution must be created that ensures the skilled care in the school setting without absorbing greater and greater amounts of tax dollars intended for learning and instruction, the mission of K - 12 education. The cost shifting from the healthcare system to the educational system for children with chronic conditions upon hospital discharge has not been addressed in a meaningful way.”

We are glad that Dr. Bergren submitted this thoughtful letter to the editor and fully support the important role that school health services have in health prevention and promotion, especially for children who suffer from chronic illnesses.

This letter also comes at important time given the recent release of the National Prevention Strategy by the National Prevention Council, a group of 17 federal departments and agencies charged with planning and coordinating prevention efforts around the country. The goal of this strategy is to develop recommendations for “working together to improve the health and quality of life for individuals, families and communities by moving the nation from a focus on sickness and disease to one based on wellness and prevention.”

With the federal government’s new focus on prevention, we hope that the important issue of funding for school health will be recognized and addressed.

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You can find the original article in Pediatrics and read the Dr. Bergren’s full letter to the editor.

You can also read the National Prevention Council's National Prevention Stategy here.

Heroes for Healthy Schools Week: Citywide Forum, Playground Painting, School Nurse Leadership and More!

Today was day four of Heroes for Healthy Schools week, a series that HSC is presenting with Chicago Public Schools and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to highlight  the role everyone can play in ensuring that all children are able to succeed in school and live healthy lives. After getting the week of to an active start Monday and hosting Chef in the Classroom on Tuesday, we continued the energy with events across the city!

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Whew! It’s been a busy Wednesday and Thursday of Heroes for Healthy Schools week!

Yesterday, we started the day with a Citywide Forum on Health Disparities and Education, where we heard from local and national leaders on these issues: Dr. Gail Christopher, Vice President of Program Strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Dr. Charles Basch, Richard March Hoe Professor of Health Education at Columbia University Teachers College; Terry Mazany, Interim CEO of Chicago Public Schools; Dr. Bechara Choucair, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health; and Mirtha Beadle, Deputy Director at the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. HSC’s Rochelle Davis moderated the forum and a lively discussion of the issues facing local and national education leaders.

L-R: Charles Basch, Terry Mazany, Bechara Choucair

The afternoon saw parents and children at Inter-American School gather to plant flowers and re-paint the school’s playground with active games and designs.

 

Across town at KIPP Ascend Primary School,  Tonya Lewis Lee, spokesperson for the Office of Minority Health, read her new book, “Giant Steps to Change the World,” to kindergarten students.

School nurse leaders from across Chicago gathered at a special summit to learn about strategies for making healthy eating and physical activity a priority at school. The nurses, who all participated in HSC's School Nurse Leadership Training, focused in particular on helping their schools meet the high standards for food, fitness and nutrition education set by the HealthierUS School Challenge, as part of Chicago's Go for the Gold campaign.

Meanwhile, the Office of Minority health hosted the inaugural meeting of the advisory committee for its new Action Learning Collaborative, with the long term goal of improving schools’ food offerings and school environments for all children, and in particular for minority and underserved populations.

Wednesday evening, Tonya Lewis Lee and peer health educators who had traveled to Chicago from across the country gathered at the University of Chicago for a special screening of Lewis’ film, Crisis in the Crib.

Today, we got an early start with Fit to Learn events! Teachers who took part in HSC’s Fit to Learn professional development training took the messags and tips for teaching familiar lessons in healthy new ways to their peers, with the help of health educators who led the groups in physical activities and brought a healthy breakfast for teachers and staff.

Members of the Action Learning Collaborative toured the Academy for Global Citizenship and Namaste School to see their health-promoting initiatives first-hand. This afternoon, our friends at Chicago Run are hosting after-school running activities at several schools across the city.

Individuals across the country are taking part in Heroes for Healthy Schools by sharing the stories of their own health heroes. Learn more and nominate your hero online here!

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Photos by John McMullen.

Heroes for Healthy Schools Spotlight On: School Nurse Marlene Diaz

Healthy Schools Campaign is pleased to announce Heroes for Healthy Schools: Coming together for student wellness and achievement, a series that HSC is presenting with Chicago Public Schools and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to recognize Minority Health Month and highlight the role everyone can play in ensuring that all children are able to succeed in school and live healthy lives.

Today, school nurse leaders from across Chicago are gathering for a leadership summit to learn about updates in the field and discuss their role in helping schools make healthy eating, physical activity and nutrition education a regular part of the school experience. We are thrilled to spotlight Marlene Diaz, a school nurse leader who took part in HSC's school nurse leadership program.

To read more profiles and nominate your own hero for healthy schools, visit www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/healthheroes. 

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Marlene Diaz, BSN M.Ed RN CSN, has had a long nursing career with specializations in pediatrics and neonatal care as well as  labor and delivery, experience as the Health Disabilities Coordinator for the Department of Human Services and 15 years of Chicago Public Schools school nursing under her belt.  Currently, Diaz is working as the school nurse at Alessandro Volta Elementary School, located in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood.

Volta is located in a multi-ethnic community with a very diverse student body where 90 percent of the students come from a home where English is a second language.  Despite language barriers, Diaz makes it a priority to build connections around health and wellness.

“A big challenge is getting everyone together at one time and getting interpreters for the parents. Our school is very diverse -- we have people who speak Arabic, Gujarati, Spanish and English,” said Diaz.

Diaz says that partnerships also play a role in making wellness part of the school experience. Volta has a partnership with an organization called Family Focus, a family support program that focuses on supporting the health and wellness of a child from birth by strengthening the family in and with their community. Family Focus provides centers in the communities for parents and children to connect with their neighbors at no cost, as well as offering after-school enrichment programs for students and their families. Family Focus is working directly with Volta by offering parents who participate in their workshops opportunities for other classes such as English language classes and computer classes.

Diaz notes that in such a diverse school, she also sees a wide range of religions that are practiced by students, which can have an impact on their health at school. Over the past 15 years, Diaz has learned to familiarize herself with some of the different dietary restrictions, such as fasting, that may come with different religions -- in addition to dietary considerations such as food allergies.

“We have students who eat Kosher, are vegetarian or have allergies. My concern over the past fifteen years is that the students are getting the nutrition they need,” she said.

Diaz has learned a lot about health and wellness through her career as a nurse, but also looks to people in her personal life for guidance.

“My health heroes are my kids, and also my son-in-law,” said Diaz, recalling her experience embarking on a 21-day vegan healthy eating regimen with him. “I’m not sure if I liked it, but I learned how to eat healthier!”

Kudos to Marlene and all the school nurses who are making wellness a priority at school!

School Nurse Creates Trailblazers Project to Get All Students Moving

by Lana Buseman

Last week, we shared the story of school nurse Luisa Ramirez, whose creative strategies got students at Lily Lake Grade School excited about washing their hands. Today, we're excited to report on another fun and very successful initiative that Luisa leads: the Trailblazers project.

Lily Lake Trailblazers is a project that encourages students to exercise by rewarding them with themed tokens each month.  School leaders built a 1/6 mile mulch walking trail on school grounds that students use to earn their tokens. For every five miles students walk, they receive a token that is typically themed based on the month; for example, hearts in February and shamrocks in March.

School nurse Luisa Ramirez, who is also the leading figure behind Lily Lake’s Scrub Club, has worked with her colleagues to make the Trailblazers project a success. School secretary Teresa McMahon "has given countless hours and encourages students in this quest," said Ramirez.

Students are allowed to use the walking trail during their free time or recess. The Trailblazers project became so popular that the PTA raised money to widen the trail and repave it with limestone.

“Last year we had five students reach 100 miles during the school year,” said Ramirez.

There are no food based rewards for this club, and students are excited to receive their tokens each month. Ramirez said that some teachers will take their classes out to the trail to walk half a mile before a big test because they find it helps students concentrate.

“This week is ISATs week, and in the past teachers have brought their students out to walk a couple laps before and after a long ISAT test,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez says that the Trailblazers project has been a great activity for kids to get involved in, especially if they aren’t interested in joining sports teams.

“Every school has students who can’t join groups like soccer or football. This gives students an opportunity to compete against other classmates or even compete against themselves.” said Ramirez. “They have really taken this on because it’s a way for them to set goals to reach.”

Congratulations to Luisa Ramirez, Teresa McMahon and the parents at Lily Lake Grade School for encouraging their students to be active and inspired through the Trailblazers project!

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Plus! Click here to read about another school's walking club that takes places indoors!

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Lily Lake Grade School in Maple Park, IL

Creating a Culture of Wellness with Healthy Rewards and Celebrations at School

 

A healthy birthday treat, as demonstrated at a recent Fit to Learn training

Eliminating sweet treats from your classroom or school may seem like a daunting task, especially as you seek ways to reward students for good behavior. Sweet treats and food-based celebrations have become ingrained in the culture of some schools, making the idea of healthy change seem even more challenging. As one teacher put it, "I don't want to feel like the bad guy in my school if I'm the only one not giving out candy or celebrating birthdays with cake."

But fun and healthy alternatives do exist! Experience shows that these rewards can be very effective and can play an important role is creating a culture of wellness at a school.

Phyllis Powell Pelt, RN, MS, ILCSN, has 19 years of school nursing experience under her belt and plenty of great ideas on healthier rewards and treats that still keep kids engaged and excited.

At one of the schools where Pelt worked, the staff created a unique and healthy birthday tradition.

“We used to take a watermelon, cut it in half and stick candles inside instead of using a cake. Parents were so amazed at how tickled their kids were and the kids were excited because they were receiving recognition,” said Pelt.

Pelt emphasized that when making change, it’s important to get as many people on board as possible. She says this effort must be intergenerational. Working directly with the parents, grandparents, PTA/PTO members and other members of the school community is key to success. Creativity can help in building these connections.

“At one school, they created a program called 'Be Healthy Be Smart' and one of the parents came to the school dressed as a bee. He handed out pineapple samples in his costume,” said Pelt. 

She says that many kids were apprehensive about trying the fruit, but after some gentle guidance by the teachers, kids were taking their first bites.

“By the end of the year, parents were telling us that kids were pointing out fruit at the grocery store that they tried in school,” said Pelt. “A year ago, some of those kids had never even eaten a tomato.”

Pelt said that efforts are most successful when everyone in the school is committed to the process and willing to play a role in creating a culture of wellness. For example, office staff can play a role by switching out their candy jars in exchange for stickers or other healthy treats.

Pelt encouraged teachers and school staff to “try gradually moving away” from unhealthy treats. “For something like this to become the norm is a challenge, but cooperation brings success when everyone is looking at a bigger vision,” she said.

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Plus! Click here for more tips on rewarding students without candy!

Interested in learning more about how to make wellness a regular part of the school experience? Check out HSC's new Fit to Learn program!

Scrub Club! School Nurse Uses Creative Strategies and 'Clean Hands Up' Materials to Energize Handwashing Lessons

 
 
Step 1: Wash hands with warm water! Step 2: Apply soap! Step 3: Now wash for 20 seconds! Step 4: Don’t forget those fingernails! Step 5: Rinse the bacteria away! Step 6: Dry hands with paper towel or warm air dryer!

These are the six steps to proper hand washing from the Scrub Club’s Handwashing Song. The Scrub Club, an initiative of National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International, is a hand washing club that inspires and teaches kids to wash their hands to stop the spread of germs, while giving them the tools to teach their fellow students the techniques.

In the 2008-2009 school year, school nurse Luisa Ramirez, RN, from Lily Lake Grade School in Maple Park, IL created her own incentive program at her school using the ideas and steps from the Scrub Club’s Handwashing Song. About 70 percent of the student population participated and the proper hand-washing techniques were taught in health class.

“Students learned the steps of how to wash their hands properly and they were able to see if they washed their hands properly using the glow germ lotion and light,” said Ramirez. “The light really drove home how we do not wash our hands properly.”

Students took home a Scrub Club Handout and on the back Ramirez created a form for students to share with the idea that each student would teach the handwashing steps to five other people. 

“They could be family or friends.  The family or friend signed the form, attesting they had received the training. They had a two week window to return their signed forms,” said Ramirez. “Kids had fun being the teacher at home. Parents were happy to see and learn from their children.”

When students returned their completed forms, they received a Scrub Club Sticker [pdf] to solidify their membership in the Scrub Club and were allowed to sign their names on the Scrub Club poster outside of the principal’s office. The class that returned the highest percentage of completed forms received a celebration.

Rarmirez has been using promotional and informational materials from Rubbermaid’s Clean Hands Up program to keep the students interested and engaged in the Scrub Club. She is putting the Clean Hands Up posters around the school as a resource and a way to keep students on track. 

“The Rubbermaid posters give a fresh new look to our posters that encourage hand washing.  They are water resistant and colorful,” said Ramirez.

Kudos to Luisa for her leadership and success with the Scrub Club! To learn more about starting your own Scrub Club and learn the Handwashing Song, click here!

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Plus! Check out Rubbermaid’s video about the Clean Hands Up program and resources:

Rubbermaid Commercial Products is a member level sponsor of HSC's Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools! Be sure to check out the free guide for more great handwashing resources and tips to help your school go green!

HSC Congratulates School Nurse Sue Voss on Winning National Advocacy Award!

By Donna Fishman, HSC Director of Training

HSC congratulates Sue Voss on her receipt of the National Association of School Nurses' (NASN) Advocacy Education Award for 2011!

Sue, a school nurse in DeKalb School District 428, is the Government Relations Chair for the Illinois Association of School Nurses (IASN) and serves on HSC's School Nurse Advisory Committee.  She won this award because of her advocacy efforts with IASN on legislation related to student health in Illinois.

"Sue Voss has worked tirelessly for the last two years in Illinois to ensure safe care for students with chronic health conditions," says Linda Gibbons, Illinois Director to the board of NASN, member of HSC's School Nurse Advisory Committee and director of the School Nurse Certification program at National-Louis University. "Sue is very deserving of this award and will further her advocacy training by attending the Nurse in Washington Internship to continue to develop her advocacy skills."

Sue says she's humbled by the award, an important step in the story of her ongoing advocacy efforts. She says: "It is my mission to improve my ability to collaborate with advocacy groups and individuals who compose legislation regarding chronic health care in Illinois schools.  My goal is to initiate legislation and work with sponsoring legislators to write a bill and watch it become law. Ultimately, as a recipient of the NASN Advocacy Award my goal is safe school health care legislation for our schoolchildren, our educators and school nurses so that our schoolchildren receive the best education possible without concerns regarding their health care."

The award itself celebrates a milestone for school nurse advocacy. NASN Advocacy Education Award was originally named in honor of Sally Williams, NASN's first president (1970-71).  Past President Williams worked tirelessly for many years to convince the National Education Association (NEA) to address the unique needs and contributions of school nurses.  On July 4,1968 her efforts resulted in the establishment of the Department of Nursing within the NEA.  Her vision was to bring school nurses together with a common voice and goal in speaking out on legislative issues that had an impact on school health.

HSC wishes Sue all the best and thanks her for her advocacy to improve student health in Illinois!

Learn more about school nurse advocacy and resources here.