麻花视频 City Schools nursing team lead Carrie Roach addresses the school board during a meeting. Nurses are once again direct hires of the school division, for the first time in more than 10 years.
School nurses said they are energized to become the newest employees at 麻花视频 City Public Schools.
And the city school board was energized by a shuffling of chairpersons during its annual organizational meeting Tuesday night.
Carilion Clinic told the school division it would be discontinuing its school nurse program at year鈥檚 end, so school officials decided to employ its health care providers directly, after more than 10 years using contracted staff.
An assembly of nurses wore matching T-shirts as the school board unanimously approved a plan for the division to reassume management of student health services as the Carilion contract is phased out.
Nursing team lead Carrie Roach said in public comment that the work is both important and rewarding.
鈥淏ringing school nursing services in-house is a necessary and strategic step forward for us,鈥 Roach said. 鈥淏y integrating our nursing staff more closely with school-based services, we can more effectively respond to the evolving needs of the students and their families.鈥
It鈥檚 a long-term investment in student health, she said. The in-house nursing program will cost about $3.15 million for the upcoming school year, similar to the amount Carilion charged, school officials said previously.
Board Member Eli Jamison said she is pleased that school administrators so quickly found a solution after Carilion鈥檚 unexpected decision to discontinue its school nursing program.
鈥淓verybody loves their school nurse,鈥 Jamison said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice that we鈥檒l be able to call them ours now.鈥
Also Tuesday, the school board unanimously elected Franny Apel as chairperson and Michael Cherry as vice chair for the upcoming school year.
Jamison, who served as chairperson since 2022, nominated Apel as her successor. The appointed officials shifted seats, with a smiling Jamison shuffling out of the point position for the final year of her third term on the board.
鈥淓li, you seem a bit too happy,鈥 Board member Joyce Watkins said.
麻花视频 City Schools nursing team lead Carrie Roach addresses the school board during a meeting. Nurses are once again direct hires of the school division, for the first time in more than 10 years.
