BENTONVILLE -- Russell Primary School will not have a full-time registered nurse this fall, a decision staff members objected to in writing and at a recent School Board meeting.
School District officials opted to shift the nurse's position from Russell to Bentonville High School, though the nurse will visit Russell three mornings each week, according to Leslee Wright, the district's communications director.
The rest of the time, Russell will have a nurse on call who's based next door at Sugar Creek Elementary School, Wright said.
Russell serves about 250 students of preschool age. Bentonville High School likely will have more than 3,000 students this fall. The move will give Bentonville High School three nurses, Wright said. West High School has two nurses, and every other school in the district has one.
"The safety of our students is our top priority," Wright said. "This recommendation comes after carefully considering the needs of more than 17,000 children districtwide. We're confident this is the best allocation of staff to effectively serve all our students."
At least some Russell staff members, however, appear unconvinced.
A two-page letter signed by 23 staff members and sent to the board this month stated the district's decision "causes much concern" for Russell's students, families and educators. An abundance of research addresses the importance of having a nurse at every school, according to the letter.
Russell each year has students with chronic conditions such as asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes, epilepsy, obesity and mental health concerns affecting the student's ability to be in school and ready to learn, the letter states.
"This year alone, there were at least two occasions that an ambulance was called, numerous students required stitches, one student was immediately sent to the ER for a staph infection upon arrival to school, there were countless cases of lice, hand, foot and mouth disease, and scabies, as well as students who require regular breathing or insulin treatments," the letter states.
Lori Passmore, the school's principal, couldn't be reached for comment this week. Her name isn't among the signatures on the letter.
Katherine Gilman, a Russell teacher, addressed the School Board at its June 17 meeting. A student's health is directly related to his ability to learn, and children with unmet health needs have a difficult time engaging in the classroom, she said.
"If students' medical needs aren't met first, then as teachers we can't do our job and focus on their academic needs," Gilman said.
The school nurse also helps families know when to see a doctor and maintains immunization records, among other duties, she said.
"Our staff at Tennie Russell has had many severe medical situations where the school nurse has helped tremendously, and it is frightening that we will no longer have a certified nurse to provide care for our students with chronic conditions and to assess everyday medical situations that occur," Gilman said.
The board, following its custom with speakers during public comment, didn't respond to Gilman. Board member Rebecca Powers later said she would like a full-time nurse at Russell.
The district will pay its registered nurses between $26.78 and $36.82 per hour in the upcoming school year depending on experience, according to a district salary schedule.
Russell, in addition to having a nurse next door at Sugar Creek, still will have a health aide on site. Health aides are certified in CPR, first aid, insulin administration, asthma care and general medicine trainings, Wright said.
The state does not require each school to have registered nurses, Wright said. Nationally about 25% of all public and private schools do not employ a nurse, according to the National Association of School Nurses.
The association explained why school nurses are important in a 2012 paper published on its website. Studies have shown school nurses reduce absenteeism, which impacts student achievement and graduation rates, according to the paper.
NW News on 07/01/2019