To enhance whole student wellness in support of health and learning by advancing school nursing practice.

Student access to health and learning. All day. Every day.

This newsletter takes NASN’s Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice approach.

We need some nominations from TEXAS!!!!

Do you know an exceptional certified school nurse?

We need your help! Each year the National Board of Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN) honors a nationally certified school nurse (NCSN) of the Year who has promoted certification as well as worked to enhance general school nursing practice. The NCSN of the Year is selected from of a pool of nominees who have been nominated by their peers. The award is presented at the NASN Annual Conference, this year in Las Vegas. The criteria for the award are:

· Nominated by a peer by March 31th, 2020;

· Demonstrates achievements at the national, state or local level that (1) enhances the competence of school nurses or (2) effectively promotes national school nurse certification;

· Is an active NCSN in good standing; and

· Is employed in school health (can be a school level nurse, an administrator, instructor or other related employment).

And while the NCSN of the Year must be an NCSN, the nominator does not! An NCSN can be nominated by non-NCSN school nurse, a co-worker, a nursing supervisor or principal. If you know a Nationally Certified School Nurse who you think should be considered for the award, use this link to Nominate an NCSN now.!

Thursday, June 25th, 2020

Click here to register for June 25 On-Site

Click here to register for June 25 Webcast

Friday, July 17th, 2020

Click here to register for July 17 On-Site

Click here to register for July 17 Webcast

Upcoming Webinars

School Meals: Support Students Health and Learning
Wednesday, March 4, 2020 | 3:00 PM CT
Celebrate National School Breakfast Week and National Nutrition Month by learning more about the impact of school meals and access to healthy foods have on student health and learning. Register Here

Lettuce Grow: Enhancing School Nutrition with AFHK & CATCH
Tuesday, March 10, 2020 | 2:00 PM CT
Looking to boost your school’s nutrition education and promotion efforts? Join us and
learn ways your school can enhance nutrition efforts throughout your school, including
special celebration ideas for National Nutrition Month. AFHK’s partner, CATCH Global
Foundation, will also share their health education resources to coordinate your efforts
and support kids in making healthy choices. Register here

Healthy Food at School: Social and Emotional Learning Opportunities
Thursday, March 12, 2020 | 3 PM CT
Learn how access to healthy food through meal programs and improving nutrition education opportunities support the whole child. Register here

Parents and School Nutrition: How to Engage Support
Wednesday March 18, 2020 | 3PM CT
Learn how parents and school nutrition departments and nutrition efforts can work together. Debunk myths around parent perceptions of school meals and learn strategies for increasing engagement. Register Here

Why PE and Classroom Teachers Should Participate in Active Schools Summer Training Camp for PE and Classroom Teachers in July 2020
Thursday, March 19, 2020 | 3 PM CT
Learn about why and how you can participate in this first Active Schools Summer Training Camp. It’s maximum professional development at minimum cost. Over the course of a week, there will be about 100 training sessions to pick from, ranging from 1 hour to all day, so that you can match up your school’s greatest needs and opportunities with what 25 partner organizations have to share about creating an active school environment. Costs are kept low because the partners are providing training at no cost, camp is being held at the University of Northern Colorado, and teachers will be able to apply for partial scholarships. Want the details?! Join the webinar to hear it all. Register here

(TX- SPECIFIC) What Makes a Model School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)?
Tuesday, April 21, 2020 | 11:30 AM CT
What are the key elements that make a SHAC effective? Find out from two of our successful, award winning SHAC! How do they keep parents informed and engaged? What are the topics they spend the most time on? Bring your questions! Register Here

(TX-SPECIFIC) Summer Meals Promotion, Best Practice and Success Stories
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 | 11:30 AM CT
What is in store for the Summer Meal Program this year? Find out how to locate a site and how to promote the program in your community from Texas Dept. of Agriculture. Also Katie Nye with Texas Hunger Initiative will be sharing best practices and success stories from across the state! Bring your questions! Register Here

Secrets to Successful Summer Meal Programs
Tuesday, May 12 11:30am
What is in store for the Summer Meal Program this year? Find out how to locate a site and
how to promote the program in your community. Also we will be sharing best practices and
success stories from across the state! Register here

Many parts of the world are experiencing an expanding outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This virus can spread from person-to-person and the number of detected cases is growing. Currently, the immediate Coronavirus infection risk to the general public in Texas and across the United States is low, but on February 25, 2020 the CDC released a public health update advising Americans to prepare for potential social consequences related to an expected increase in Coronavirus infections in the U.S. (Jernigan, 2020).

Because school nurses provide health care for large and diverse populations of students, educators and support staff in a community setting, the heightened risk for Coronavirus infection falls into the wheel house of school nursing—direct care, access to care, disease prevention, population-based health care, health education, risk reduction and surveillance.

During this time of heightened awareness of the expanding Coronavirus outbreak, the expert school nurse must be committed to:

· staying informed and up to date on the evolving information about Coronavirus,

· assuming campus and district leadership roles in disease prevention, identification and mitigation.

· providing vigilant population surveillance,

· teaching infection control across populations of students, staff, and parents,

· serving as a trusted resource for accurate information, and

· communicating collaboratively with stakeholders and other professionals.

The well-prepared school nurse will be able to answer the following questions:

· What is the Coronavirus?

· What is the incubation period?

· What are the symptoms?

· How is the virus spread?

· Who should seek medical evaluation?

· What will your school do if a student, staff member or volunteer is at known risk of Coronavirus?

· What will you do when a student, staff member or volunteer is diagnosed with Coronavirus?

· What can you do to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus in your school?

· What are the best practice school cleaning procedures?

· Where will you turn for accurate information?

Resources for the School Nurse

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/guidance.htm

DSHS https://www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/

https://www.dshs.texas.gov/flu/

NASN https://www.nasn.org/blogs/nasn-profile/2020/02/26/coronavirus-19-message-to-school-nurses?CLK=22f4e4bf-0d0d-4678-8307-5cdfb8a44bf8

TEA https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/news-and-multimedia/correspondence/taa-letters/tea-update-influenza-virus-attachment-coronavirus-isd-template-letter

Includes an editable parent communication template in English and Spanish

WORLD METERS https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Jernigan, D.B. Update: Public Health Response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak—United States, February 24,, 2020, MMWR Morbity Mortality Wkly Rep. ePub 25 Feb 2020 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6908e1.htm?s_cid=mm6908e1_w

This year with the passing of SB 11, there were A LOT of new safety measures implemented. Due to all these changes, there is also a new EOP (Emergency Operations Plan) that is to be used starting with the 20-21 SY. The plan was just approved by the Texas School Safety Center in mid January and released to the public. Within this plan there are Annexes to be completed (Technology, PIO, Facilities etc).

District level nurses should also have received the Health and Medical Annex as part of the new original EOP. With the COVID-19 issues of late, the School Safety Center just released another medical annex which is this new Infectious Disease Annex. Both of these Annexes are part of the EOP. District level nurses should also reach out to their district safety person to make sure they are included in this process or if they have any questions.

While you may have separate pandemic preparedness form, these annexes are still required to be part of the EOP.