Planned redistribution and reduction in school nurses in DC Public & Public Charter Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, I only skimmed that PDF because my head was exploding, but were they actually trying to justify not having full time nurses in favor of "tailoring" more specific needs for children in schools? Like kids with diabetes only need checking in on twice a week? Like they're doing children a FAVOR by not having someone around to give medical care when it's needed? Are you kidding me?

Supposedly schools where there was a student with diabetes or other chronic issue would have a full time nurse. Staffing levels would change depending on needs of enrolled children.

Makes no sense but seems too late to stop it.

Asthma? Doesn't that count? Because that's all the schools. Nut allergies? Same thing.

[Anonymous]

Not to mention that when nonclinical staff are tapped to provide health related services they aren't doing the jobs that they were actually hired to do!!! Our teaching staff and administration are already stretched way too thin. Asking them to act as nurses in addition is wrong and I think this is a perfect opportunity for the teachers union to make a lot of noise and finally have a legitimate leg to stand on ( unlike in August when they made a stink about having Walmart donate materials to needy schools and teachers. Eye roll. The union really needs to pick his battles more carefully).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friday afternoon news dump from DC Government about nurses.

http://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/u23/memo%20to%20parents%20with%20header_FINAL.pdf

(annoying: Why is there no "From" on this memo?)

According to release there will be two meetings:

October 5, 2016 at Paul Lawrence Dunbar Senior High School (101 N St, NW)

October 17, 2016 at Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter School (2427 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave, SE).

Both forums will be from 6-8 pm. No RSVP is required.

Did anyone go to the Oct 5th meeting? I was planning to but DS was sick. Wondering what the reaction of parents was.

[JoshH]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Friday afternoon news dump from DC Government about nurses.

http://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/u23/memo%20to%20parents%20with%20header_FINAL.pdf

(annoying: Why is there no "From" on this memo?)

According to release there will be two meetings:

October 5, 2016 at Paul Lawrence Dunbar Senior High School (101 N St, NW)

October 17, 2016 at Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter School (2427 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave, SE).

Both forums will be from 6-8 pm. No RSVP is required.

Did anyone go to the Oct 5th meeting? I was planning to but DS was sick. Wondering what the reaction of parents was.

I went. I'd guess about 25-30, including a group of about 10 nurses. I don't think the message was sent out very broadly.

I think most parents (including myself) were impressed by / in favor of the new programs, but not the reduced minimum for school nurses. Most of the presentation focused on the new programs. The discussion about the possibility of cuts to school nurses was a bit more heated. I don't the the Director of DOH, Dr. Nesbitt, was able to explain why less than one full-time nurse per school is acceptable.
She said that the guidelines for one full-time nurse wer applicable as a general guideline, but not necessary for DC. I don't think that lines up with the expectations of parents.

[Anonymous]

If DCPS found and expelled a few fraudster families from Maryland, they could afford a couple more nurses with the money saved. Sue the families for back tuition and interest, and DCPS can hire a dozen more!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If DCPS found and expelled a few fraudster families from Maryland, they could afford a couple more nurses with the money saved. Sue the families for back tuition and interest, and DCPS can hire a dozen more!

DCPS doesn't hire or pay for the nurses. The DOH does. And they aren't spending less $ - they are spending it on different things.

[Anonymous]

I agree that each school needs a full time nurse. I have a lot of students with asthma and even a few who have seizures-and access to medication is critical. But- the current state of nursing in the three ES I work in (admittedly not a large sample) has been terrible. The nurses are frequently MIA or ill equipped to do the job.
So yes, our students deserve a full time nurse but the actually staff and accountability needs to be taken into account and changed.

[JoshH]

Councilmember Grosso will hold a roundtable 10/25 at 2:30pm at the Wilson Building (http://www.davidgrosso.org/grosso-analysis/2016/10/12/grosso-announces-public-roundtable-on-school-health-services-program).
You need to sign up to testify by Sunday 10/23 at 5pm.

Also, please see this petition to Mayor Bowser: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/every-child-deserves

[Anonymous]

I just signed the petition.

It only has 400 signatures right now and it says they need at least 500.

Please distribute to your school and neighborhood listserv. This is an issue that is important to people of all socioeconomic status, but impacts children in families with lesser means all the more.

I have relied on our school nurse and I'm sure many of you have as well, so let's speak up now for the health of our children. And let our teachers focus on teaching.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know the best suggested address for where we can send a letter to support having nurses? Should it go to Grosso directly or to the DOH?

If anyone in the know can post a link to the best address, that would be a great help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know the best suggested address for where we can send a letter to support having nurses? Should it go to Grosso directly or to the DOH?

If anyone in the know can post a link to the best address, that would be a great help.

Chair of the council committee on Health Yvette Alexander, [e-mail]
Chair of the council committee on Education David Grosso, [e-mail]
[e-mail]
DOH Director Nesbitt, [e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know the best suggested address for where we can send a letter to support having nurses? Should it go to Grosso directly or to the DOH?

If anyone in the know can post a link to the best address, that would be a great help.

Chair of the council committee on Health Yvette Alexander, [e-mail]
Chair of the council committee on Education David Grosso, [e-mail]
[e-mail]
DOH Director Nesbitt, [e-mail]

bumping this thread to encourage people to write a letter. make your voices heard!

[Anonymous]

Is anyone going to the meeting this week?

[JoshH]

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone going to the meeting this week?

I'll be at Councilmember Grosso's roundtable this Tuesday. I've spoken with several other parents who plan to testify. If anyone reading this is on the fence about testifying, I'm happy to provide some pointers and encouragement.

[Anonymous]

It'll be interesting to hear how Grosso responds to the director of DOH.