For Henderson Elementary parent Gretchen Lahey, a full-time nurse is a necessity at her son’s school — he suffers from a life-threatening milk allergy and asthma — but from noon to 3 p.m., there isn’t anyone there to give a child an inhaler or medical help if needed.
“It’s frightening at times,” Lahey said. “I want what’s best for my child and the other children, they need to be taken care of every day.”
The need for school nurses will be front and center at a hearing Monday called by At-Large Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George.
“There needs to be someone to work to help improve the social-emotional support in schools,” said Essaibi-George. “And nurses and psychiatrists are the front lines of defense in that support. They are the first ones to identify who may need more wrap around services and they are a key factor in helping make sure students get what they need.”
Advocacy for full-time social-emotional employees has grown in recent years. The district approved a budget proposal last week that forces many schools to cut those services.