SCHOOL HEALTH

News from the School Health Program .....

It looks like another school year is almost over. I just can’t believe that this is the sixteenth year of the comprehensive school health grant’s existence. We started March 31, 1991, providing direct school health services via school health rooms in the public schools in Jackson County.  This was such a great accomplishment for the Jackson CHD and Jackson County School Board (JCSB).  This funding brought over one half million dollars to the salary base for the school health program. In the school term 02/03 the JCSB increased their contribution by $50,000.00 to help maintain current services. The overall contribution from the School Board this term is approx. $141,000.00 and we all are still looking for ways to extend funding!  Since the original grant, two schools have closed – Alford and Jackson Academy and we extended services to CACL/ACE (now known as Jackson Alternative) the Family Service Center/TAPPS and the Pre-K program. Our SH program now serves fifteen school sites with 22 SH staff members. We also serve two private schools in our county with provision of basic school health services. The school student population for 06/07 school term is approximately 7600 students.

In the beginning it was such a great time for me to learn the “ropes” with Monya Weeks R.N. We wrote policy and set up procedures from the ground up! Monya served as co-supervisor in our SH program from 1991-2001. We have received great support from all SH staff members and nursing staff to maintain our SH program. We still stand strong and are continuing to expand health services. We are looking forward to a great summer. This summer will bring a work load to include physical exams and many Kg and 7th grade vaccinations, plus all revision of contract writing, planning, preparing and upgrading the existing health room. So to everyone, thanks again for your support and dedication in getting through another successful school year. Without each SH team member, it could not have been done!
 

By:   Julie P. McKinney, R.N.         School Health Coordinator         Regina Clark         School Health Secretary