First Clinic Assistant of the Year Awarded

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1 School Health Headlines Newsletter Happy New Year!! First Clinic Assistant of the Year Awarded Student Health Services held our 7th Annual School Nurse and Clinic Assistant Conference on Friday, December 2nd and honored our first Constance Babette Vlahos Clinic Assistant of the Year Award! We are pleased to announce the following winners: FCBOE-Student Health Services December 2016 CA of the Year Award Calendar of Events Breast Cancer Awareness Healthy Recipe School Year Clinic Assistant of the Year: Sherlie Johnson, Bethune ES First Runner Up: Sharon Bradford, Medlock Bridge ES Second Runner Up: Judy Macdonald, Cogburn Woods ES Third Runner Up: Jean Bagwell, Hembree Springs ES Rookie of the Year: Tammy Jarrell, River Eves ES Honorable Mention: Benita Fowler, Amana Academy Karen Thimsen, Cambridge HS Aisha Curtis-Brown, Camp Creek MS Jureen Oddo, Fulton Academy of Science and Technology Laura Gordon, Ridgeview MS Anne Cherian, River Trail MS Cherly Putnam, Roswell North ES Debra Krupp, State Bridge ES Kimberly Thompson, Summit Hill ES Our heartfelt gratitude to each Principal and Assistant Principal who participated by nominating their school s Clinic Assistant for this award. Thank you for helping us recognize these deserving Clinic Assistants for all of their dedication and contributions to ensuring the health and well-being of students and staff! Inside this issue: Coordinator s Corner 2 School Nurse/Clinic Assistant Conference Spotlight of the Quarter Antibacterial Soap Healthy Tip Editor s Note: Greetings! Please check out our latest edition of Student Health Headlines. This issue focuses on a variety of topics related to the First Annual Clinic Assistant Award, School Nurse/Clinic Assistant Conference and Special Recognitions. We hope that you will find this information helpful and interesting. As always, if you have suggestions or comments, please feel free to contact me at toomern@fultonschools.org. HAPPY READING! Natalie Contributors Editor: Natalie Toomer, RN, School Cluster Nurse Staff Authors: Lynne Meadows, RN, Coordinator-Student Health Services; Jayna Brosmer, RN, School Cluster Nurse; Vicki Beasley, RN, School Cluster Nurse; Marian Buckle, RN, School Cluster Nurse; Karen Wolk, RN, Special Education Nurse

2 January 2017 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT MLK Holiday SHS Staff Mtg First Aid for Bus Drivers Teacher Workday CPR/ Scoliosis Training for Volunteers Professional Development First Aid Class 28 Schedule of Events January 2017 Jan 5: Teacher Workday Jan 6: Professional Dev. Day Jan 16: MLK Holiday Jan 18: First Aid for Bus Drivers Jan 24: SHS Staff Mtg Jan 25/26: Scoliosis Training for Volunteers Jan 27: CPR/First Aid Class February 2017 Feb 17: Student/Teacher Holiday Feb 20: President s Day Feb 24: CPR/AED Class Feb 28: SHS Staff Mtg Coordinator s Corner Happy New Year! It is hard to believe that we are halfway through the school year! We are already making plans for next school year and discussing budget priorities. We have had an incredibly productive year and have accomplished many of our annual goals! This year, we welcomed five new staff members to Student Health Services. Each of these Registered Nurses brings several years of nursing experience. They have already had a significant impact on our team and on the well-being of our students and staff. Meet these School Nurses on page 4. We welcomed our new Superintendent, Dr. Jeff Rose, to our September staff meeting. He, along with Patrick Burke (Deputy Superintendent of Operations), was excited to hear information about Student Health Services and how we contribute to academic success and student learning. Dr. Rose shared his vision with us and his plans for the district. It was a joy to have met with Dr. Rose and for him acknowledging our collaboration in one of his Superintendent s News Weekly communications. This year, one of our goals was to streamline our reporting processes in an effort to work more efficiently and effectively. With that in mind, we have been working with Records Management to utilize the new OnBase system to begin automating and electronically submitting more of our reports. On Dec 2, 2016, we were thrilled to host our 7 th Annual SHS School Nurse and Clinic Assistant Conference at which time we recognized our very first Clinic Assistant of the Year Award. Read more about the winners on page 1. Congratulations to Sherlie Johnson, CA, Bethune ES for winning this very prestigious award! We also recognized 13 other dynamic CA s. Congratulations to all of the winners and runner-ups. KUDOs to all of our Clinic Assistants for the care you deliver every day! Job well done...you make a difference! We are proud of our continued work in establishing several partnerships which include partnering with Hughes Spalding, Children s Healthcare of Atlanta, School Health, Inc., School Nurse Supply, AED Brands, Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness and with the three State School Nurse Consultants. Thanks to all of these community health organizations and business partners for their wonderful support throughout the school year! Student Health Services collaborates with many of these partners to provide leadership on several health initiatives throughout the state, including developing school health policies and procedures. This year we will be distributing additional AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) throughout the district. And, yippee we have already hosted more than 20 First Aid/CPR/AED classes and trained well over 500 FCS staff which includes members of the school safety teams, School Police Officers, bus drivers and administrators. Please take note of the other initiatives, accomplishments and KUDOS shared throughout the newsletter. Stay tuned to more updates and news from Student Health Services coming in the spring! Let s make 2017 great! Lynne Meadows, RN, MS, Coordinator Page 2

3 SHS Holds 7th Annual School Nurse and Clinic Assistant Conference: Back to the Basics: Part 2-A Review of Diabetes, ADHD, How to Manage Difficult Situations in the School Setting Marian Buckle, RN, Milton Cluster Nurse Fulton County Schools Student Health Services (SHS) Department hosted its 7th Annual Conference for School Nurses and Clinic Assistants on December 2, The all-day conference was held at the Scottish Rite campus of Children s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). Over 100 School Nurses and Clinic Assistants attended the conference. School Nurses from Cobb County, Gwinnett County, Douglas County, and Atlanta Public Schools also attended the conference. This year s theme was titled Back to the Basics: A Review of Diabetes, ADHD, and Managing Difficult Situations. The conference agenda included a variety of presentations such as Diabetes Resources, Managing Diabetes in the School Setting, ADHD Update and Resources, Managing Difficult Situations in the School Setting, and Work Life Balance. Speakers included Angela Bryant-Curry RN, Community Diabetes Educator for CHOA; Kelly Alladina RN, Certified Diabetes Educator for CHOA; Rachel Kitchens-Cole, Social Worker for FCS; Jackie Beard-Cathey, Coordinator of Social Services for FCS; and Michelle Calderon, Staff Chaplain for CHOA. Each year, the population of students with Diabetes and ADHD continues to grow. It is Student Health Services goal to ensure all Nurses and Clinic Assistants have information and resources they need in the clinics to prevent emergency crises as it relates to these chronic conditions. Attendees learned through scenarios how to manage difficult situations in the school setting and how to balance work and life issues. This year, we also awarded our very first Clinic Assistant of the Year. This award serves as recognition of the efforts that all of our Clinic Assistants and provides them an incentive to continue to perform in an exemplary manner. Attendees were very pleased with the content of this conference. Student Health Services is very excited about the responses and has already began planning the 8 th Annual Conference. Breast Cancer Awareness-A Cause Worth Supporting Karen Wolk, RN, Special Education Nurse Student Health Services supports October Breast Cancer Awareness Month and participated in the American Cancer Society s Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk on Saturday, October 30, Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. Unfortunately, it has affected two of our School Nurses and many of our family members. We also know of many colleagues who have been affected. It is for these reasons that Student Health Services supports and is a strong advocate of breast cancer awareness. Regrettably, the chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is about 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 37. We must also remember that men can also get breast cancer. The good news is that breast cancer death rates have decreased. This is likely the result of early detection and improved treatment. There are currently more than 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. If you are 40 or older, talk to your doctor about the screening plan that is best for you and report any breast changes right away. Remind those you care about to follow the recommended protocol, as early detection is the key to survival. See pictures from Parklane ES Staff (left) and Mimosa ES (right) in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Children must be educated to be healthy and healthy to be educated Dr. Jocelyn Elder, Former Surgeon General Volume 1, Issue 29 Page 3

4 Feature Spotlight Spotlights on You: New Cluster Nurses Please join us in welcoming our newest members of the SHS Team: Aleve Reed, RN, Banneker Cluster Nurse Connie Harwood, RN, Johns Creek Cluster Nurse Holly Morgan, RN, North Springs Cluster Nurse Patricia (Pat) Cannon, RN, McClarin Cluster Nurse Susan (Suzie) Orr, RN, Independence Cluster Nurse And, just a note Jayna Brosmer, RN new Centennial Cluster Nurse. Jayna moved from Johns Creek Cluster to Centennial. These Cluster Nurses are already working very diligently and have become an integral part of the Student Health Services Team. Welcome To The Team, Ladies! Special Kudos to all the elementary schools for assisting with Vision Screenings performed in the first semester. Thanks to all staff and administrators for making this such a successful event! We would also like to thank in advance all of the middle schools for assisting with Scoliosis Screenings as well! Antibacterial Soaps No More? Jayna Brosmer, RN, Centennial Cluster Nurse The FDA recently ruled that over-the-counter antibacterial washes containing certain active ingredients can no longer be sold in stores. Nineteen specific active ingredients, the most common being triclosan and triclocarban, did not demonstrate long term safety, nor did they prove to be any more effective than plain soap and water in infection control. Some data suggests that long term exposure to these ingredients could cause bacterial resistance or hormonal effects. The manufacturers have a year to comply by removing or reformulating their products. Three additional ingredients, benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride and chloroxylenol, will be reevaluated in a year, after the manufacturers compile safety and effectiveness data to submit to the FDA. The bottom line here just stick with plain old soap and water to wash your hands. Remember to scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Don t want to count? Sing the Happy Birthday song twice from beginning to end. If soap and water are not available, the CDC recommends an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. Volume 1, Issue 29 Page 4

5 FCBOE-Student Health Services 6201 Powers Ferry Road Atlanta, Georgia Phone: Fax: Contact Us Health Tips of the Quarter Vicki Beasley, RN, Tri-Cities Cluster Nurse Taming Cholesterol Helpful Dietary Tips High blood cholesterol quietly clogs arteries and restricts blood flow, causing damage without symptoms and leaving many people unaware they are at risk for circulatory and heart disease. Tips According to the American Heart Association (AHA) a healthy diet that aims to reduce cholesterol consists of the following healthy foods and herbals: Vegetables root and green varieties (Ginger root, turmeric root, artichoke leaf) Fruit: fresh, if possible Whole grains: cereals, breads, rice, and pasta Low-fat or no-dairy products Poultry Fish, especially fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, albacore tuna), which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids Non-tropical vegetables oils such as olive oil Nuts: walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts Source: Good Nutrition, September 2016 Healthy Recipe Spinach Artichoke Soup Courtesy of Food Network Kitchen Ingredients: 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 medium leek (white and light green parts only), halved, thinly sliced and well rinsed 1 stalk celery, chopped Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1.5 tsp. chopped fresh thyme 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 tbsp. all purpose flour 3 cups low sodium chicken broth 1, 9 oz. package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed 1 bay leaf Zest of 1/2 lemon (removed with a vegetable peeler) 1/2 cup plus 2 tsp heavy cream 3 oz. baby spinach 1 cup fresh parsley 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. crème fraiche Chopped fresh chives, for topping Directions: Melt butter in a medium Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add leek and celery; season with salt/pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and garlic, then sprinkle in the flour. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are coated with flour, 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, artichokes, bay leaf and lemon zest to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are very tender, minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and the spinach; cook until the spinach is wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and lemon zest. Working in small batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree with the parsley and 1/4 cup crème fraiche until smooth/ Return to the pot, season with salt and reheat. Combine the remaining 2 tbsp. crème fraiche and 2 tsp heavy cram. Ladle the soup into small glasses; top with the thinned crème fraiche and chives. It is the policy of the Fulton County School System not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or disability in any employment practice, educational program, or any other program, activity, or service. If you wish to make a complaint or request accommodation or modification due to discrimination in any program, activity, or service, contact Chief Talent Officer, Ron Wade, 6201 Powers Ferry Rd, Atlanta, Georgia 30339, or phone TTY Volume 1, Issue 29 Page 5