School Health Services

You cannot educate an unhealthy child, and you cannot keep an uneducated child healthy.

Jocelyn Elders, M.D.

16th Surgeon General of the United States of America

Mission Statement

Decatur City Schools employs both Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). Our nurses make up only a portion of the health care team. Principals, teachers, aides, office staff, parents, doctors, and volunteers complete the health care team. Working together, our team services the health needs of students during regular school hours, monitors the entire student population, as a whole, and provides individualized health care to each student on a case by case basis.

Many students come to school with various health needs that may interfere with their ability to learn and reach their full potential. Infections, injuries, asthma, diabetes, allergies, and emotional difficulties related to these health conditions may lead to absences from school and, in some cases, academic failure if left unattended or not addressed properly. The school nurse is a committed and proactive partner in ensuring that students have a safe environment, are healthy, and prepared to learn.

School nurses promote health and safety; intervene with actual and potential health problems; and actively collaborate with others to build student and family ability for adaptation, self-management, self-advocacy, and learning.