Minutes - 03-28-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ratio is shown and most schools in bath systems share a nurse. She reviewed in detail the four-year alternative school nurse plan. One of the Health Department nurses that is currently working in the schools is assigned to the hepatitis B immunization program that is responsible for both school system. This program will not age out until fiscal year 2004-2005. At that time, all of the children in the system should have had a hepatitis B immunization either before they get to school or through the process of trying to catch up that population. The Health Department school nurse that is now full- time in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School system will be used to provide some education for all of the school nurses in both school systems. This will also provide some consistency in communicable disease training. Until that time, the education will be worked out within the Health Department as it currently exists. Keith Cook thanked the County for moving forward with being sure that all schools have nurses within afour-year time period. He questioned the budget that would be used for the school nurses. He is concerned that the funding for the school nurses could be taken away somehow. John Link explained that putting the salaries for the school nurses in the Health Department budget would assure that these positions would be funded. If the money is put in the school budget, the school may decide that there are other priorities and not use the money to fund school nurses. Commissioner Carey said that the task force unanimously agreed that if the money were put in the school systems' budget that there would need to be some guarantee from both school systems that this money would be earmarked for school nurses. The County Commissioners have not discussed this report and it is important that the Board and bath school boards discuss this report. Maryanne Rosenman asked if there was a disparity in salary between the Orange County nurses and the school district nurses and Rosemary Summers said yes, but in these proposals, these would not be positions from the Health Department. In essence, it would be a contracted service and the money would be passed out to both school systems. Susan Halkiatis said that this is a great coming together of all three bodies on a wonderful goal for students in the County. She made reference to the figures and painted out that Orange County schools fund 70°l0 of their nurses and Chapel Hill/Carrboro schools fund 52% of their nurses. She hopes that both school systems could commit .52 of the local funds toward school nurses. She said that there were other initiatives to which Orange County schools would like to apply the remaining funds. Spanish in the elementary schools is one of the initiatives. She asked that the funding commitment for both school systems be level. Commissioner Jacobs said that the numbers would indicate that Orange County would have the better student/nurse ratio. He said that it was obvious that the state is recommending one nurse per 750 students and does not do enough to achieve it. This proposal is aself-imposed mandate to go forward from where we are to even it up so that every student will have an adequate level of medical service. His idea in doing this was just to get us up to a certain level. Susan Halkiotis said that she hopes that Commissioner Jacobs understands her suggestion in drawing attention to this disparity in numbers. It is a wonderful proposal and she strongly supports it. Nick Didow asked if the County Commissioners would encourage the school board to put this on their board agenda, discuss it, and provide a board reaction and Chair Halkiatis said yes. Nick Didow asked if the County Commissioners would similarly consider some other areas of responsibility currently funded through the school budgets that may be perceived as County responsibilities. Chair Halkiotis said that the County Commissioners have always been willing to consider any proposal that is sent to them. John Link said that the County Commissioners will have work sessions in April and May and may address this proposal at that time. He asked that comments be received by April 30tH Dana Thompson pointed out that the nurse/student ratio was hard to deal with, given the different sizes of schools. She said that they appreciate what the County Commissioners are doing. They want to do whatever it takes to serve kids so that they can learn. Commissioner Jacobs and Chair Halkiotis spoke about their experiences in childhood with school nurses. Both school boards will discuss this proposal and submit comments to the Board of County Commissioners for discussion in the budget cycle.