The principals, deans and secretaries in the Champaign school district used to assist students with their medical needs.

The district recently hired its first nurse in more than 10 years to take over these responsibilities. Valerie Day, a registered nurse, began working for the district in mid-August and is stationed at Stratton Elementary School. Day travels to different schools throughout the day.

Sandra Duckworth, director of pupil services for the district, said it did not hire a nurse in the past because the administrators were able to provide these services without additional help.

“The district has always wanted to hire a school nurse, but it’s a matter of funding,” said Beth Sheppard, assistant superintendent for human resources. “As long as we could provide services without a nurse, we did. Budget constraints have always been the reason we’ve had to prioritize.”

When necessary, a contracted nurse would provide additional help to students.

“The district hired a nurse on a contract basis to assist the students who had the most pressing needs,” Sheppard said. “It was a combination of administrators, school staff members and a contracted nurse that allowed us to get by.”

Recently, an increased number of students with special conditions made the district decide that a full-time nurse was necessary to the schools.

“With asthma, diabetes and food allergies becoming more common, the need for a nurse has become more prevalent,” Duckworth said. “Although the children’s needs have always been addressed, some had conditions that were becoming more severe and merited a medical expert’s assistance.”

Since Day began work in the district, she has been present daily to help students and to monitor medicine.

“My highest priority is to help students with acute medical needs that can’t be addressed by someone else,” Day said. “For example, I give a second grader who has diabetes insulin injections on a daily basis.”

In addition to her nursing duties, Day is developing a program to increase nursing services in the district.

“I look at what each school needs medically to insure that those needs are met,” Day said. “There are 18 schools in the district, and I’m trying to figure out how students are helped in each building.”

Day believes that in order for students to get the most out of their education, having nurses present in schools is necessary.

“The goal of students is to move through the system and graduate,” Day said. “They should not have to be tethered by any unmet needs, including medical needs.”