PRESIDENT MESSAGE 

Dear MSNO Members,

As the school year comes to a close, take a moment to reflect back & recognize the challenges & successes of 2021-22. This was, by far, the most challenging year in school nursing. You rose to the challenge and managed to continue focusing on the health and safety of your school communities. You collaborated with your local health department, served on recovery planning teams, performed ongoing illness surveillance, contact traced, and implemented a rigorous testing program - pool testing, test & stay, test-to-return, distribution of at-home testing kits.  

The NASN Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice applies to your daily work and was exemplified the past few years. Central to the framework are our students. They’re surrounded by family and the school community with overlapping key principles of Care Coordination, Leadership, Quality Improvement, and Community/Public Health. As we slowly and gracefully cross the finish line, think about your work using this concept. 

On July 1, 2022, I’ll be passing the torch to Cathryn Hampson as the new President of MSNO. I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve as your President the past two years. It’s been an honor and a privilege. Wishing all of you a wonderful summer break!

Respectfully yours,

Doreen Crowe, MSNO President

MSNO TAKES A STAND

AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE 

We Must Treat Gun Violence As a National Crisis

The Massachusetts Teachers Association, Massachusetts Nurses Association, American Federation of Teachers - Massachusetts, and Massachusetts School Nurse Organization have released the following statement demanding action be taken to enact sensible national gun laws. Our union and organization members stand in solidarity with March For Our Lives in the fight against gun violence.

MSNO supports the nomination of Steven Dettelbach for Director of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF),

in a letter on May 25, 2022: 

As the professional organization representing school nurses in Massachusetts, we write to support the nomination of Steven Dettelbach as the Director of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). A major mission of the Massachusetts School Nurse Organization (MSNO) is to promote quality health services in schools across the Commonwealth and the accidental and intentional death of students by firearms is completely antithetical to our mission.  We are appalled and grieving the death of students, teacher and family member just yesterday in a school in Uvalde, Texas. 

*New* MSNO BOARD MEMBERS

Avery Hines, MSN, RN, NCSN

NBCSN Liaison

Catherine Gaudet, BSN, RN, NCSN

Region 6 Chair

Katie Vozeolas, BSN, RN, NCSN

Program Planning Committee

Rita Casper, MBA, RN, NCSN

Program Planning Committee

MSNO BOARD OPENINGS

Students with PANS/PANDAS have complex cognitive, behavioral,

physical & neurological symptoms that affect their school performance.

Check out these helpful resources to support students with PANS/PANDAS and other immune-related encephalopathies 

De-implementing BMI report cards:

a qualitative study of key stakeholders in Massachusetts

The Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health is conducting a study focused on the Massachusetts regulation for school-based height and weight measurements, specifically the revision in 2009 requiring BMI reporting, as well as the de-enactment of the reporting requirement to parents/guardians in 2013. The study team is recruiting Massachusetts school nurse professionals to participate in a 45- to 60-minute interview to learn about perspectives on how the policy was adopted, implemented, and ended, as well as the factors that may have influenced these processes. Participants will be offered a $50 gift card upon completion of the interview. Please contact Mary Kathryn Poole, the study manager, if you are interested in participating or want to learn more about the study.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO BRING SCHOOL NURSES TOGETHER 

We are very excited about getting together for NASN2022, the National Association of School Nurses' annual event that brings together school nurses and others in the school community. We are ready to gather, celebrate, and educate how school nurses are Connecting Health Equity and Student Success.

NASN’s 54th Annual School Nurse Conference offers two separate learning events in 2022 to meet the needs of all school nurses, amid pandemic health, travel and economic concerns. Each event will feature its own sessions and speakers.

The in-person event will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, June 28-30, 2022, and the virtual event will take place July 11-13, 2022. You can also bundle the two events together to increase the total number of NCPD CNE; double your skills, double your networking, and double your experience!

> Update on K-12 Covid-19 Testing Program

> Isolation & quarantine guidance for students in educational settings 

POSTURAL SCREEN BILL UPDATE

The postural screening bill, an Act to update postural screening requirements in schools (House Bill 2335 accompanied by Senate Bill 1401) would reduce the mandated frequency of postural screening from students in all five grades (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) annually to students in one grade (6,7,8, or 9) annually. 

The bill was recently reported favorably by Health Care Finance Joint Committee (made up of House and Senate legislators) and moved to the House Ways and Means (HWM) Committee, thanks in part to the more than 140 school nurses who contacted their legislators in March and April! What this means is that the Joint Finance Committee believes it would be a good bill to consider. Now the HWM Committee will further consider it and present it to the floor of the House for a vote. If the House votes to approve it, it would move to the Senate for consideration. 

JOBS

$100 fee waived if person requesting posting is a current MSNO member! Click here for jobs, and scroll down web page for listings.

Kathleen Charette, MSN, MEd, RN

VP of Programs

School Nurse, Tantasqua Regional School District

Carilyn Rains, MEd, RN

NASN Director

Director of School Health Services

Plymouth Public Schools

Lee Waingortin, MSN, RN, NCSN

Treasurer

Director of Nursing

Milford Public Schools

Kathy Hassey, DNP, MEd, BSN, RN

Scholarships/Awards

Director, Northeastern University

School Health Academy

Denise Schwerzler, MSN, RN, NCSN

Webmaster

School Nurse, Weston Public Schools

Theresa Hartel, BSN, MSN, RN

Co-liaison for Independent Schools

School Nurse Leader

Lisa O'connor, MSN, RN

Co-liaisons for Independent Schools

Noble and Greenough School,

Director of Health Services

Volunteer wanted!

Your name here!

Region 7 Co-Chair

Karen Rufo, MSN, RN

Region 7 Co-Chair

School Nurse Administrator

Natick Public Schools

Karen Roberto, MEd, BSN, RN, NCSN

Co-Chair NESNC Liaison

& Region 8 Chair

School Nurse

Medford Public Schools

Jenn Rocha, BSN, RN, NCSN

Representative for Vocational Technical Schools

Roselaine Charlucien-Koech, DNP, MEd, RN

NESNC Liaison & Region 8

Co-Chair

School Nurse

Boston Public Schools