School nurses, teacher librarians relieved as amended legislation moves forward

A bill that would have removed the requirement for teacher-librarians and school nurses at public districts across Iowa has been amended without those clauses included, and local educators who hold those positions are breathing a collective sigh of relief.
           
Nonetheless, the bill would still strip requirements for screenings of individual students, and concern remains that changes could be on the horizon in future sessions. State Senator Amy Sinclair of Allerton introduced the original legislation.
           
Gloria Dielschneider, a retired school nurse who was shared between BCLUW and Grundy Center for decades and is now a member of the Iowa School Nurses Organization (ISNO), still believes the profession is a vital one, particularly at rural districts. Dielschneider was recognized as the state’s School Nurse of the Year in 2012.
           
“The perception of school nurses is that they go in and screen for some things, and that’s all they do,” Dielschneider said. “Unless you have a student in school that has a health need, people don’t realize what school nurses do.” 
 
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