Jen Gerard, the district’s school nurse specialist, told the Canyons Board of Education on Oct. 7 that school nurses are seeing an increase in chronic and complex medical needs and have expanded preventive services districtwide.

Gerard said nurses now cover one to three schools each and manage daily care, chronic conditions and emergencies that affect students’ ability to learn. “Students need to be able to learn and they need people need to feel well, in class and it directly impacts their ability to learn when they're feeling well and they're in class and their needs met,” Gerard said.

The presentation documented several program expansions and use data Gerard said show growing demand. Nurses now oversee hearing screening (added districtwide in February 2023 after two audiologists left), expanded vision screening (grades 1–3 and 10 were added in 2022–23), standing medication orders and additional vaccination clinics that have reduced exclusions. Gerard said a telehealth pilot last year covered 11 district offices serving 17 schools and was expanded this year so every building has telehealth equipment; she said most telehealth visits result in zero days of school missed because a clinician can evaluate a student and prescriptions can be called in.

Gerard also reviewed clinical incidents and training: anaphylaxis training is offered broadly and district nurses have administered three EpiPen doses in the past two years; six doses of seizure rescue medication were administered by nurses over the same period; and Narcan has been administered in several years, with nurses trained to respond. Gerard said nurses train staff for individual health plans and emergency action plans; whether a child receives an individualized health plan is often a parent choice after staff offers it.

District staffing and assignment pressures were a central focus. Gerard said the district currently has nurses assigned so some cover three schools; she described a caseload example in which one nurse covers two buildings and must travel between them multiple times daily to deliver catheter and insulin care. Gerard recommended adding three full‑time nurses to reduce caseload strain and improve continuity of care.

Board members asked about outreach and communications now that telehealth has been expanded; Gerard said the district will send communications to families and employees, and that staff are working on messaging about cost and access.

What the board heard: Gerard framed the recommendation as a capacity and safety request tied to measurable service expansions — hearing and vision screening, vaccination clinics, CPR/first‑aid and stop‑the‑bleed trainings, telehealth rollout, and increased support for students with diabetes, gastrostomy tube feeding and urinary catheters. The board did not take formal action on staffing during the meeting; Gerard’s request will be considered within upcoming budget discussions.

Ending: Gerard asked the board for support in staffing to sustain the expanded services; she said the district’s nursing team will continue to track service volumes and outcomes and report back as staffing and budgets are evaluated.