At which school in the district do you work?
Stroudsburg High School

How long have you been working at SASD?
I began working in the district as a substitute nurse in 2008 and then was hired for a full-time position in 2013.

What is your favorite part of working at SASD?           I love that the SASD community is more like a family. I’ve witnessed staff come together to help other staff members, staff come together to help students or families in need, and students come together to help the community, staff, and other students in need.

If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?
My one superpower would be that I could freeze time. The old saying of ‘time goes faster as you get older’ is so true! I’d love to be able to freeze time to spend more time with my family and enjoy the things I love to do.

How and when did you know being a school nurse was what you wanted to do?
Before I began as a substitute school nurse, I had no idea what the position entailed. I thought it mainly was passing our band-aids and seeing a few students throughout the school day. After starting as a substitute, I learned that school nursing is completely different than what I thought it was. It’s a new adventure every day.

What is one thing you wish people knew about being a school nurse in general?
Besides providing direct care for both students and staff, there are so many other roles that the school nurse fills during the day. These can include student advocates, case managers, care coordinators, counselors, caseworkers, healthcare providers, educators, liaisons, and serving in a leadership role for policy development.

What is something your students have taught you?
“Never be defined by your past, it was just a lesson, not a life sentence.” So many of my students have shared personal challenges, situations, or experiences they have gone through and overcome. It serves as a reminder that what happened in the past doesn’t dictate what you can accomplish in the future.

Who do you look up to and why?           

Ruth Bader Ginsburg because she fought for injustice, overcame sexism, was the first female on the Supreme Court, and fought for gender equality Her accomplishments include being 1 of 4 justices in Supreme Court history and the first justice to officiate a same-sex marriage.

What would you say if you had the chance to go back and talk to yourself when you started substitute nursing?                                                                                                                                                                           “Don’t wait on going to get your other degrees” I wish I had gone on to get my master’s immediately.