Linda Bordwell Chosen School Nurse Of The Year

It’s all about caring.

Linda Bordwell, a school nurse for Spokane School District 81, said caring for her students was what allowed her to be named the Washington State School Nurse of the Year last week.

Bordwell was selected from 450 other nurses. She’s been a District 81 nurse for 19 years. When told she won the award her response was: You gotta be kidding.

“We honor our peers, but I never saw myself as an honoree,” she said.

Bordwell now qualifies for the national school nurse of the year award.

She’s no stranger in school nursing circles around the state. For the last three years she has received the Governor’s Award for a substance use and abuse awareness program she started in her schools a few years ago.

She is only one of nine nurses hired by the district. She works at Rogers High School, Shaw Middle School and Bemiss, Madison and Regal Elementary Schools.

The nearly 4,000 students at those six schools have just one nurse. Bordwell said her job is much more challenging today than it was when she first started.

“There are many, many more needs and fewer resources to meet those needs,” Bordwell said. “There is less family and community support for our children as evidenced by violence and teen pregnancy.

“When I started, there were one or two special needs students in each class. Now, a third to half of all classrooms have students with some kind of special need,” she said.

“I deal with a middle and low-middle income community, and I feel a lot of frustration in trying to meet those needs,” she said.

Ironically, medical advances of today have allowed more people, including children, to live longer. Bordwell sees those children with medical needs on a daily basis.

“Kids weren’t coming to school seeking medical treatment. Two-pound babies didn’t make it out of the hospital 19 years ago. Today they do. And with that, come some medical issues,” Bordwell said. “And we often don’t have the adequate resources to help them the way we’d like.

“I don’t think people understand, there is not a nurse in each building,” she said.

Music + Exercise = Appreciation

With an extensive background in music and physical education, Deer Park Elementary school teacher Linda Coe incorporates the two into her classes.

“At a young age there are different levels of skill development,” Coe said. “In P.E. classes I emphasize that participation is important, not competition.”

Good sportsmanship is stressed, and children are taught the importance of following the rules and being safe.

“You are on top if you are doing your best and following the rules of the game,” Coe said.

Every year, Coe provides students an opportunity to participate in the American Heart Association Jump Rope for Heart program. Then the students have the chance to perform in front of their parents at the winter and spring music programs.

Music is also played in P.E. classes.

Her goal? “For each child to leave the school wanting to take care of themselves physically, emotionally and spiritually,” she said.

Students helping animals

A group of eighth graders at Mead Middle School is collecting animal food and money for the Humane Society.

“This is something we just started,” said student Casie Ernst. “Every (homeroom) team has to pick something to devote for community service.”

The students will be taking donations for the rest of the year.

Other classrooms are donating time and money to other needy elements of the community, Ernst said.

For more information, call Mead Middle School at 465-7400.

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