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Board reviews school nurse report

New London High School

More New London students use health office

By John Faucher

New London school board members received an end-of-year summary from the School Health Services department at its June 27 board meeting.

Director of Pupil Services Kandi Martin shared the report provided by School Nurse Susan Resch.

New London’s Health Services Department consists of Resch, three health aides, and a physician medical advisor from the local healthcare network.

During the 2021-22 school-year, 21,324 students were seen in the school health office. That number was 8,903 visits over the prior year.

Staff administered 6,703 doses of medications during the school year.

Resch reported some students receive medications daily and others are given medication on an as-needed or emergency basis.
Staff assisted diabetic students with 1,869 doses of insulin during the school year.

Martin explained the district has a higher number of diabetic students than is typical in a statewide or nationwide population.

Last year 11 diabetic students attended New London schools.

In addition to assisting students with their insulin, Martin said the district health staff also supervises diabetics in carbohydrate counting for meals and snacks and in blood sugar monitoring throughout the day.

Blue Loop program

New London also participates in the Blue Loop program for diabetic students and their families.

Blue Loop is a program for diabetics developed by John Henry in conjunction with the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. It is a monitoring system that allows school staff, CHW, and parents to see their child’s blood sugar level numbers throughout the day.

“This has helped me in my monitoring of the diabetics throughout the district,” Resch wrote in her year-end summary. “Parents appreciate immediate notice of their child’s blood sugar levels and it decreases some of the stress that these families deal with when they are not with their children.”

Martin said this was the fourth year New London utilized the Blue Loop program.

Seal a Smile

Seal a SmileOther health office highlights Martin shared with the board included the return of the “Seal a Smile” program after a “hiatus due to COVID 19.”

Martin said the county’s Seal a Smile program requires parental permission and 353 students took part in having their teeth sealed this year.

The school health office also connected students in need of immediate or ongoing health and dental needs with the Partnership Community Health Center in Appleton and Waupaca.

In her annual report, Resch noted that there is a lack of dental and eye care specialists in Waupaca County who will accept Badger Care for student insurance, which results in lack of care, ultimately impacting children’s health and school success.

Resch reported that the New London Lion’s Club assisted 21 students in obtaining a free eye exam at Griebenow Eyecare. The club also paid for the student’s eyeglasses if they needed them.

She reported the health office continues to see an increase in students who are uninsured, underinsured or who receive Badger Care.

Resch also noted they have seen an increase of students with mental health issues, while there continues to be a “severe shortage of providers” in the area to meet the increased need.

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