In New Haven city officials say they are dealing with the resignation of school nurses.
In an email obtained by NBC Connecticut that was sent to school board members by schools superintendent Dr. Iline Tracey, she explains there are three schools from which the assigned nurses have resigned for several reasons - Basset, Fair Haven, and one covering the specialized classroom at Hillhouse. However, the school officials say they used a temp agency to provide nurses.
"Some of the resignations is something that's very common," said Maritza Bond, New Haven's health director. "Has been common throughout the years, so what we're doing is we're just making sure that we're being creative."
The city told NBC Connecticut that there are eight nurse vacancies to be filled but that all schools are currently staffed with at least one nurse.
"There is at least one school nurse assigned to every hybrid school that is open at this time," Bond said.
Darnell Goldson, a board of education member, said although that's the city goal, it has yet to be achieved. Goldson emphasized that the board made it clear that in order for schools to reopen safely that every school needed a nurse. But according to him, after a meeting held with the superintendent earlier this week that is not the case.
Local
"So what they were saying is every school has coverage because they're doubling them up," said Goldson, "We certainly do not have a nurse in every school all day long we may have a nurse covering a school from another school but they are not in the school all day long."
David Chicarella, president of New Haven Federation of teachers, said it's vital to have a nurse not just for students but for everyone.
"There still lots of students in those buildings their staff there's principals custodians," he said. "So there's adults and children in those buildings we need to have a nurse in those buildings because you don't know what's gonna come up our hour to hour minute to minute."
The city said they are currently seeking qualified nurses for employment at this time. To apply, click here.
