Members of the Fayette County Board of Education are reconsidering a move away from the Fayette County Health Department for school nurses next school year. Board Chair Tyler Murphy said they’ve asked district staff to renegotiate a one-year extension of their current contract with the health department for more than 50 school nurses. He said another option is possible down the road.
“We've asked staff to conduct a feasibility study on the possibility of an in-house model for providing our nursing staff so we wouldn't have to rely on external staffing agencies to provide the services and just explore what some of our options might be.”
In late November, the district issued a news release announcing an end to the nearly 50-year agreement with the health department. Murphy said board members learned of the decision through media reports. The release indicated the board would vote on a one-year contract with a health care temp agency for a savings of about $1.4 million. Murphy said the district’s relationship with the health department goes well beyond the school nurses it provides.
“They are key partners in our wellness initiatives, they have been key partners over the years as we navigated the pandemic several years ago. They are vital. They play a vital role in our community and in the work that we do in reaching out to our families.”
If the school board had approved Maxim Staffing Services, school nurses who wanted to keep their jobs would have had to reapply for them.
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