Save the Nurse!

I don't know how things go down at your school, but I can tell you how things work at my school.  There are kids that always seem to  have an injury.  We are talking about the same few in your classroom that need to go to the nurse after EVERY recess.  It doesn't take long to identify them at the beginning of the year, does it? Those are the kids who are constantly waiting in triage at the nurses office while he/she deals with students who really have a medical issue.  These are the same kids that continue to miss out on your beautifully planned lesson hooks and the reading of the objectives.

This year, I have decided to take $2 and help save our school nurse some time and some sanity! I went to Family Dollar and invested in 1 pack of jumbo sponges.  I made ice packs out of these sponges and will keep them in my classroom freezer -inside my little mini-fridge.  This way, I can help those students right in the classroom! The nurse won't have a line (at least from my classroom), and those students won't miss my anticipatory set! 

Here is what you can do to help out your school nurse:

Before posting this I consulted with my WONDERFUL school nurse and she said as long as the sponge doesn't touch the student and you change the bag after each student, this is a great idea to help minimize the amount of trips some students make to the nurses office! 

Of course, even the students who are always "sick"  really do need to see the nurse sometimes. So, be sure to use your professional judgment! 

Can you relate?