NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Isaac E. Young Middle School nurse Kate Lawrence says when students enter the school’s new nurses’ suite these days they have this to say, “Wow! It’s bright!”
Thanks to funding from the bond passed in May of 2016, the nurses’ suite is not only brighter, but bigger and better.
“It’s like night and day,” said Lawrence, who has worked at IEYMs for 8 years. “We have new floors, new rooms and a new bathroom.”
Lawrence is one of two registered nurses who staff the suite and serve the school’s population of about 1,200 students and staff members. The other is Elise Schepp.
The old nurses’ office was just 750 square feet. An additional 150 square feet were added during the summer renovation, bringing the suite space to 900 square feet total.
The layout is different as well. There is now a separate exam room, and the room where sick or injured students rest has new observation windows, allowing the nurses to keep an eye on their patients without going in. The nurses also have an office now, providing parents with privacy when discussing their students’ medical needs. The triage and storage spaces are also bigger and improved.
Finally, the nurses’ office was located in a part of the school that was built at an angle. Because of the additional square footage, the suite is now situated in an open and welcoming square area.