Pine Island School Nurse Featured in Time Magazine

Everyone's job changed in one way or another when the pandemic hit. For some, the adjustments were minor for others like Kimberly Pokrandt the changes were extremely difficult.

Pokrandt, a nurse at Pine Island schools, was recently highlighted in a Time magazine article for her efforts during the pandemic.

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"The People Who Saved A School Year" is the cover story of Time magazine's most recent issue, it highlights 29 people in education from teachers to bus drivers and the work they've done over the last year and a half.

In the article, Pokrandt discusses how school nurses had the difficult job of keeping track of kids and dealing with frustrated parents.

Pokrandt said contact tracing was the most difficult thing she's ever done in her life.

It meant asking students for specific details about their lives: whom they’d sat next to in class, or who was in their carpool. During football season, it meant telling players they had to miss a game and hearing from angry parents, "telling me I ruined their child’s life.”

Pokrandt has organized vaccine clinics for kids (12+) and adults that wanted to be vaccinated by a familiar/trusted face. She said, "If I’m modeling what we need to do to get out of this situation, I think they’re more likely to do it.”

Read the entire Time magazine article here.

GOOD NEWS: 

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