The Covington Board of Education Thursday evening recognized members of the district’s health services team for their outstanding work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Superintendent Alvin Garrison said the services that school nurses provided over the past 18 months calls for special recognition. His remarks:

“Before March 2020, our nurses most often spent their time seeing sick children, distributing prescribed medication, supporting students with chronic health issues, calling parents, or updating health records.

“During the pandemic, more duties were added.  They have been called on to contact trace, a task which can literally take hours. They must wear layers of protective gear that previously only hospital workers wore, and they deal with hundreds of questions about the virus and our Healthy at School strategies.  We know this has been exhausting work, both physically and mentally.

“This team is led by director Jenn Fowee. She has been a calming voice of knowledge, reason, and suggestions to our district.  She has been a tremendous leader for our school nurses and our schools, staying up-to-date on the daily changes in information coming from local and national health care professionals.

“For this and so much more, we thank you all and want to officially recognize you for your hard work, compassion and concern for our students, staff and community.”

Pictured with Superintendent Alvin Garrison and Board Chair Glenda Huff, include Jenn Fowee; Julie Lafollette, nurse, Holmes High School; Megan Hedden, nurse, Holmes Middle School, Dan Goetz, nurse, John G. Carlisle Elementary; Mary Baker, nurse, Glenn O. Swing Elementary; Katie Hirsch, nurse, Ninth District Elementary; Sara Jennings, nurse, James E. Biggs Early Childhood Education Center and districtwide health assistant, Veverly Gibson, Holmes High School.

Unable to attend include nurses Katrina Houston, Sixth District Elementary; Cassie Bunch, Latonia Elementary and Karl Kaucher, who retired from Latonia earlier this year.