As we head toward the finish line for the 2025-26 school year, the Hollister School District would like to clarify the roles of varying health professionals for the benefit of families and staff members.
This is important so there is full understanding about all of our valued employees in the medical field regarding appropriate terminology and expectations.
Health Clerks are assigned to each school site, and they work with the licensed Nurses to ensure all students receive the appropriate care they need.
Credentialed School Nurses Anita Sarringhaus, Miranda Eyster and Trinity Mumm are each assigned to three sites. Those nurses are not at individual school sites each day of the week, but they are at each assigned site at least one day per week.
Additionally, the district this school year hired a fourth Credentialed School Nurse, Lisett Mendoza, for the afterschool program. A fifth nurse, Gabe Phillips, provides one-on-one care for an individual with special needs.
Among core duties, nurses manage acute/chronic health conditions, administer medications according to health plans, provide first aid/emergency care, collaborate with parents and healthcare providers, monitor immunizations and health screenings, create Individualized Healthcare Plans for students with chronic health conditions and attend IEP meetings for students.
The nurses also attend to students with diabetes and students with emergency care needs such as those necessitating 911 calls.
Health clerks provide on-site support for daily first aid and urgent health needs. Their tasks can also include assisting with medication administration and documentation, communicating with parents about minor injuries or illnesses at school, supporting implementation of student care plans under nurses’ supervision and helping to manage health office operations.
In schools, the health clerks typically have the initial engagement with students, such as providing first-aid to students when needed.
“In a school setting, it is the Health Clerk who is with the students day in and day out, and we rely on them to report it to us,” Sarringhaus said. “They take care of the whole student, and their piece is vital.”
It’s helpful to use the correct terminology for titles when communicating with health clerks and understand the differentiation of the roles, which also helps with expectations.
If something needs expediting, parents should get in contact with the nurses while noting that health clerks are good at making those connections for families. If families need something done that requires a nurse, the RNs are available to help.
The district would like to thank all of our nurses and health clerks for their dedication to ensuring your students are as healthy as possible, and we look forward to providing the same high level of service when we head into the 2026-27 school year.
