Author Archives: Stephen Green, Superintendent, DeKalb Schools

Over-Crowded Buses

Posted on October 19, 2015 | 5 comments

13 percent of the total 1,485 school bus runs at DeKalb Schools are over-crowded.


Stan Jester
Board Of Education
District 1

The DeKalb County School District’s (DCSD) Transportation Department transports approximately 60,000 students daily. As of October 11, 2015, the department has a bus driver allotment of 878 drivers of which 822 positions are “actively” engaged in providing daily bus transportation support for 803 routes. The District has a total school bus fleet of 1,009 school buses with an average age of 10.1 years. The District maintains a minimum of 950 schools buses, to include 100 spares, to ensure bus availability to support the District’s daily transportation operations. The DeKalb County School District follows the industry standard of three students per seat for grades K-5 and two students per seat for grades 6-12.
At the Board of Education meeting this month, many bus drivers showed up for public comments to explain some concerns they have. As reported by Marlon A. Walker in the AJC, “Sometimes, bus driver Kim Davis says, the school buses in DeKalb County are so full of students that some are forced to stand the whole way to school.”
Cathy Douglas, president of the Bus Advisory Council, said she believed the district was down about 70 bus drivers and did not have the buses needed to handle every route. “Children are late every day because of no drivers,” she said. “On some buses, there are as many as 80 students on 64-passenger buses. If a bus breaks down, we’re in trouble.”
The school district’s analysis and response last week to over-crowded buses:
STRATEGIC OVERVIEW TO ADDRESS OVER-CROWDED BUSES

Subject: Strategic Overview to Address Over-Crowded Buses
By: Superintendent Stephen Green

Analysis/ Findings
The Transportation Department conducted a capacity/utilization analysis of all bus routes and identified bus runs over capacity by one or more students. Based upon this internal analysis, approximately 13 percent of the total 1,485 school bus runs are over-crowded at this time. As of October 11, 2015, there are 196 bus runs identified as being over-crowded. However, this does not imply that all over-crowded school bus runs have students standing while the bus is in motion. The following prioritization strategy is being utilized to address these issues in the short-term:

  • Priority #1: More than 16 students over bus capacity
  • Priority #2: Between 6 and 15 students over bus capacity
  • Priority #3: Less than 6 students over bus capacity

Short-Term Strategy
The District’s short-term strategy focuses on resolving all over-crowded runs no later than October 23, 2015. The following key actions will be taken over the next several days:

  • Continue to validate ridership in collaboration with schools and Transportation staff
  • Balance loads and reassign students to new bus runs as appropriate
  • Where load balancing is not feasible, additional drivers and/or double runs will be utilized
  • Partner with school bus transportation service vendors as a supplemental resource to address overcrowding
  • Effectively communicate student route changes to all impacted stakeholders prior to implementation

Long-Term Strategy
The District will continue to further develop a comprehensive long term strategy (3 to 5 years) to balance student ridership across the District. This long term strategy will consider the following key areas as we seek to build additional capacity to ensure scalability and accommodate future growth:

  • Conduct a thorough analysis of the Transportation management structure and operations to enhance the District’s school bus service delivery
  • Significantly reduce the annual employee turnover rate by hiring and retaining a larger pool of highly qualified school bus drivers and monitors
  • Improve internal and external communications with all stakeholders
  • Purchase additional buses in accordance with the District’s school bus replacement cycle
  • Determine annual funding requirements for long term sustainability

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Posted in Buses, Stephen Green

School Health Care Realignment of Services

Posted on October 10, 2015 | 5 comments

Stan Jester
Board Of Education
District 1

On Thursday Oct 1, ten(10) school nurses across the district were given two days notice they were being transferred to other schools.
I asked Superintendent Stephen Green to help us understand the guidance the district used to make these recent school nurse reassignment decisions.
Elementary Schools affected are: Bouie, Fairington, Kittredge, Vanderlyn, Oakcliff, Huntley Hills, Columbia, Oakview, Briarlake, and Hawthorne.  Reaction by the communities and many nurses:

DeKalb County Seal Logo

Parents angered over reassigned school nurses
 Parents, students upset DeKalb school nurses being moved
Nancy Jester Why are DeKalb school nurses being ripped from their communities?
Nancy Jester Former DeKalb administrator demands special service and approximately 6000 children in 10 schools pay the price
School Council Letters To BOE

Board Discussions About Nurses

March 2, 2015 note from Michael Thumond (Superintendent)
Based on feedback from the last Board of Education meeting, a revised proposal was developed that includes possible timeline for implementation, comparison of neighboring district service models and three options for consideration by the board. Please find the proposal attached at  Student Health Services In Schools Revised Proposal.pdf
Laws, Rules And Policy


Dr. Stephen Green sent this out Friday Oct 9:

Subject: School Health Care Realignment of Services
By: Superintendent Stephen Green

I have approved the realignment of health care services for students based on the need to have a registered nurse in place for students who have specific health care needs, i.e., diabetes, seizures, etc. This is with the understanding that there may be exceptions but any exceptions will be treated as such and will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. While we understand and appreciate the relational impact of this decision, priority has been given to our students and their health care needs.
School Health Care Realignment of Services
Some diabetic students in the DeKalb County School District were not being served in accordance with district practices. The practice as implemented in 2004 was to ensure that every student with diabetes was supported by a licensed nurse during the entire instructional day. In addition, the District ceased hiring additional School Clinic Assistants in 2004 and only hired licensed nurses to support the growing health care medical needs of students.
As directed by the BOE and Superintendent in FY2014 and FY2015 the administration assessed the current level of services for all students throughout the District. In our assessment we found that there were diabetic students in elementary schools without a licensed nurse. In these settings, nurses from neighboring schools had to be pulled for approximately 2 or more hours per day for support including insulin injections; leaving their respective locations unsupported. In addition to our audit, the Board of Education approved the addition of 5 nurses to support the middle and high schools for FY2016.
A plan was developed utilizing 2014-2015 as well as current 2015-2016 school enrollment data; along with a comparative analysis of practices in place in neighboring districts. Additionally, we reviewed state regulations regarding nurses and determined that the most viable solution was to continue with our current practice of ensuring that every student with diabetes was supported by a licensed nurse during the entire instructional day. This was predicated on the concerns of the District regarding insulin injection, incorrect dosages, corrective equations, interpretation of medical orders, school nurse best practices and the continuity of care.
The plan was shared with the Superintendent and permission was given to move forward. From our assessment, there were 5 elementary schools with students with a diabetic diagnosis or insulin dependent that were not being served during the entire instructional day by a licensed nurse. As such, the following plan was initiated;

  • On September 3, 2015 all school health personnel attended a meeting
  • During this meeting a 3 tier plan was discussed
  • The plan included reassignments based upon the needs of all students in the District;
  • Hiring of nurses to support the middle and high schools;
  • Providing opportunities for unlicensed personnel to earn Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) credentialing by August 2017; and
  • The District went further to develop a collaboration with DeKalb High School of Technology South to develop the training for current non-licensed staff.

The selection method was based upon the proximity of staff within the Region, essentially wanting to keep staff as close to the current location as possible.
While the District understands that no person truly desires to be reassigned or leave their current location, we must do what do what is in the best interest of students. We are saddened that some have elected to end their service abruptly due to this reassignment; however, pursuant to BOE policy employees work assignments are at the discretion of the Superintendent according to the best interest of the District.
Moving forward we have already posted the 5 nurses positions added to the FY2016 budget for MS and HS and expect to interview candidates by the end of the week. Additionally, we will work with schools where the staff elected to resign abruptly to get the positions advertised for replacement and District licensed personnel will be in place to support the schools.

 

Certified Nursing Assistant
A certified nursing assistant, or CNA, helps patients or clients with healthcare needs under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Also known as a Nursing Assistant (NA) a Patient Care Assistant (PCA) or a State Tested Nurse Aid (STNA), the individual who carries this title needs strong work ethic and ability, but issues of liability and legality prevent CNAs from performing certain procedures.
Role of the CNA
Your regular responsibilities as a nursing assistant will vary based on where you work or live. Nursing assistants can work in a wide variety of settings; nursing homes, hospitals, adult day care centers, personal homes and assisted living facilities all require nursing assistants to act as a helpful liaison between the RN or LPN and the patient. In many cases, the nursing assistant serves as the RN’s or LPN’s eyes and ears, and relays information between many patients and one or two RNs.
Medical Assistant
A medical assistant is an allied health professional that supports the work of physicians and other health professionals, usually in a clinic setting Medical assistants perform routine clinical and administrative duties under the direct supervision of a physician or other health care professional. Medical assistants perform many administrative duties, including answering telephones, greeting patients, updating and filing patients’ medical records, filling out insurance forms, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services, and handling billing and book keeping. Duties vary according to laws of the jurisdiction and may include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examination, and assisting during diagnostic examinations. Medical assistants collect and prepare laboratory specimens or perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They instruct patients about medications and special diets, prepare and administer medications as directed, authorize drug refills as directed, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, draw blood, prepare patients for X-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings. They also facilitate communication between the patient and other health care professionals.
Registered Nurse
A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program and met the requirements outlined by a country or state licensing body in order to obtain a nursing license. An RN’s scope of practice is determined by local legislation governing nurses, and usually regulated by a professional body or council.

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Posted in Healthcare, Stephen Green