Arlington reports more than 31,000 health‑room visits; district adds intranasal epinephrine at buildings

Krista Kramer, the Arlington School District’s district nurse, told the board that documented health‑room visits across the district have topped 31,000 this school year and that the district has expanded emergency medication and screening efforts.

Kramer said mental‑health–related health conditions have grown compared with pre‑pandemic levels and noted that immunization paperwork out of compliance has fallen from 39 students to about 30 after a recent district push. She also announced that the district now stocks an intranasal form of epinephrine in all buildings for use in suspected anaphylaxis.

Kramer told the board that “if you just glance at these are our big ones that Anne and our nurses in the buildings really, really look at,” and that the district’s documented health‑room visits are “over 31,000.” She said mental‑health reports have “almost doubled since 02/2022,” noting part of the rise may be increased reporting and greater need. Kramer described the intranasal option as an alternative to an intramuscular injection and said, “we now have this stocked in all of our buildings as well, and it’s really, really cool.”

On immunizations, Kramer said Washington State law requires students either meet required vaccinations or have documented exemptions. She reported the district’s out‑of‑compliance count had fallen to about 30 students after recent follow‑up by school nurses, and said the district’s work to enter records into the state database continued.

Board members and staff also discussed the volume and types of health‑room activity, including medication orders, screenings and the breadth of conditions monitored—ranging from seizure disorders to vision and hearing needs. One board member observed that many health‑room visits serve students seeking emotional support and that health‑room staff provide both clinical and relational care.

Kramer emphasized the workload for nurses and the range of daily tasks, adding that the district’s nurse team and building staff continue to manage increasing screening and care needs. Nurse Anne, who was recognized by the board and noted to be retiring after about 28 years in the district, was singled out for her longtime work with students and staff.

The board received the update as informational; no formal board action was recorded during the presentation.

Clarifying details reported at the meeting include a district‑wide documented health‑room visit total of more than 31,000 visits (reported as 31,585 in presentation materials), an improvement in immunization out‑of‑compliance cases from 39 to about 30 after a recent push, and the district’s adoption of stock intranasal epinephrine for all school buildings.