Lee County school board approves reorganization that merges physical and mental health oversight; nurses and psychologists press for licensed supervisors

The Lee County School Board voted to approve a set of revised job descriptions and an organizational chart that groups nursing, counseling and psychological services under a single Director of Physical and Mental Health Services, with assistant and senior coordinator positions to support the director. The vote on the pulled agenda item (K4) passed 6–1 after more than an hour of public comment and board discussion.

The change was introduced by Superintendent Carlin as a structural realignment meant to add administrative capacity and “right‑size” the district’s leadership. “The director position is not a one and done,” Superintendent Carlin said, describing the plan as including an assistant director and a senior coordinator to support nursing, counseling and psychology functions. “So I really want to be very crystal clear that we are not saying that the director is over all of that with no support.”

School nurses, school psychologists and counselors testified at the meeting and in advance workshops that the proposed job descriptions do not guarantee that registered nurses or licensed psychologists will supervise clinical nursing or psychological work. “Referring to our department as physical health is frankly insulting,” said…