Canutillo ISD parents and nurses urge board to restore RN staffing, nurse coordinator

Julie Scott, co‑chair of the district School Health Advisory Council, told the Canutillo Independent School District Board of Trustees during public comment that community members want the district to restore its registered‑nurse (RN) staffing model and the district nurse coordinator position.

"The March 25 budget amendment reducing RN staffing and eliminating the nurse coordinator position has generated widespread concern from parents, medical professionals and community stakeholders," Scott said, presenting a draft resolution on behalf of the advisory council.

The resolution, as read by Scott, asks the board to reinstate the district’s prior RN model and the nurse coordinator post, to commit to public stakeholder engagement on future budget decisions affecting student health and to prioritize student well‑being while exploring alternative cost‑savings that do not jeopardize care.

Parents and school nurses gave specific examples of on‑campus medical needs. "We have 379 students with allergies that are listed for anaphylaxis; we have 26 students with diabetes; we have 72 students with epilepsy and seizure disorders," one commenter said during the public comment period. Registered nurse Jean Ciano recounted responding to a cardiac arrest on campus and said RN training and clinical experience matter in emergencies: "An RN cannot safely supervise an LVN while being the only medical professional at another campus," Ciano said. "You are putting a price on our students' lives and those lives are priceless."

Adriela Coteo, who identified herself as the registered nurse at José Alameda Elementary School, told trustees that many students at her campus are low‑income and rely on school nurses as their primary access to medical care. She described daily tasks that include tube feedings, insulin administration, seizure response and coordinating referrals and vision vouchers for families who lack access to primary care.

Speakers and the draft resolution raised practical and compliance concerns. Scott said the nurse coordinator provides clinical leadership, program oversight, technology and compliance support and acts as a liaison between families, staff and public health resources. Commenters warned that reducing RN staffing and eliminating the coordinator could limit timely emergency response, complicate communicable‑disease contact tracing and verification of immunizations, and disproportionately affect students with chronic conditions or disabilities.

Several speakers urged that if cost savings are required, the district pursue alternatives that do not cut RN capacity and central clinical leadership. The School Health Advisory Council’s draft resolution also requested establishing formal stakeholder engagement—public forums, surveys and collaborative workshops—before adopting future budget changes that affect health services.

Board members did not take a vote on the resolution during the public comment period; the draft was presented to the trustees for consideration.

The public comment speakers and the advisory council asked the board to publicly commit to restoring RN staffing levels and the nurse coordinator role or to provide a detailed plan explaining how the district will maintain clinical oversight, emergency preparedness and compliance if the staffing change stands.

What happens next: the resolution was presented to the board but no formal action was recorded during the meeting. Speakers asked the administration and trustees for a prompt, transparent response and for the district to publish any staffing and contingency plans affecting campus medical coverage.