From upset tummies and scraped knees to daily meds and minor emergencies, school nurses are the unsung heroes of our local schools. Today, Kellie Koch is getting a song.
Kellie Koch, a BSN RN, is also a Nationally Certified School Nurse, a certification she earned this summer.
But she hasn't always been a school nurse.
Kellie worked for fourteen years at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital as a bone marrow transplant nurse. After her family relocated to Allen, she got her children settled before she began working as a substitute nurse in Allen ISD. She began her current position, as the school nurse at Lowery Freshman Center, in 2020.
When asked about the job, Kellie pauses before saying, "I think the most memorable thing about being a school nurse is when kids tell you that you've made a difference or that they're happy to see you, they're glad you're there." She goes on to say, "Every day is so different—you never know what the day is going to be."
No matter what the day holds, it's easy to see why Kellie is so beloved by the community. She is kind and confident, with a warmth that undoubtedly puts visitors to the clinic at ease.
As Kellie sees it, "We're here for more than just Band-Aids and ice packs. There's such a value to having a nurse in the building. For parents, students, and teachers."
"The most memorable thing about being a school nurse is when kids tell you that you've made a difference or that they're happy to see you, they're glad you're there."
