Panther Professionals

     Panther Professionals is a weekly series highlighting educators, administrators, staff and aides who are dedicated to the future of the Monticello Community School District.

     “I enjoy interacting with the students,” shared Jodi Heinrich, the full-time high school and middle school nurse for the MCSD.

     Heinrich has been with the district for four years now. In the past, she was a substitute nurse for the schools, as well as a substitute teacher’s associate.

     She holds an associate nursing degree from Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta, and every three years, Heinrich has to keep up on her continuing education credits.

     She is also CPR-certified and teaches CPR to the district staff when needed.

     A lot goes into Heinrich’s role for the Monticello School District:

     • Passing out daily medications to students.

     • Assessing and treating medical issues as they arise during the school day.

     • Monitoring immunizations, physicals, and concussion forms.

     • Writing health plans.

     • Communicating with parents, doctor offices, and teachers about health concerns.

     • Filing paperwork for the state.

     • Coordinating a flu shot clinic for staff.

     Heinrich said the health plans or for those students with chronic health conditions.

     “I meet with the student, their parents, and teachers before signing off on the health plan,” explained Heinrich.

     Chronic health conditions might include: diabetes, MS (multiple sclerosis), and asthma.

     “It involves all those students who have to take medications while at school,” added Heinrich.

     The health plans include such information as the student’s health history, names and contact information of his/her doctors, a list of medications, emergency contact information, and any concerns the school needs to look for or be aware of.

     “We want to make sure the teachers know about the student’s history, too,” said Heinrich.

     When school is not in session during the school year, Heinrich gives of her time in the to Camp Courageous of Iowa, also in Monticello. She acts as an additional nurse in the summer for Camp, as it’s their busiest time of the year.

     “I have done pediatric home-care and worked in a pediatric doctor’s office at a hospital,” she said of her past work experience.

     In her free time, Heinrich enjoys spending it with her family. She and her husband Lyle have been married for 22 years. Their daughter Kaitlyn and her husband Christopher Craft reside in Kansas. Kaitlyn is a junior at Kansas State University; her husband is in the U.S. Army. The Heinrichs also have a daughter, Megan, who’s in her first year at Kirkwood Community College; pursuing nursing, a daughter Grace, a junior at MHS; and a son, Travis, a sophomore at MHS.

     “We like to go camping, boating, and canoeing,” shared Heinrich.