Story provided by Stillwater Public Schools

Project SWITCH has selected Stillwater Public Schools School Nurse David Coates to be one of ten school nurses in the state to participate in a CDC leadership program designed to assist schools in adjusting to the challenges of COVID-19.

According to Beverly Burk, RN, President of the School Nurse Organization of Oklahoma, Project SWITCH (Strengthening Wellness and Improving Teachers and Children’s Health) is a one-year supplemental program from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) with the goal of providing training and assistance to schools on the implementation of the CDC’s COVID-19 school-based guidance in the areas of physical activity, chronic disease management, social emotional climate, nutrition services, and supporting high risk/vulnerable populations.

As part of the project, Coates will attend monthly meetings and receive additional trainings. A region of the state will be assigned to each member of Project SWITCH, and nurses like Coates will conduct virtual Communities of Practice meetings to disseminate CDC information and provide professional support to individuals at other schools in the region.