School nurse Lorraine Bleeke was recently named Chapel Hill High School’s School Support and Wellness Employee of the Year.
The award—voted upon by the school’s faculty—honors a staff member who demonstrates school and civic involvement, positive interpersonal skills and a deep interest in the lives of students.
“I am very grateful for this award, and it’s really nice to be nominated by my peers for something like this,” Bleeke said.
Bleeke has had a more challenging year than usual due, of course, to the spread of COVID-19.
When the decision was made to return to in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year, it became clear that Bleeke’s job would involve more than giving students ice for a swollen ankle or Advil for a stubborn headache.
“I feel like COVID has put my job as a school nurse more on the back burner,” Bleeke said. “My most prominent role was contact tracing, and that’s a whole separate job, especially when the numbers were so high.”
Math teacher Emily Duncan believes Bleeke’s award is well deserved.
“I am so happy [Ms. Bleeke] won! She not only keeps track of all the COVID cases with students and staff, but she also updates us with all the news about COVID and how to stay healthy, Duncan said. “She is one of the busiest women in the school and one of the kindest people in the school.”
English teacher Bradley Mitchell said that Bleeke’s work has led to students and staff feeling safe as they’ve navigated the pandemic this year.
“I don’t think we would’ve made it this smoothly through the Coronavirus pandemic without Nurse Bleeke,” he said. “Personally, knowing that she’s been at our school has helped me feel safer throughout the whole pandemic.”
It’s not just Bleeke’s colleagues who have praise for her; students, too, have recognized the positive contributions Bleeke has made to the school.
“Nurse Bleeke has had an incredible impact on her community, and I’m very grateful for all of her help,” senior Walker Williams said. “Her job this past year has been upended, and she has done a fantastic job with all of the changes.”
Bleeke, who knew that she wanted to be a nurse since she was in elementary school, is in her sixth year at Chapel Hill High School.
“I have to say that my favorite part of this job is just working with the students and staff,” Bleeke finished.
