Position Overview
Four Rivers Charter Public School seeks an experienced, collaborative, and student-centered Registered Nurse to lead our school health program for approximately 220 students in grades 712.
Four Rivers is an EL Education college preparatory charter public school in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Our mission is to educate young people for lives of learning and service through rigorous academics, character development, meaningful community engagement, and high-quality work.
As the primary health professional for our stand-alone public school district, the School Nurse provides direct nursing care, coordinates student health services, ensures compliance with Massachusetts school health requirements, and serves as a clinical resource to students, families, staff, and school leadership.
The School Nurse exercises independent professional nursing judgment within their licensed scope of practice while working in close partnership with school and district leadership, Student Services, families, health care providers, the school physician, and public health agencies.
Primary Responsibilities
Student Health & Clinical Care
- Assess and provide appropriate care for illness, injury, medical emergencies, and ongoing student health needs.
- Administer medications and prescribed treatments consistent with provider orders, Massachusetts requirements, and professional nursing standards.
- Develop, implement, and monitor Individual Health Care Plans, Emergency Action Plans, medication plans, and related student health plans.
- Coordinate care with students, families, providers, and school personnel.
- Make appropriate referrals and follow up on health concerns that may affect student safety, attendance, participation, or access to learning.
- Provide emergency nursing response and support school emergency preparedness.
School Health Program & Compliance
- Establish and maintain a comprehensive school health program consistent with Massachusetts law, DPH requirements, DESE expectations, and Board of Registration in Nursing standards.
- Maintain accurate and confidential electronic student health records.
- Coordinate mandated screenings, immunization compliance, health reporting, and required follow-up.
- Maintain systems and an annual calendar for health-related deadlines, certifications, screenings, trainings, medication orders, and regulatory requirements.
- Maintain appropriate health office supplies, emergency medications, equipment, and standing orders.
Medication Administration & Delegation
- Maintain a safe and compliant medication administration program.
- Determine, within Massachusetts requirements and professional nursing judgment, when health-related tasks may appropriately be delegated.
- Train, assess, and support staff performing approved delegated tasks.
- Maintain required documentation related to medication administration, delegation, and staff competency.
Student Support & Collaboration
- Participate in Student Services, Health & Safety, 504, IEP, MTSS, attendance, re-entry, and other student planning processes when health expertise is relevant.
- Recognize when physical symptoms may intersect with mental health, behavioral health, substance use, or social-emotional concerns and collaborate with appropriate school professionals.
- Provide health-related recommendations and accommodations while respecting the roles and responsibilities of other members of the student support team.
- Communicate regularly and respectfully with students and families, protecting student confidentiality and privacy.
Fieldwork & School Programming
Because community-based learning and fieldwork are central to Four Rivers, the School Nurse will:
- Review student health needs for fieldwork, athletics, overnight experiences, intensives, and other off-campus activities.
- Identify necessary medications, emergency plans, accommodations, staff training, and health coverage.
- Collaborate with staff and administration to support safe and equitable student participation.
- Determine when licensed nursing coverage or other specialized health support is required.
Public Health & School Safety
- Monitor and respond appropriately to communicable disease and other public health concerns.
- Serve as a liaison with the school physician, Greenfield Health Department, Massachusetts DPH School Health Services, and other public health partners.
- Collaborate with school leadership on health-related emergency planning, infectious disease response, environmental health concerns, and schoolwide communication.
Professional Authority & Partnership with School Leadership
Effective school health services require both clear professional nursing authority and strong collaboration.
The School Nurse is responsible for professional nursing decisions including:
- Nursing assessment and interventions
- Individual nursing plans of care
- Medication administration within applicable orders and regulations
- Nursing delegation and supervision
- Clinical documentation and communication with health care providers
- Determining whether nursing activities fall within professional scope and standards
School and district leadership maintains responsibility for:
- School operations and programming
- Personnel supervision and evaluation
- Staffing, scheduling, and budget decisions
- Schoolwide policies and emergency-management structures
- Educational and administrative decisions
The School Nurse and leadership collaborate on:
- School health policies and procedures
- Emergency and public health response
- Health office staffing and coverage
- Fieldwork and extracurricular health planning
- Student support and attendance concerns involving health
- Health-related accommodations
- Environmental health and safety
- Family and community communication involving school health
When a clinical concern has operational, staffing, educational, or financial implications, the nurse is expected to communicate the concern and clinical rationale promptly so that an appropriate, safe, and lawful plan can be developed collaboratively.
