She wakes up, her phone rings, she’s in her office at the school, her phone rings, she’s on her way to Mott’s Children’s Hospital, her phone rings, she finally goes home from her long day, her phone rings. 

Nurse Cathy Farris is one of the busiest people in our school. 

She’s compassionate and dedicated.

She’s always needed whatever the time may be. 

She never stops working. 

She’s always available for anyone who needs her.

She never forgets to re-contact the person who called her.

She’s the person people in our district -whether they are parents, students or staff- contact if they have medical related questions. 

She does this because she wants to help our community. 

Because she wants us to stay safe and healthy. 

Because she has more knowledge about this pandemic than most of the people in our community do. 

She’s a busy mother, an even busier Children’s Hospital nurse, and an even more busy district nurse. 

Her phone rings all day, everyday, at every hour of the day. 

“My job never ends,” Cathy said. 

She’s the person who makes sure that everyone in our district is being and staying safe. 

She’s the one who traces students who are sick. 

She’s the one who reads every single medication file of every student in our district.

Part of her job is also to collaborate with district staff.

She works with transportation to make sure bus drivers know how to safely use an epipen. 

She works with maintenance  to plan and place all the AED in our schools and dispose of medication safely. 

She’s the one who trains staff to learn how to use an AED.

COVID-19 has changed her work days.

She spends all of  her time in the office, contacting parents, teachers, tracing students and talking to the superintendent. 

She spends less of her time training, less meetings, less time doing normal things.

“It’s COVID all day,” Cathy said. 

She’s region leader for Oakland county nurses.

She’s vice principal of the Michigan association of school nurses.

She’s our district nurse.

She’s Nurse Cathy Farris.