What are the responsibilities and job description for the School Nurse position at String Theory Schools?
School Nurse (6–12 Charter School)
Philadelphia Performing Arts: A String Theory Charter School
Position Type: Full-Time, 10.5 Month
Reports To: Head of School / Chief Operating Officer
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Position Summary
The School Nurse promotes and protects the health, safety, and well-being of students and staff in a 6–12 charter school environment. The School Nurse provides direct nursing care, including first aid in emergencies. The School Nurse maintains all student medical records, coordinates and conducts all mandated student health screenings (hearing, vision, growth, and scoliosis), and provides guidance and educational support to students in health-related matters.
The School Nurse serves as a critical liaison among families, school personnel, healthcare providers, and community agencies while maintaining compliance with all federal, state, and local health mandates.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Student Health Services
- Must be able to prioritize duties in fast paced environment
- Provide direct nursing care to students, including first aid, emergency response, medication administration, and health assessments.
- Coordinate and conduct all Pennsylvania mandated student health screenings to include growth, vision, hearing, and scoliosis (applicable grades).
- Assess and manage acute illness, injuries, and chronic medical conditions during the school day.
- Monitor and support students with asthma, diabetes, seizures, severe allergies, mental health concerns, and other chronic conditions.
- Maintain accurate and confidential student health records in accordance with FERPA, HIPAA, and state regulations.
- Communicate with parents/guardians regarding student health concerns, exclusions, emergencies, and required documentation.
Health Education & Prevention
- Promote wellness initiatives and preventive health education for students and staff.
- Assist with and help create protocols for health-related training (professional development) for faculty and staff, including:
- CPR/AED
- EpiPen administration
- Seizure response
- Universal precautions
- Concussion protocols
- Mandatory reporting
- Meet compliance for mandatory child abuse reporting.
- Support social-emotional wellness and mental health referrals in collaboration with counselors and administration.
- Participate in crisis response, threat assessments, and school safety planning.
- Collaborate with administrators, counselors, special education staff, teachers, and families to support student success.
- May be asked to participate in school meetings such as:
- Child Study meetings
- 504 meetings
- IEP meetings as appropriate
- Attendance and truancy support efforts
- Serve as a resource to staff regarding student health concerns and accommodations.
Compliance & Regulatory Responsibilities
- Maintain up-to-date immunization tracking and exclusion protocols in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) mandates and guidelines.
- Support compliance monitoring for:
- Attendance and medically related absences
- Health-related school enrollment and continued attendance requirements
- Communicable disease guidance, as applicable
- School wellness initiatives
- Coordinate with city health agencies and outside providers when required.
- Maintain accurate documentation for charter renewal, audits, and compliance reviews.
- Complete required student health annual reports to include:
- School Health Annual Reimbursement Request System (SHARRS)
- School Immunization Law Report (SILR)
- Employ the School’s Student Information System to record and document:
- Student health concerns and history
- Health examinations and screenings
- Office visits
- Medication inventory and administration
- All other required documentation involving student health
Qualifications
- Active Pennsylvania Registered Nurse (RN) license
- Pennsylvania School Nurse Certification (Educational Specialist I or II)
- Current CPR/AED certification
- Act 168, Act 34, Act 114, and Act 151 clearances
- Minimum of 2 years nursing experience preferred
- Experience working with adolescents preferred
- Knowledge of Pennsylvania school health regulations and compliance requirements
- Strong organizational, communication, and documentation skills
- Ability to manage emergencies calmly and effectively
- Proficiency with electronic health record systems and Google Workspace
Required Clearances
All clearances must be current and maintained throughout employment:
- PA Criminal Background Check (Act 34)
- FBI Fingerprinting Clearance (Act 114)
- PA Child Abuse Clearance (Act 151)
- Act 168 Employment History Review
- Mandated Reporter Training (Act 126)
Please visit our website at https://www.stringtheoryschools.org/career/join-our-team to learn about the application process. Send all required materials to employment@stringtheoryschools.org.