Greetings School Nurses, NYSASN Members and Board of Directors,
On behalf of the New York State Association of School Nurses, I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday with family and friends. As we count our blessings this past year, I hope you enjoyed a truly magical holiday filled with cherished traditions surrounded by loved ones. I would also like to thank you for your support during the past year.
NYSASN offers excellent education conferences and represents school nurses at the state level. Our conferences offer more than educational opportunities. It’s a time to have fun and unite with our school nurse colleagues.
Here are the dates for our 2026 Conferences:
SCHOOL NURSE ORIENTATION (SNO) Conference, August 3,4,5, 2026
The Lodge at Welch Allyn, Baxter Co., Skaneateles Falls, NY
NYSASN ANNUAL CONFERENCE, November 6-8, 2026 in Binghamton NY.
The New York State Association of School Nurses (NYSASN) recognizes school nurses in New York State who excel in their practice of school nursing. NYSASN representatives from each Zone are encouraged, not required, to present one school nurse from their Zone each year with the Award for Excellence in School Nursing. Award recipients are chosen at the Zone level providing they meet the criteria. Please send a nomination to your Zone Representative or Past President Annette Cobb if no Zone Representative no later than February 21, 2026 to be considered a candidate for this prestigious award.
Charlotte Grace was a dedicated School Nurse and active member of our organization for many years. She served on the NYSASN Board of Directors as Zone Coordinator from 1990 until her death in 1993. Her appreciation for and commitment to education was exemplified by the attainment of a Bachelor’s degree in 1951 and, just prior to her death, a Master’s degree in Elementary Education/Computers. The New York State Association of School Nurses (NYSASN) is proud to offer the Charlotte Grace Educational Scholarship to interested and qualified members of NYSASN. Our intention is to award two (2) scholarships each year: (1) $1,000 scholarship to a NYSASN member pursuing a Bachelor’s degree and (1) $2,500 scholarship to a NYSASN member enrolled in a Master’s or an advanced degree in nursing program. The completed application and transcript must be postmarked by September 15, 2026 and sent to President Elect Patricia Hartman.
We continue to work towards the “School Nurse in every school” mandate, forever hopeful our state legislators and school officials will see the value we bring to our school communities. We have combined forces with NYSUT and the Collective Care Team in supporting bills to get this accomplished. We are also currently working with the Epilepsy Coalition of New York State for Seizure Safe Schools Legislation. Our Advocacy Chairman, Patricia Geisel, has crafted a letter for the proposed federal graduate loan regulations that many of you may have seen circulating through recent news coverage, ANA media appearances, and social media activity that was shared with all of our zones. The goal right now is simply to get this letter into our members' hands so we can begin raising awareness. This is the first step in a multi-step advocacy approach for NYSASN.
NYSASN is still working on reinforcing to New York’s School Nurses that WE are the liaison between home, school and community resources. We help guide various members throughout the state in our Mission, which is: To advance the practice of school nursing and enhance the educational success of students by promoting quality health services.
As you know, membership in your professional organization is considered a standard of excellence in your school nurse practice and shows your commitment to our profession. We applaud you for this commitment! NYSASN is the only professional organization in the state that solely represents school nurses. If you are not already a member, I urge you to consider joining. If you already are a member, I want to thank you for your continued support of NYSASN’s Mission.
I encourage you to participate in NASN’s 2025-2026 National School Nurse Workforce Study Survey. It is confidential and is open to school nurses with an active license who are currently providing school nursing services.
Finally, I want to thank you for taking care of our NYS students. We thank you for all you do while “Caring for New York’s Future”. As Florence Nightingale once said, “Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses … we must be learning all of our lives. “Together we are stronger!”
Hope to see you at our Annual Conference in November 2026.
Respectfully,
Jill Kenney RN
President NYSASN