Health Services

Director of Health Services
Jennifer Silva, M.Ed., BSN, RN, NCSN
Email:
jsilva@medford.k12.ma.us
Phone Number: 781-393-2292
MISSION STATEMENT
The Medford Public Schools Health Services Department is dedicated to fostering the health and well-being of all students, ensuring they have the opportunity to thrive academically. Our team of licensed registered nurses are also licensed as school nurse educators by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Medford school nurses uphold the principles outlined in The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), providing equitable access to a high-quality education through the promotion of optimal student health.
Medford school nurses, guided by ethical and evidence-based practices, serve as leaders in bridging healthcare and education. They provide care coordination, advocate for student-centered care, and collaborate to create systems that empower individuals and communities to reach their full potential. By addressing daily health needs, identifying health risks, and managing both acute and chronic medical conditions, Medford school nurses ensure that each student remains healthy, engaged, and able to perform at their best within the classroom and school community.
Medford School Nurses provide:
- Illness care
- Injury prevention, treatment of injuries that occur in school and post-injury accommodation planning
- Medication administration and monitoring
- Individualized healthcare planning for students with specialized healthcare needs and ongoing case management
- Health counseling and health promotion
- Management of student health records
- Adhere to FERPA privacy standards
- Educate the school community on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- Support student’s recovery from both physical and mental health diagnosis
- Health screenings (vision, postural, hearing, height, weight, SBIRT) and follow-up care
- Communication with students, parents, the school community and healthcare providers
- Communicable disease prevention and control
- Access to resources, health care services, and insurance
- Emergency preparedness and response
The National Association of School Nurse's (NASN) Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™ creates an overarching structure that includes concepts integral to the complex clinical specialty practice of school nursing. The framework provides a graphic illustration of the key principles of professional school nursing practice, reflecting the organization's stance for evidence-based best practice and providing focus to priority school nursing activities. The framework provides guidance for the practicing school nurse to reach the goal of supporting student health and academic success by contributing to a healthy and safe school environment. NASN believes it has a responsibility to its members and to the public they serve to develop a framework for professional school nursing practice.












