Lee County’s school nurse of the year crucial during pandemic

A school nurse in Southwest Florida is getting recognized for her hard work and dedication during the pandemic.

In this time of COVID-19, healthcare workers continue to be overworked, but somehow Melissa Wallace continues to take on even more.

Wallace is a mentor and counselor to students, on-call at night and on weekends for staff.

And even during the pandemic, Wallace loves what she does and who she does it for.

We often show you footage on TV of students at school in masks but we rarely get to take you inside an tell you what COVID’s been life for teachers and staff.

“This year um … it was rough,” said Harns Marsh Elementary School Principal Tracey Zenoniani.

Zenoniani knows why her school’s survived the worst of school years.

It’s because they have the best school nurse.

“They usually call me Miss Melissa,” Wallace said.

Wallace was chosen Lee County’s school nurse of the year.

“It’s been crazy. Unlike any other year,” Wallace said.

Wallace is unlike any other nurse.

On top of her COVID duties, like monitoring symptomatic students, and keeping up with the ever-changing public health guidelines, Wallace somehow found the time and the energy to do so much more.

“We had called a parent and told them, they had to come pick up their child for a 10-day quarantine, the parent had like this huge meltdown, outside saying, she was gonna lose her job,” Zenoniani said. “Melissa (Wallace) spent an hour with that parent outside consoling her and helping her.”

So how did Wallace do it? Thrive in the face of such adversity?

She’ll tell you she’s lucky to have had so many role models walk into her office each and every day.

“Our kids are amazing,” Wallace said. “I remember someone said in the beginning of all of this, well, kids are never gonna wear masks all day. They have, and they do.”