Cloquet school nurse honored with state award

The School Nurse Organization of Minnesota has named Sarah Ellena, Cloquet school district nurse, as its 2024 "School Nurse of the Year." The award annually recognizes one licensed school nurse in the state for "excellence in nursing practice and leadership."

Ellena's career after graduating from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth includes experience in long-term care, pediatric and pediatric intensive care, public health and volunteer services, as well as nursing services in Carlton and Cloquet public schools.

In 1998, she accepted a part-time nurse position at Carlton while also working with the Carlton County Public Health Department and Volunteer Services. Projects she worked with included a dental health collaboration with the University of Minnesota; an early screening, diagnosis and treatment program; child checkups, maternal home visits; emergency

preparedness; and suicide

prevention.

"Sarah recognized early on in her career the large number and high complexity of health-related conditions in both mainstream and special education students," her nomination read. "As a continuous and strong advocate for students and families, Sarah has routinely kept district leadership informed of the needs addressed through health services."

In 2003, a full-time position opened in her hometown of Cloquet and she has been employed there since. This marks her 27th year as a licensed school nurse.

It's a job she loves. "The relationships that you build with students and families and the joy you get caring for kids and helping them get to school every day,' Ellena said, when asked what keeps her so engaged with the work.

In 2009, the district added a nurse to the high school health office, where Ellena worked with 800 students in a district with 2,700 total students.

"Sarah's strong advocacy for an improved nurse-to-student ratio was again recognized following the Covid-19 pandemic," the nomination read. Another licensed school nurse in the district was added, "which has significantly impacted the assessment and referral of mental health needs along with additional direct and preventative care."

Ellena said she was humbled, and surprised by the award. "I never put myself in that caliber," she said. Others certainly do.

"Sarah shows tremendous character and leadership on a daily basis," Cloquet High School principal Steve Battaglia said. "She is a compassionate individual with a sense of empathy that would be beneficial for all educators to possess. These traits are the reasons she was able to lead our district through the most challenging time, the Covid pandemic."

Robbi Mondatti, Washington Elementary School principal, said that "in addition to being a great leader, Sarah is incredibly personable and responsive to the needs of students and families she provides for. Despite having a huge student body to oversee, Sarah is invested in a very individualized way. Each student, their needs, their plan, and their family are important to Sarah. She goes above and beyond daily."

Ellena isn't new to plaudits for her work. In 2011, she received a "Friend of EMS" award for her work and partnership with the Cloquet Area Fire District. Her work provided the district with 10 defibrillators and provided staff members with training to assist with potential cardiac events.