Congratulations Etowah Zone School Nurse of the Year: Heather Chappell of E.T. Booth MS!

It’s National Nurses Week and each day we’re celebrating one of our 2026 Innovation Zone Nurses of the Year … congratulations to Etowah Zone winner: Heather Chappell of E.T. Booth Middle School!  Thank you to all our school nurses for the essential role you play in keeping our students safe and healthy so they can learn more, grow more and achieve more in CCSD than they could anywhere else.  

What inspired you to become a school nurse?    
I didn’t just want to treat patients — I wanted to be part of a community. School nursing gives me the chance to show up for the same students every day, not just in emergencies, but in the small, in-between moments, too. Whether it’s a quick check-in between classes or a student who comes in just to regroup, those moments build trust. I wanted to be a steady presence in a place where students spend most of their time, and that connection is what drew me to this role and keeps me here.

What is most rewarding about being a school nurse?    
The relationships. There’s nothing like seeing a student walk in overwhelmed or not feeling well — sometimes in tears, sometimes just needing a break — and being able to calm them, help them, and send them back feeling OK again. Over time, you watch them grow not just physically, but in how they manage their health and advocate for themselves. Being someone they trust, especially on the busy days when the clinic is full and everything feels urgent, is the most rewarding part of what I do.
I may only see them for a few minutes at a time, but those minutes matter — and sometimes they’re exactly what a student needs to get through the rest of their day.

How do you elevate the excellence in your school?
I focus on being prepared, consistent, and approachable. I’ve worked to strengthen emergency response in our building by implementing cardiac response protocols, creating medical emergency lockers with our school resource officer, and teaching CPR to both staff and students so we’re ready when it matters most. At the same time, I work to make the clinic a place where students feel supported, not dismissed — even on the busiest days. I also encourage independence in students with ongoing medical needs, helping them build confidence in managing their health. My goal is that every student and staff member knows that if something goes wrong, there’s already a plan — and someone ready to act.

#CCSDElevateTheExcellence #ThankANurse