Dear Colleagues,

As my first official writing as president, I would like to thank each and every one of you for what you bring to our membership. 

      As a dues paying member you give us strength in numbers, and a reason to follow our goals and objectives.  YOU are the reason we exist.  Without Certified School Nurses, there would be no Bergen County School Nurses Association. 

      As active practicing Certified School Nurses you bring an expertise to share with your colleagues that will benefit us all. 

      As Retirees, you bring us knowledge and wisdom, only years of successful school nursing can provide.

      As Executive Board Members and Committee Chairs, you bring leadership, structure and balance to our Association.

I salute you all for your strengths and support.

On Monday, May 17, 2010, the gavel was passed and a new leadership began.  I would like to, once again, publicly thank Karen Corcoran for her years as President of the Bergen County School Nurses Association. I look forward to her stewardship and hope to build upon her successes.

So what happens next?  The response is recruitment.  WE NEED YOU!!  We need Committee Chairs, we need Committee Members, we need to increase our membership and we need greater participation at our quarterly meetings.   This all begins with YOU.  If you would like to be a Committee Member or Chair, please join us on June 7, 2010 for a Reorganization meeting.  Just email me at boltonmec@optonline.net to RSVP.  If you are an active Certified School Nurse, please recruit your colleagues to join, maybe begin by inviting them as a guest to one of our quarterly general membership dinner meetings.  Today, more than ever in the history of the School Nursing, we need to be informed.  An informed Certified School Nurse is a responsible Certified School Nurse.  As we have said for years, “Every child deserves a Certified School Nurse”.  I look forward to seeing many new faces on the 7^th of June and will report back to you the successes of our meeting.

We, as the Bergen County School Nurses Association, need to communicate better and market ourselves better.  So please let us her from you.  Let us know what we are doing right, or wrong.  How can we change and improve to meet your needs?  Remember, School Nursing is a calling, a career, a science and an art.  It is not a “job”.

And Lastly, I think you for putting your faith in me as I take on this leadership role.  As I stood for a photo op with former Presidents of our Association, spanning decades of wonderful accomplishments, I felt privileged and honored to join the ranks of women I hold in such high esteem.  My goal is that together we will do great things in the coming two years.