Gwinnett County has the best school nurse in the state, group says

Gwinnett County has the best school nurse in Georgia, according to the Georgia Association of School Nurses.

Longtime district nurse Fran Overdyke has been named School Nurse of the Year by the association in recognition of her “excellence in school nursing services,” according to a release from Gwinnett County Public Schools.

“Fran’s knowledge and expertise in the areas of pediatric nursing and school health have contributed significantly not only to the health and well-being of the students with whom she works, but to their academic achievement and general success,” said Jennifer Poole Ross, the district’s lead nurse, in a district release.

Overdyke, who has been with the district for more than 15 years, is the second Gwinnett County Public Schools nurse to win the honor in three years. Joanne Giel, another school nurse with the district, won the award in 2015.

“There are so many talented and dedicated school nurses in GCPS, so I am very honored to receive the award,” Overdyke said in the release. “I love what I do and I can honestly say it’s the best nursing job I’ve ever had and I learn new things all the time. I am motivated by the needs of our students, their families, and the staff in our schools. We are such a large system and the needs are many and varied.”

Overdyke is currently a nurse in the Brookwood cluster, which includes Brookwood Elementary School, Craig Elementary School, Gwin Oaks Elementary School, Head Elementary School, Crews Middle School, Five Forks Middle School and Brookwood High School. She has previously worked in Shiloh, Central Gwinnett and Discovery school clusters, a district spokesman said.