News Photo by Mike Gonzalez The public health nurse’s office in Hillman High School is seen on Friday. The office is not set up, yet, but officials plan to prepare the room for a new employee.

HILLMAN — A new public health nurse for Hillman schools was hired on Friday after the local public health department received a grant on the same day.

At its July meeting, the District Health Department No. 4 board approved the Hillman School Wellness Program, which provides funding for the Health Department to hire two grant-funded health workers who will work in the school district. On Friday, the Health Department completed all tasks to receive the grant money for the positions and offered an applying nurse one of the two jobs.

The nurse accepted the position and will begin work next week.

Kelly Girard, health resource advocate of the Health Department, covers Alpena County and Hillman schools. She said the public health nurse will help with assessment of sore throats, potentially injured students, and other medical problems.

“We’re extremely excited to work with the Hillman community and the kids,” Girard said. “We’re really looking forward to making connections with the school staff and bonding with the community.”

The other position funded by the grant is a full-time social worker who would help students who need mental health support. The Health Department has not yet filled that position.

Girard said Hillman schools currently have mental health support, but she hopes the Health Department and social worker can improve what is already there.

“We’ve seen that students are stressed out and need help with their mental health,” Girard said. “It was very clear during the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s something we hope to focus on and support.”

In a job listing made by the Health Department, the social worker must be fully licensed in the state and have a master’s degree in science, a reliable form of transportation, and a preferred one year of experience in providing community health in pediatric services.

According to the National Association of School Nurses, about 34% of schools do not have access to a full-time nurse.

“Hillman Community Schools is grateful for Kelly and her support,” Hillman Community Schools Superintendent Pamela Rader said in an email to The News. “And (we) look forward to the support our school nurse will bring to all of the students, staff, and community!”