Contact: Alice Warchol
(757) 668-9049
Alice.Warchol@CHKD.org
More than 400 school nurses gathered for training led by CHKD experts.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD) welcomed more than 400 school nurses from across Hampton Roads, northeast North Carolina and surrounding communities to its first Regional Back-to-School Nurses Inservice on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at Indian River High School.
The event brought together school nurses from across the region for a day of education and professional development focused on common pediatric health concerns encountered in schools. CHKD physicians and clinical experts shared the latest guidance on allergies and asthma, diabetes management, well-child assessments, scoliosis, and psychogenic seizures, helping equip school nurses with practical tools and up-to-date information as students get ready to return to the classroom.
The in-service highlighted CHKD’s commitment to supporting the health and well-being of children beyond the walls of the hospital by sharing pediatric expertise with the healthcare professionals who care for students every day.
“Pediatricians and school nurses are natural partners in promoting the well-being of children, and families and communities benefit when we work together,” said Dr. Leah Rowland, a CHKD pediatrician at Pediatric Specialists who spoke at the event.
“Pediatricians see a child for individual visits, while school nurses see kids where they spend much of their day. School nurses often have key information that can help pediatricians understand and better care for a child. Additionally, school nurses serve as health educators in their schools, supporting students, families and schools to promote health.”
In addition to Dr. Rowland, CHKD’s speakers included Dr. Angela Hogan, pediatric allergist and immunologist; Renee Freeman, certified diabetes nurse educator; Dallas Williams, spine program coordinator; and Dr. Michael Strunc, a pediatric neurologist and sleep medicine specialist.
The event comes as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is encouraging pediatricians to work collaboratively with school nurses and other school health professionals to promote children's health, improve access to care and support students' academic success. The partnership between pediatricians and school nurses helps ensure that children receive consistent, coordinated care in both healthcare and educational settings.
"When pediatricians and school nurses share information and expertise, we create a stronger support system for children and families," Rowland said. "These partnerships not only help us care better for students on an individual level, but they allow for the creation of meaningful systemic changes that benefit health within schools and communities on a larger scale.”
Participants earned continuing education credit while learning from CHKD experts and networking with colleagues from throughout the region.
The Regional Back-to-School Nurses Inservice was sponsored by FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) and hosted by Chesapeake Public Schools.
