The mission of the Portales Municipal School Nurses is to use our professional expertise to support students in maintaining optimal mental and physical well-being. We value compassionate, collaborative, culturally sensitive, and evidenced-based health care, thereby enabling students to be healthy, safe, and successful learners.
Welcome to the School Nurses' Website!
Each school within the Portales Municipal School district has a Registered Nurse with expertise in school health and pediatrics, available to provide health care whenever school is in session. With 10,686 office visits, 564 vaccines administered, and 2,113 screenings (hearing, vision, head lice, BMI, dental, and depression/suicide screenings) recorded during the 2023-24 school year, our primary mission is to provide exceptional health services to support every student’s academic success. A nurse coordinator supervises district-wide health office activities and assures compliance with regulatory standards set by the New Mexico Department of Public Health (NMDPH) and New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED).
Important NEED to KNOW Information
- Enrollment requirements for Portales Municipal Schools include a Birth Certificate, an updated Vaccination Record, and any necessary Medical Documents.
Please Help the School Nurse Care for Your Child by Informing Them if Your Child has
- Any chronic health conditions such as Asthma, Severe Allergies (food/environmental), Diabetes, Seizures, Cardiac…etc
- A new medication or change in medication dosage
- A life-threatening or new allergy
- A serious injury requiring hospitalization, or a diagnosed head concussion
- An injury requiring casting, sutures, a splint, or mobility assistance of crutches or wheelchair
- Any vision or hearing difficulties
Please help the school nurse by updating the phone numbers on your child’s school record so the nurse can always reach you.
Please Keep Your Child Home When the Following Symptoms are Present
- Temperature of 100.4 degrees F or greater within the past 24 hours
- Vomiting or diarrhea occurring within the past 24 hours
- Strep infections of any kind, untreated ringworm, conjunctivitis (pink eye), or impetigo. These are all contagious infections and must be treated with medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school
- Rash of unknown origin - this may indicate many different things and should be checked by your pediatrician
- Untreated lice infestation
Children with pain should be taken seriously, especially in young children. Earaches, toothaches, and headaches should be evaluated by a doctor.
Nurse Coordinator- Desiree Smith, MSEd, RN, NCSN- (575)356-7024
Portales High School- Melissa Donohue, RN (575)356-7015
Portales Junior High School- Jeannette Mitchell, BSN, RN (575) 356-7045
Lindsey-Steiner Elementary- Alana Sanchez, RN (575) 356-7060
Valencia Elementary- Jamie Heredia, BSN, RN (575) 356-7090
James Elementary - Gloria Connally, BSN, RN (575) 359-3675
BECC - Amanda Smith-Arredondo BSN, RN (575) 356-7075
Professional School Nurses Make The DIFFERENCE!