Janice DiMaio Is District's April Employee of the Month

The April Employee of the Month is Janice DiMaio, the nurse at the .

Janice, a longtime resident, has been with the district for 16 years. The first 14 years were spent at , while the last two have been spent at the Literacy Center since its opening. Janice earned her registered nurse degree (RN) from the Philadelphia General Hospital of Nursing. Janice has a son who is a proud graduate of Springfield High School.

The average day for a nurse in an elementary school containing 600 five and six-year-old kids is unbelievably busy. Janice sees about 40 sick students a day in her office. The visits are generally for stomach aches, sore throats, fevers, bumps and bruises. Usually three to five students a day are sent home due to illness.

However, if there is a virus spreading, three times as many students can be sent home each school day. Since this is the first public school experience for the Springfield Literacy Center students, Janice is also required to check that each child has the required battery of immunizations, a physical exam and a dental exam. Additionally, she screens each child for their height, weight, vision and hearing as stipulated by the state. Janice also dispenses prescribed medications to students each day and makes special arraignments for students attending field trips that may have allergies or require special medical care.

“The children are wonderful! I love spending my days with them. I try to keep them healthy, because healthy kids learn better,” Janice said.

The staff at the SLC were eager to compliment Janice.

“Janice is the busiest person in the building. At any time of the day and there will be at least five or six children looking to her for help," school secretary Dawn Ries said. "Janice has a heart of gold; she is kind, and lovable. She treats each child like they were her own.”

“Janice is the most wonderful, caring person with our children. She works closely with one of my students who is diabetic and has a wonderful rapport with everyone who goes to her – adults and children alike,” kindergarten teacher Kim Dresner added.

“Janice consistently demonstrates a proactive and responsive approach to each of our students and their families. She always makes herself readily available for parents to help with any concerns they have. Additionally, her warm and loving care has been able to frequently ‘cure’ a variety of malaises. She is a wonderful professional and an asset for our students and the school,” principal Wendy Yohn concluded.

For all these reasons and many more, please celebrate Janice DiMaio as the Springfield School District April Employee of the Month.