Holland Public’s Lisa Gort named School Nurse of the Year
HOLLAND — A local school nurse’s commitment to students’ mental health has earned her statewide recognition.
Lisa Gort, mental healthcare case manager at Holland Public Schools, was named the 2024 School Nurse of the Year by the Michigan Association of School Nurses.
Gort works for the district through Holland Hospital’s School Nurse Program. Her current position was created through a grant from the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area in 2019.
“During the last four years, Nurse Gort has assured the appropriate use of resources while focusing on positive outcomes, taking a proactive role through the early intervention and identification of at-risk students by performing suicide risk assessments, as well as partnering with school nurses, school staff, physicians and outside agencies,” Superintendent Nick Cassidy wrote in a release.
“She has walked alongside students, and their families, as they have navigated our healthcare system during extremely stressful times.”
Gort has coordinated wraparound support services and built a robust system for students, conducting suicide risk assessments and developing safety plans, working with therapists and psychiatrists to coordinate student care, and attending appointments with families.
Subscribe: Receive unlimited digital access to your local news coverage
"Our school has seen a noticeable improvement in student mental health and overall morale,” wrote HHS Principal Andrea Mehall. “Her approach to care, always empathetic and proactive, exemplifies the very best in school nursing practice.”
Gort will be presented with her award during an annual conference in May.
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland Public’s Lisa Gort named School Nurse of the Year
