Communi­ty member Ashley Howells is among the first school-based nurses to receive the DAISY Award, an honour traditionally reserved for hospital, aged-care and hospice settings.

Ashley, who works at Claremont College, Brighton High School and Risdon Vale Primary School, accepted the award at a Launceston ceremony alongside fellow honouree Tom Millen. Chosen from 116 nominations, Ashley was put forward by students, parents, carers, teaching staff and community organisations who praised her dedication to student health and wellbeing.

“Tom and Ashley are excellent representatives of our school health nurses, and demonstrate how integral they are to school life,” says Director of Nursing, School Health Nurse Program Jessica Isaac. “We know that when students are healthy and thriving, they can better participate in their learning, and school health nurses play a very large role in that,” adds Jessica.

As a DAISY Award recipient, Ashley gains access to professional development opportunities including education scholarships, research grants and a place on the DAISY Honour Roll. The DAISY Foundation created the award in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. This is the first year the Department of Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) has participated, with plans for the awards to continue annually. Tasmania’s School Health Nurse Program employs 84 nurses across every government school, providing essential health and wellbeing services to students and families statewide.