At the district’s March board meeting, lead district nurse Jacquelynn Vehige provided the board with an update on the district’s health services program.
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In the Wright City R-II School District, it’s believed that healthy students make for better learners.
At the district’s March board meeting, lead district nurse Jacquelynn Vehige provided the board with an update on the district’s health services program.
“Our mission is providing high-quality health services to students and staff,” Vehige said. “(We also aim to) promote a safe and healthy learning environment. We want to promote academic success by reducing absenteeism and early dismissals.”
Vehige said that, through the program’s core objectives, the district is meeting its goals.
The core objectives provided were: the timely evaluation and treatment of illness and injury, communication with guardians, accurate documentation of all encounters, age-appropriate screenings and referrals, and the encouragement of lifelong health self-management.
Vehige provided figures on the districtwide program utilization from August 2025 through February 2026.
Districtwide, there were 11,775 total visits, with a 93.5 percent return-to-class rate. There were 583 students sent home, and 98 students sent home by parent request.
A total of 10 students were sent to the hospital and 72 students were sent to an administrator or counselor.
Vehige went on to say that, within the district, there are 189 cases of life-threatening conditions.
“These are our chronic conditions,” Vehige said. “That would be your asthma, epilepsy, and diabetes. Allergies are also in (this category). We are a little under the state average.”
The 189 cases account for 10.1 percent of the district’s student population. She added that, statewide, the average for the 2024-25 school year was 12.3 percent.
In terms of students with behavioral and mental health conditions, the district has 297 cases, which accounts for 16 percent of the student population. The state average is 17.7 percent.
“Again, we’re right under the state average,” Vehige said.
Board member Erin Williams commented on the change in student enrollment in behavioral and mental health services.
“I just have a few observations,” Williams said. “It looks like our behavioral and mental health issues have gone up from last year. Also, enrollment in Operation Backpack has increased. I just wanted to point that out to everybody.”
In terms of a school-by-school breakdown of services: there are seven potential life-threatening conditions for students at the Early Childhood Center; 28 potential life-threatening conditions and eight behavioral/mental health conditions at East Elementary; 51 potential life-threatening conditions and 58 behavioral/mental health conditions at West Elementary; 51 potential life-threatening conditions and 116 behavioral/mental health conditions at the Middle School; and 52 potential life-threatening conditions and 101 behavioral/mental health conditions at Wright City High School.
Vehige added that the entire healthcare staff within the district has been involved in several facets of healthcare training, including having ‘Stop the Bleed’ certified personnel at each building.
“We’re adding that this year because of Senate Bill 68,” Vehige said.
