“I’m incredibly appreciative of this surprise recognition.”
By Alissa Corman, Rogue Valley Times
Phoenix-Talent School District nurse Carrie McDonald was honored by the Oregon School Nurses Association as the 2025 Oregon School Nurse of the Year during its annual spring conference in Lincoln City.
McDonald did not know she had been selected until the award was announced last Thursday by OSNA vice president Tamara Bow at the Chinook Winds Conference Center. A handful of McDonald’s friends and family members were in on the secret and were there to congratulate her in-person. The moment was also captured on video and shared to PTS staff and families on social media.
“I’m incredibly appreciative of this surprise recognition. I truly look up to so many of the local nurses I collaborate with, and I feel very supported by the community around me,” McDonald said in a request for comment from the Rogue Valley Times.
The Oregon School Nurse of the Year award is presented annually to a school nurse who exemplifies outstanding clinical skill, compassionate care, and a demonstrated commitment to student wellness. McDonald, a former classroom teacher turned district nurse, was recognized for her extraordinary dedication to student wellness, her tireless advocacy for medically fragile children, and her leadership across Jackson County.
In her second year as the PTSD district nurse, McDonald has ensured that every medically fragile student in Phoenix-Talent remains in their neighborhood school — avoiding costly and disruptive out-of-district placements — by personally training staff, coordinating care with physicians, and leading comprehensive health plans at each site, according to a news release from the district.
“She’s really an advocate for those students,” said Assistant Superintendent Tiffanie Lambert, McDonald’s direct supervisor. “She makes sure every kid is included — on field trips, at outdoor school, and in classrooms with their peers.”
A bilingual communicator, McDonald has become a critical health liaison for both English- and Spanish-speaking families in the district, especially during crises. She coordinated the district’s COVID-19 response, co-authored its Emergency Operations Plan, and led the post-Almeda Fire health relief efforts, setting up mobile clinics and personally delivering aid and services to displaced families.
Beyond emergency response, McDonald also teaches sensitive classroom health topics such as puberty education and suicide prevention with the polish of a seasoned educator, and regularly updates and monitors 504 plans to ensure student accommodations are met districtwide.
She spearheaded the district’s Narcan training and distribution program, securing grants and training all staff in overdose response. Similarly, she equipped each school with EpiPens and ensured emergency medical supplies are mapped and accessible throughout all district buildings.
“I really empathize with families who are afraid to send their children to school because of complex medical needs,” McDonald said. “I do everything I can to help those families and their kids feel safe and supported when they walk into our buildings. It’s never just me — it’s always a team effort, and I’m proud to be one part of an amazing team.”
While McDonald’s detail-oriented administrative work has proven essential in the district, it’s the heart behind her day-to-day work for students and families that sets her apart, Lambert said.
“There was a student whose parent had to get to work in the morning, so the student wasn’t getting medication safely,” Lambert recalled, citing one of many cases. “So Carrie was able to pick up the parent, get the medication with the parent, bring the student to the school, check it in, and finally train the staff on how to administer the medication.”
The student, who was not doing well without their regular medication, is now, as a result of McDonald’s efforts, doing much better and able to stay in school, Lambert noted.
“I take things day-by-day and constantly reprioritize based on what my students need most,” McDonald said. “I love any chance I get to step out of my office and connect with staff, families, and especially students.”
This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.
