Students and staff who walked into the Health Room this year were in for a bit of a surprise.  They not only found a new face, they discovered that the new school nurse was a male. 

Nurse Daniel Painter the first male nurse ever at STMS. In fact, he is the first and only male nurse employed by the Rock Hill School District. Each school has its own nurse in the district and all of the other nurses are female. 

Nurse painter isn’t new to nursing and said he’s experienced with middle schoolers “because he has worked with them before.”

Nurse Painter sees any where from 45 to 65 students a day. He said students visit him most often because of headaches or stomach aches.

Kyndall Collins, a 7th grade student, recently saw Nurse painter because of a stomach ache. She said the nurse offered for her to rest in the health room or go back to class.  Kyndall added, “he’s alright and seems cool.”

CJ McNeal, a 7th grade student, said he saw Nurse Painter when he got in an accident and scraped his elbow badly. “He put Neosporin on it and wrapped it up with medical tape,” the student said.   CJ add that he thinks that Nurse Painter is “really cool and caring.”   

Nurse Painter said he became a school nurse because he enjoys working with kids. 

Nurse Painter said he has enjoyed working at Saluda Trail so far. “The school is very welcoming and it’s very nice.”  When Painter isn’t working, he said he likes to hang out with his son and do Brazilian jitsu.

Dr. Marshall, Saluda Trail’s principal, said Nurse Painter brings lots of experience to The Trail.  “Nurse Painter is a very good fit for this school because his top priority was making sure everyone is safe,” Dr. Marshall said.