Wendy Salyer, Nursing Supervisor for Washington County Schools, was recognized as the Tennessee School Nurse Administrator of the Year at the annual Tennessee Association of School Nurses (TASN) Conference held November 5th–7th in Nashville.
More About Wendy's Career at WCS
Wendy Salyer is the definition of a servant leader. For 35 years, she has devoted her life to nursing, and for 22 of those years, she has dedicated herself to the students, families, nurses, and staff of Washington County Schools. Her career is a remarkable example of what can happen when professional excellence is combined with compassion, humility, and a genuine love for serving others.
Wendy began her career with Washington County Schools as an LPN. She continued her education to become an RN and then pursued her Master’s degree and became a Nurse Practitioner. In 2022, she stepped into the role of Nursing Supervisor. Since that time, she has not simply managed a nursing program; she has strengthened it, developed it, and created a culture in which nurses feel supported, prepared, valued, and inspired to serve.
One of Wendy’s greatest accomplishments has been her ability to identify what nurses and schools need and then create meaningful programs to meet those needs. She developed a mentorship program for new school nurses, recognizing that transitioning into school nursing can be challenging. Through mentorship, guidance, and encouragement, she has helped new nurses build confidence and develop the skills necessary to care for students in a school environment.
Wendy has also made emergency preparedness a priority across the district. She developed comprehensive, multi-faceted First Responder drills that involve nurses, faculty, and staff and prepare each school to respond effectively when an emergency occurs. She personally trains the First Responders at every school, ensuring that preparedness is not simply a policy on paper, but a skill that staff understand and are prepared to put into action.
Her leadership has produced measurable results. Under her supervision, every school in Washington County Schools has been recognized as a Heart Safe School through Project ADAM. In addition, every school in the district has been recognized as one of America’s Healthiest Schools for Health Services.
The impact of her leadership extends beyond individual schools. Washington County Schools was also recognized as one of Tennessee’s Healthiest School Districts at the Platinum level; the highest level of recognition achievable. This distinction was possible due to the seamless collaboration with Health Services and Coordinated School Health and Wendy’s collective commitment to student and staff health and wellness that she has helped cultivate throughout the district.
This is a wonderful and well-deserved honor, and we are so proud of Wendy and the work she does for our students, staff, and school district!