Traci Koch, RN, the Flushing Community Schools Nurse, was awarded the 2022 Rotary Club of Flushing's "Service Above Self" award. This award recognizes a member of the Flushing community for exemplary service to the community, thereby reflecting the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self."
Employed by the Flushing Community Schools as the School Nurse for 26 years, Traci Koch, RN, provides many essential health services within the schools. In recognizing Mrs. Koch for her outstanding service by naming her Flushing Community Schools Employee of the Year, the FCS stated that "While we have known since she was hired in 1996 just how blessed we are to have Traci as our school nurse, her position has certainly been thrust into the spotlight over the last two years. She is an absolute pro, as knowledgeable and as helpful as can be, and has taken on the added responsibilities in stride. She is instrumental in helping us decipher and interpret guidance from the health department and has been the absolute go-to for all COVID activity. She is our main conduit to the Genesee County Health Department for all things COVID related. She has done all of this while maintaining all of her regular nurse responsibilities in support of all our kids and buildings. Traci is pulled in so many different directions daily, and does it with an unmatched level of professionalism, expertise, patience, and thoroughness. She is incredibly humble, quick to give so much credit to our teams in the buildings that are helping immensely every day.”
Flushing Schools Deputy Superintendent Andrew Schmidt says "Traci was hired by Flushing Community Schools in 1996 (26 years ago). For a period of years, she worked for both Flushing and Carman-Ainsworth Schools but has worked full time in Flushing for the past 5-6 years. As a school nurse, Traci is responsible for the health, safety, and well-being of 4,100 students and over 500 staff located at 7 different buildings. Traci floats between buildings and serves students with heart conditions, seizures, severe allergies, and other chronic health conditions. She trains the medical emergency response teams at each building for CPR, first aid, AED, and she is an exceptional teacher. In addition to providing exceptional care to our students with increasing medical needs, our offices have become pharmacies. The number of medications being administered is staggering and Traci helps manage all of that with our secretaries and principals.”
Finally, according to Flushing Rotary Service Above Self Award coordinator Darwin Scherba “Personally, I’ve had the pleasure of working directly with Traci for a little over a year. I can tell you this about Traci, no matter what obstacle is thrown her way, she does not panic, she keeps her cool, she does whatever it takes to get the job done. She has earned the respect of our students, staff, and parents in our district. She puts ‘Service Above Self’ into every decision that she makes. And every decision is made for the health and safety of our students, staff and the Flushing Community. I cannot think of anybody that is more deserving of this year’s Rotary Service Above Self award than Traci Koch.”
The Rotary Club of Flushing is pleased to award its 2022 "Service Above Self" award to Traci Koch, RN, Flushing Community Schools Nurse, for her outstanding service to the students and staff of the Flushing Schools, and to the larger Flushing community as a whole.
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Pictured (L-R): Andrew Schmidt, John Gault, Darwin Scherba and Matt Catlin.
