Kendra McClendon Ludwyck is entering her third year as the district school nurse for
Marietta Public Schools.
Ludwyck, a hometown girl, graduated from Marietta in 2014 before earning her
bachelor’s degree in science from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 2018 and
her associate’s degree in nursing from Murray State College in 2020.
After working in the operating room at Mercy in Ardmore and then in labor and delivery
at North Texas Medical Center in Gainesville for a while, she chose to make a career
change.
Ludwyck and her husband Austin, who’s a lieutenant with the Oklahoma Highway
Patrol, have two daughters, Elliana and Ellerie. As Elliana neared school age, Ludwyck
found out that the school nurse’s position was open and decided to apply.
“I was working nights in labor and delivery, and with Elliana starting school, I didn’t want
to miss out on things,” remembered Ludwyck. “So, the job came open, and I love kids,
and thought, what better way to advocate for and care for kids than being the district
nurse?”
Ludwyck soon learned that being a nurse for more than a thousand students is a lot of
work. And a lot of walking.
“My first week, every day I was logging 10 to 15 miles,” she shared. “I wore out a pair of
shoes really quickly running all over campus. That first year it was tough trying to
develop a schedule to do all of the things that I needed to do.”
Ludwyck is in charge of administering medications to all students from primary through
high school who require any type of medication throughout the day, everything from Epi-
pens for allergies to inhalers for asthma.
She also distributes information to staff members and trains them to respond properly to
all kinds of medical events like seizures, for example. She conducts diabetes training,
stocks and dispenses bleeding kits, does automatic defibrillator checks, and is in charge
of developing plans required each time the state’s lawmakers enact new rules for
schools.
This year, she will be developing, implementing, and conducting training for the school’s
new cardiac plan, designed for response to a cardiac arrest – including conducting drills
in all of the campus’s buildings.
She ensures that first aid kits are supplied and in all buildings, she supplies asthma
backpacks containing information and supplies to the families of students newly
diagnosed with asthma (some of which have information printed in Spanish), and has
been instrumental in getting anti-choking devices called Life Vacs purchased and
spread across the school campus. She’ll be training staff members to use those in just a
few days.
And then there are the nosebleeds, busted knees, and various other scratches and
scrapes that are just part of being a kid. During these times, Ludwyck dispenses band-
aids and hugs as needed.
If a day in the life of a school nurse sounds like enough to make you tired, you’re not
alone, and yet she remains cheerful and compassionate about her job.
“I love working with the kids,” she insisted. “I love it when I’m somewhere away from
school and they see me and run to me and call my name. I love it when I get pictures
and drawings from them. These things let me know that I’m making a difference in their
lives.”
Ludwyck believes that her job is perfect for her. Furthermore, she’s grateful to be
working in her alma mater, where her children attend.
“I’m on the go all day, but it’s the best job for me. I was involved in everything when I
was in school, and I function best when I’m constantly busy,” she explained. “And I love
working at Marietta. If there’s something we need or a plan we need to implement, our
school board and Mrs. Naylor are very supportive. I think there’s a lot of negative things
that go around about public schools, but at Marietta, the health and safety of students is
a top priority, and they show it.”
Ludwyck is much appreciated in the district, from the primary to the administration.
“Mrs. Ludwyck is an amazing asset to our district,” said Superintendent Brandi Naylor.
“Her job description is constantly evolving, and she had always risen to the challenge.
She does a great job for our district, and we appreciate her dedication to our students.”
Being a nurse anywhere is a tough task but consider this: while most nurses see a
handful of patients daily, Ludwyck has several hundred; yet somehow, she manages to
take care of them all. And she has a few pairs of worn-out shoes to show for it.
“Nursing is a job you have to love, and I do love it,” she smiled. “I believe I’m right where
God wants me to be.”