LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Tracy Brewer was nominated by one of her colleagues.

"COVID-19 has completely changed that way we look at health and managing it at the school level," explains her colleague. "Quarantines, health protocols, temperature checks, social distancing, plastic dividers, face shields, and what kind of mask to wear? The list goes on - and these are the new, normal, everyday questions we get. On the front lines of this work has been our health clerk, Tracy Brewer.  She has consistently advocated for the safety of our students and staff.  Her care and respect for our families never waivers."

It isn't easy when you are the one calling to let a parent know that they need to come pick up their child immediately and prepare supervision and learning for them for the next two weeks. It isn't easy when you are contact tracing 5 year olds, or working with parents who feel there aren't enough safety protocols in place to send their child to school, or with parents who feel there are too many protocols in place.  It isn't easy to tell a teacher they have to leave and teach from home.  It isn't easy to make the call that a student's symptoms are similar to COVID, but it's not likely that they have it, and that they can stay.  It isn't easy to manage this in a building with 1,600 kids who are aged 5-10.

"Despite the challenges, Tracy has remained steadfast in her care for our Mattawan family. She's always showing up, working hard, and taking care of all of us, keeping our school open and the kids in the classrooms," said her colleague.

"Tracy is a great mom, wife, sister in law, friend, and school nurse. She is kind and respectful to everyone, whether they're an adult or student. She deserves to win this award because she is hardworking and goes above and beyond expectations," said Brewer's family member, Michele Rahimi.