By Jill Fennema –

Pictured: Annie Bork and Denise Nerem in the new nurse’s office at Edgerton Public School. The two nurses are sharing the position for District 581. The new office at EPS has two new cots, pillows, and cabinets. The new space was paid for with funds from the state, so that they could bring their nurse’s space into compliance with health and safety standards. 

The Edgerton School District has a new school nurse. Denise Nerem is still the school nurse. She has been serving the students of District 581 for the past 16 years. Joining her this year is Annie Bork. 

Denise has been the school nurse since 2006 when Mina Vander Pol retired. With the size of the school district, Nerem said there was a need for a little more coverage .

“We really need 1.5 nurses,” she said. She and Bork are sharing the position, with each nurse working part time hours. Annie is at SWC and Denise at EPS. 

Bork hails from the Luverne area, where she graduated from Luverne High School. She has been a nurse for 13 years. She worked in the Sanford NICU for six years and then Southwestern Mental Health Center for eight years. She worked a few years very part time in the NICU, while staying home with her children. She also worked at the mental health center during that time. 

Bork graduated from the University of Sioux Falls with her Bachelors of Arts degree in theology/philosophy in 2008. She also graduated from South Dakota State University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in nursing through their accelerated program. That program is one year long and involves classes Monday through Friday and clinicals on Saturdays.  “It was pretty intense,” she said. “But I survived!”

Why did she decide to become a nurse?

“I have always been drawn to caring for other people and love working with kids,” Annie explained. She originally went to school to be a youth pastor, but jobs were few and far between. 

“I knew nursing would also check off those boxes and that there would always be jobs available regardless of where we ended up living.”

Being a school nurse meshes with both of her career goals.

“I also loved my career as a mental health nurse and have a passion for advocating for mental health, so I get a little bit of that in the schools, too,” she said. “Being able to spend time with my kids in the summer is icing on the cake!”

Annie is married to Nicholas. He works at Professional Ag Marketing in Luverne and farms on the side. They have six children. Payton is 20 years old and works for Van Hill Farms. Hallie is 16 and attends Luverne High school. The next three children Hendrik (12), Brynlie (9), and Cambrie (7) are students at SWC. Their youngest son, Deidrik, is one. 

For the past year she was able to stay home with Diedrik, so sending him to daycare and getting her family used to the new schedule with her working has been a challenge. 

“The best part has been the kids,” she said. “It is so fun seeing them excited to learn and be with friends. It’s great being able to be a part of that.”

 When she is not working, Annie enjoys reading. “I will read anything and everything,” she said. She also enjoys acting and directing theater. She has directed the Christmas programs at her church for many years and last year directed the 6th grade play at SWC.

“With six kids, I’m a full time cook, cleaner, farm wife, and chauffeur,” she said. The Borks also have a 2,400 head swine unit, so sometimes she helps load pigs as well. 

So far, having two school nurses has gone really well. Annie has spent some time organizing her new office and learning the ropes the past few weeks.