ORANGE, CA — May 12, 2015 — Orange Unified School District is proud to announce that Deputy Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D., received the 2015 Orange County School Nurses’ Organization (OCSNO) Administrator Halo Award. This honor is given to an educational administrator who has been an advocate for School Health Services in their District.

Based on input received from a parent/community survey last year, Dr. Hansen spearheaded the decision to increase Support Services, including Health Services, District-wide.  As a direct result, the District added 10 school nurse positions at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, bringing Health Services up to its present level of 24. The addition of these positions led to a significant increase in health care services, including the amount of time school nurses spend addressing concerns such as anxiety, depression, self-injurious behaviors, bullying, and drug use/abuse.

“Dr. Hansen has been vital to the advancement of health services that are critical to the wellbeing of students throughout the district,” said OUSD Lead Nurse Helen J. Burzumato, RN, M.Ed. “She is extremely supportive, open to new ideas, and an innovative leader.”

The School Administrator Halo Award is one of two Halo awards given each year by OCSNO. The second is the Community Halo Award, which recognizes a community member who has provided outstanding support for School Nurses and schoolchildren.

Dr. Hansen joined Orange Unified five years ago as the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. Over the past 25 years, she has served as an elementary and secondary teacher, principal and district administrator. Last year, Dr. Hansen was honored as Orange County Central Office Administrator of the Year by Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), Region 17, and went on to receive ACSA 2014 California Central Office Administrator of the Year.