Mrs. Patton to Retire After 30 Years Of Service

By Emma Hoover, Features Editor|May 10, 2018

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Brandon Escala

Whether helping a sick or injured student or serving up some of her infamous homemade baked goods, TAHS school nurse Julie Patton has been caring for the students and staff of Tyrone High School in many ways for the past thirty years. Unfortunately for Tyrone, Patton will retire at the end of this school year.

“Mrs. Patton is amazing. She tells it like it is and is always willing to help in any way she can. Jules is a team player and does everything at one hundred percent.  She is passionate about her work and doing things right,” said High School Principal Tom Yoder.

Patton moved to the area from upstate New York when she was in middle school and graduated from Bellwood Antis High School. She then earned her bachelor of science in nursing at Penn State.

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[Patton] is an amazing nurse. She tells it like it is and is always willing to help in any way she can. Jules is a team player and does everything at one hundred percent.  She is passionate about her work and doing things right.

— High School Principal, Thomas Yoder

After working for several years in critical care at Mercy Hospital in Altoona, Patton taught at the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing.  When college nursing programs started taking off, most local nursing schools closed, so Patton was in need of a new job. At that time there happened to be an opening for a school nurse at Tyrone.

“School nursing was a great fit for my family. I had two young daughters at the time,” said Patton.

Not only was school nursing a great fit for Patton’s family, many staff members note that it is also a great fit for her personality. Patton is well-known for her down-to-earth approach when caring for students.  Patton always seems to know when students are (or aren’t) sick and how to deal with them.

“For me, Nurse Patton has been a pillar of the school since my years as a student.  Her ‘no-nonsense’ approach has been perfect for helping to determine the students who truly needed the nurse’s office and those who were trying to avoid other things, like going to class! Jules will be missed in so many ways,” said Director of Curriculum Leslie Estep.

Throughout the years, Patton’s job has shifted to fit the students’ changing needs from when she began her career thirty years ago.  

“It seems like there is just more of everything – more chronic health issues, more mental health issues at younger ages, more family concerns, more of everything. Of course, there are so many more ways to help kids too. Also, there is certainly much more that is technology-based which is sometimes a blessing and sometimes not,” said Patton. 

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I think May 31 will be happy and sad for me at the same time! Bittersweet

— Julie Patton

In her retirement, Patton plans to help care for her three grandchildren, eight-month-old Lena, five-year-old Copper, and eight-year-old Peyton.  

She will also have more time to devote to her hobbies which include cooking, baking, making quilts, and reading.

While Patton is looking forward to having more time to do what she loves, she will miss all of her friends at TAHS.

“I think June 1st will be happy and sad for me at the same time. Bittersweet,” said Patton.