Community is without one of its two full-time nurses after Mrs. Tamara Ahrens transferred to Oakdale Elementary School on Monday, Jan. 13.

Mrs. Jessica Murphy, Community’s other full-time nurse, will work with a Unit 5 float nurse or substitutes filling in until a replacement is found. The staffing gap is expected to last one to three weeks as the district seeks a full-time hire.

Ahrens, after eight years at Community, announced her transfer to staff via email on Jan. 7, explaining that her long-standing ties to Oakdale influenced her decision to take the new role on short notice.

“I wasn’t planning on leaving,” Ahrens said. “But I had to make a decision in a short time.” The job opening was posted at the start of winter break, giving Unit 5 nurses only seven days to apply.

Although the decision was made quickly, Ahrens shared that her connection to Oakdale, where her sons attended and where she was an active parent volunteer and served as a substitute nurse before joining Community, played a significant role in her departure.

Murphy expressed mixed emotions about the change.

“I’m happy for her,” she said. “It will be different, but I’m very open to new ideas a fresh perspective might bring.”

Ahrens reflected on the bittersweet nature of her departure, emphasizing her bond with Community students. 

“I’ve enjoyed getting to work with this age group, getting to know students on a personal level,” Ahrens said, “high schoolers don’t normally share their emotions.”