School Nursing Leaders Advancing the Profession and Student Health Outcomes.

This article focuses on the development and significance of the School Nurse Leadership Academy, a program designed to support formal leadership roles in school nursing. It highlights the critical role of leadership in enhancing school health services and addresses the lack of tailored professional development for school nurse leaders. Developed with funding from the Virginia Department of Education and in partnership with the Virginia Association of School Nurses, the Academy offers a curriculum combining leadership theory, policy advocacy, and experiential learning, including virtual reality simulations. The program aims to equip school nurse leaders with practical skills, build supportive networks, and establish evidence-based standards to improve student health outcomes and advance the profession nationally.