School Nurse At Our Lady Of Good Counsel Catholic School In Vienna, Va., Named One Of Area's “50 Exceptional Nurses” By Washingtonian Magazine

Recognition Highlights Role Of School Nurses In Unprecedented Year 

ARLINGTON, Va. - This May, Mrs. Jennifer Bliven, school nurse, Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School (preschool-8^th grade) in Vienna, Va., was named one of Washingtonian Magazine's “50 exceptional nurses.” The recognition is given to nurses in the Washington, D.C., area who “go above and beyond every day.” Mrs. Bliven's contributions to the school community have been expansive. Beyond her daily responsibilities, she served on the leadership team that identified and enacted COVID-19 mitigation factors for the school to reopen safely at the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year. Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) reopened last fall for hybrid (in-person and virtual learning) as all 41 brick-and-mortar diocesan schools reopened for fully in-person or hybrid instruction. See photo of Mrs. Bliven here.

“I am grateful to see the incredible work of Mrs. Jennifer Bliven recognized by Washingtonian Magazine. I join the larger Our Lady of Good Counsel community in expressing my appreciation for her substantial contributions, particularly this past year,” said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Catholic Diocese of Arlington. “In honoring a diocesan school nurse alongside nurses from some of our area's most prestigious hospitals, this acknowledgement further highlights the important role of school nurses in their communities. May our Lord bless them with renewed strength as they continue to serve selflessly each day.”

The nomination of Mrs. Bliven for this recognition came from the school community, as hundreds of the families at OLGC joined to nominate her. Mrs. Bliven has served as OLGC's full-time school nurse since 2019, having been a nurse for 21 years. Prior to OLGC, she practiced at Mary Washington Healthcare.

“I am so humbled to have been nominated by the families in our community,” said Mrs. Bliven. “This recognition is really for the entire school community --- administrators, teachers, parents and students --- at Our Lady of Good Counsel School. We worked side by side, collaborating in new and creative ways in the face of unprecedented challenges to ensure the success of our COVID-19 mitigation factors. I am deeply grateful to be part of this incredible community.”

“Mrs. Bliven's contributions, particularly during our response to the pandemic, have been invaluable. She worked tirelessly as a core member of the leadership team that planned how to safely reopen the school last fall. Each day, she cares for the students in a holistic way that is marked by professionalism and sincere compassion,” said Adrianne Jewett, principal. “She is well-deserving of this recognition. I couldn't be happier for her.”

Established in 1957, OLGC is a parish school with approximately 500 students. The school is a member of the National Catholic Education Association and has achieved U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School status. OLGC provides a Catholic education instilled with the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales, integrating religious truth and values with life. As part of its educational program, the school strives for academic excellence, encourages appreciation of the fine arts, fosters self-respect and respect for all life, and attempts to develop responsibility for the total community.

For more information on OLGC, visit here. For more information on the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Arlington, visit here.

For more information, contact Amber Roseboom, Director of Media Relations, Catholic Diocese of Arlington, at 571-215-8731 or Amber.Roseboom@arlingtondiocese.org.

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The Catholic Diocese of Arlington was established on August 13, 1974, and is home to 71 parishes and more than 460,000 Catholics. There are currently 276 priests serving in the Diocese and 45 seminarians discerning a priestly vocation. The Diocese has 37 parish (K-8) schools, four diocesan high schools, four independent Catholic schools and five free-standing (not connected with a parish school) pre-schools, serving more than 17,000 students. 

The Diocese includes the seven cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Winchester and the 21 counties of Arlington, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, King George, Lancaster, Loudoun, Madison, Northumberland, Orange, Page, Prince William, Rappahannock, Richmond, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren and Westmoreland.