 The long-awaited Samsung Galaxy S8 has arrived at Appalachian Wireless. Get yours for the introductory price of just $149.99 with a two-year service agreement. Better service, bigger savings. That's today's Appalachian Wireless. An East Kentucky network company. For the past decade, the Pike County Health Department has provided nurses for each of the Pike County School District's schools. But no more. Last week, the school district informed the health department they would not be renewing the contract for the school nurses, citing budget concerns for the 2017-18 school year. As for the nurses that worked in those schools, they lost their jobs. We were heartbroken, devastated when we heard the news. We've had this program over 10 years and love the program. It's wonderful for the kids, the students, it's wonderful for the teachers, the principals. I think everybody benefits from the program. And it was just devastating when we heard the news. Over the past couple of years, the Pike County School District has contributed $350,000 annually toward the school nurse program. Superintendent Reid Atkins said the district was no longer able to do so. After discussion with several other districts and the models they used to provide health care in the schools to their students, I feel there's an opportunity to maximize taxpayers' dollars while still meeting the health care needs of our students. We expected that they might have to reduce the contribution, but we didn't expect this to happen. We understand the situation we're in because, like you said, we're all, you know, everybody's feeling it. So we understand the situation we're in and it's just unfortunate. It's unfortunate for everybody. There still remains, however, some hope that there will be nurses in the schools when classes resume in August. We realize the importance of this program, and we'll have a program in our schools for the students by the time they return in the fall. And we do have several other health care providers that have serious interest in our nursing program. Superintendent Reid Atkins declined to name those interested in possibly picking up where the contract with the health department left off. The Pike County Health Department said the situation would not affect the school nurses in the Pikeville Independent School System. In Pikeville, Chris Anderson, EKB News.