IAQ Tools for Schools
Find an IAQ Champion
EPA Region 8 Contact
Ron Schiller
Email: Schiller.Ron@epa.gov
Phone: (303) 312-6017
Address: Mail Code (8P-AR), 1595 Wynkoop St., Denver, CO 80202-1129
Region 8 IAQ Champions
Colorado | Montana | North Dakota | South Dakota | Utah | Wyoming
Colorado
Adams Twelve Five Star Schools, Thorton, Colo.
Contact: Pat Hamilton, Pat.Hamilton@adams12.org
Adams Twelve Five Star Schools successfully bargained with the teachers union to implement standard procedures (such as phasing out volatile organic compound-based cleaning supplies) to ensure indoor air quality issues are handled expeditiously in their school district. To solidify the level of trust with teachers and parents, the district uses various communications methods, from the school cable channel to bulletin boards, to keep the community informed. Sharing their experience through the Colorado Association of School Executives, they serve as mentors to other schools within the state.
King-Murphy Elementary, Clear Creek School District, Evergreen, Colo.
District school administrators in 1998 learned of IAQ Tools for Schools guidance through a teacher who was concerned about air quality problems at school. The District utilized the resources in the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit and with the assistance of EPA Region 8, began tackling the poor indoor air issues identified by the IAQ Team. The foundation of the District's IAQ management program began with the implementation of a pilot program at King-Murphy Elementary Schools that led to significant and rapid indoor air improvements.
Montana
Contact your Regional representative to find an IAQ Champion in your state.
North Dakota
Mandan Public School District, Mandan, N.D.
Mandan Public School District first learned of IAQ Tools for Schools guidance from the American Lung Association of North Dakota, who conducted an information session for the district superintendent and several principals. Team leaders and volunteer staff completed checklists during walkthroughs and prepared an action plan to prioritize building repairs. The district identified three key problem areas: general cleaning practices, ventilation, and thermal comfort, which resulted in the suggested implementation of several low-cost solutions, including repairing air handling systems, replacing air filters regularly, using HEPA filter vacuum cleaners, cleaning floor drains and dry sink drains weekly, and landscaping grounds to divert water drainage from building foundations. Team leaders developed news releases and provided them to local media to share information on the district's successful IAQ program. Mandan Public School District continues to sustain their comprehensive IAQ management program based off the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance and uses the IAQ action plan to identify solutions and make repairs.
St. Mary's Central High School, Bismarck, N.D.
In October 2000, St. Mary's Central High School began using the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit to identify IAQ concerns and set priorities. Using checklists, IAQ team volunteers discovered the foundation surrounding the music room had settled and cracked, letting water seep through. The school used its own funds plus donations to fix the problem and replace the carpet. The school carried out numerous repairs and upgrades to the kitchen and dining areas based on evidence collected through the checklists. St. Mary's made good progress in a short time and continues to share its experiences with other schools.
South Dakota
Rapid City Area School District No. 51-4, Rapid City, SD
Contact: Ron Mincks, ronald.mincks@k12.sd.us
Rapid City Area School District No. 51-4 (RCAS) exemplifies the importance of resourceful champions in producing results, especially given the fact that the district experienced no IAQ crisis. Leah Lutheran addressed IAQ as a private citizen, and was elected to the school board in 1998. Since that time, RCAS has mainstreamed IAQ into daily policies and procedures and has drawn upon a variety of available resources. The South Dakota Lung Association provided the district with their initial IAQ Tools for Schools Kits. A grant from the American Association of School Administrators allowed a six-member delegation to attend the IAQ Tools for Schools Symposium in 2002. EPA's Region 8 office awarded Rapid City a grant and they were instrumental in assisting with the implementation of the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance in the school district. EPA's Region 8 office also sponsored a workshop for administrators, nurses and custodial staff. Two schools that performed HVAC system upgrades documented a decline in absenteeism of almost five percent.
Utah
Salt Lake City School District, Salt Lake City, UT
Contact: Gregg Smith, gregg.smith@slcschools.org
Salt Lake City School District maintains high standards of indoor air quality through an extremely thorough set of policies and a simple proactive plan. The district has implemented guidelines and policies to ensure proper maintenance of mechanical systems and school facilities. Careful logs of maintenance efforts are documented as part of the preventive maintenance policy. IAQ Tools for Schools has played a vital role in shaping their program. The District also has sustained a comprehensive integrated pest management (IPM) program for several years.
Wyoming
Contact your Regional representative to find an IAQ Champion in your state.