![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
2005 Excellence Award Winners
To learn more about EPA's awards and download applications:
- National Awards Program Home
- Great Start Awards
- Leadership Awards
- Excellence Awards
- Model of Sustained Excellence Awards
- Special Achievement Awards
IAQ TfS Award Winners
2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000
You can see a national map, just click on your state.
National Leaders in Improving Indoor Air Quality in Schools
- Cecil County Public Schools, Cecil County, Maryland
- Hartford Public Schools, Hartford, Connecticut
- Katy Independent School District, Katy, Texas
- The School Board of Broward County, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Vashon Island School District, Vashon Island, Washington
- Wichita Public Schools, Wichita, Kansas
Special Achievement Award Winners
In Recognition of Outstanding Commitment to a Healthy School Environment
- Young Parent Program (A Hydroville Project), Springfield School District, Springfield, Oregon
- Science Research Club, Beaverton School District, Beaverton, Oregon
Model of Sustained Excellence Award Winner
EPA has launched a new competition to honor school districts that have demonstrated the institutionalization of comprehensive practices for IAQ management and continued their commitment to maintaining healthy facilities for their students and staff.
Excellence Award Winners
Cecil County Public Schools, Cecil County, Maryland
 |
Cecil County Public Schools began the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program in 1999, following a two-year safety inspection and job risk survey. The study identified several indoor air quality concerns, including a printing operation, custodial procedures, and boilers requiring replacement, which were promptly addressed by the District. The Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program was seen as a proactive program to address IAQ issues District-wide and sustain healthy indoor environmental management. The Program gained widespread support in the community because information was provided that tied IAQ to student performance and safety. Since the third phase of program implementation, Cecil County Public Schools have experienced a 40% reduction in IAQ complaints. In addition, roughly 96% of IAQ complaints are investigated within 24 hours. The District provides annual “Safety Awards” to three schools for “Most Improved” and to three schools for “Best.” Cecil County also awards an annual “Operations Awards” to three schools based on cleanliness.
|
Hartford Public Schools, Hartford, Connecticut
 |
Hartford Public Schools believes in providing students with “Safe, Clean, and Healthy Schools” throughout the District. As an urban school district, the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program mobilized staff to address indoor air issues and established procedures that led to sustained indoor air improvements. It also allowed the District to respond proactively to Connecticut’s recently passed legislation, which requires school systems to adopt indoor air quality programs by 2007. Each school has an established School Health and Safety Team trained to use information in the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Kit to identify IAQ problems, organize, and prioritize information. At each school, teams include a school nurse, administrator, custodian, teachers, physical education instructors, and social workers. Teams are empowered to address IAQ complaints and meet regularly. District mentors are available to help teams and are viewed as a powerful force to foster new partnerships and success. In addition, IAQ management in the Hartford Public School system has expanded and is now included in initial planning for new facilities and is a critical element of renovation.
|
Independent School District, Katy, Texas
 |
Katy Independent School District is keenly aware that IAQ can affect student attendance and the educational process, as evidenced by their enthusiastic adoption of the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program. With a staff well trained in IAQ and streamlined communications, Katy is able to propel healthy indoor environments forward. In 2003, the first year of the program, each of the District’s 44 school facilities completed walkthrough inspections. The second round of inspections are already underway. The District has also assigned specific staff members with responsibility for IAQ, including a District-level Assistant Director of Maintenance and Operations, a school specific IAQ Coordinator, and Assistant Principals for the “maintenance matters” component of the program. Maintenance and Operations supervisors meet weekly to discuss and resolve issues, communicate with the School Board, and utilize team based approaches to manage IAQ. Katy is a pilot school district participating in the Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT) computer tracking software program.
|
The School Board of Broward County, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
 |
In 2002, the School Board of Broward County (6th largest in the nation) faced a difficult situation when seven similarly designed elementary
schools encountered moisture problems. The District faced this issue head on and developed an integrated approach to managing IAQ, utilizing
the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program. Since then, Broward County has steadily scaled up their IAQ management voluntary program
and implemented their program in 88 schools. This year, the program will impact 108 schools. To further support implementation, Broward County Public
Schools developed an IAQ TfS Web site that contains walkthrough assessment data on schools, IAQ survey tools, IAQ assessment information,
Radon testing, schedules for pesticide application, IAQ facility projects by school, and in-progress work orders. These tools provide community
stakeholders unparalleled access to IAQ programs at each school, as well as excellent records of complaints and repairs. The data collected from the
Website has also led the District to take proactive steps to improve the operation of HVAC systems.
|
Vashon Island School District, Vashon Island, Washington
 |
The Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program was introduced in the Vashon Island School District in 2001 as a direct result of several challenging IAQ-related events. These discoveries led to the District-wide implementation of the IAQ Tools for Schools Program and dramatic improvements to indoor air quality. First, the Kit was introduced and piloted in three school buildings, before the program was implemented Districtwide. The top priority for Vashon Island School District was to develop a work order system that involved all stakeholders and included immediate reporting tools. In addition, the District developed a preventative maintenance program. Vashon Island School District has also adopted an outstanding communication strategy. Stakeholders regularly hear about IAQ through reports that cover the range of emails, flyers, student assemblies, quarterly reports, letters home, and the Internet. The District has seen evidence of 50% fewer absences in a third-grade classroom after the school nurse introduced a Wash Your Hands Program, which included IAQ.
|
Wichita Public Schools, Wichita, Kansas
 |
Wichita Public Schools saw the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program as an opportunity to enhance student performance, educate the community about IAQ, and obtain building data. Wichita utilizes a two-pronged approach to evaluate buildings for IAQ, both at the central office and the individual building levels. The Safety Specialist – who functions as the District’s IAQ Coordinator for purposes of administering the program – incorporates Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools as part of the annual safety inspection of all school buildings. Certified Indoor Environmentalists have been trained to recognize, identify, and quantify potential sources of IAQ problems. Each building has a School Nurse who has been trained on IAQ. When potential problems are identified, the Nurse communicates with the Environmental Services Department. To facilitate communication with stakeholders, the District has created a Web site for staff and the public. In 2000, a bond issue for $285 million passed that enabled all schools to upgrade their HVAC systems. By 2006, all buildings will have air conditioning and upgraded fresh air ventilation.
|
Special Achievement Award Winners
Young Parent Program (A Hydroville Project), Springfield School District, Springfield, Oregon
The Young Parent Program offers pregnant and parenting teens, mothers, and fathers the opportunity to earn educational credits towards completing their high-school diploma. The teachers of this Young Parent Program decided to integrate a six week project-based curriculum entitled, the “Indoor Air Quality Hydroville” scenario. This assignment tasked students with addressing an IAQ problem in a school, while having the students acting as environmental consultants. Upon completing their assessment the students presented their findings and recommendations to the actual School Board of Springfield Public Schools.
- Contact: Kaye Martin, (541) 744-6451
Science Research Club, Beaverton School District, Beaverton, Oregon
This year three members of the Science Research Club decided to tackle the question of whether room temperature affects student performance. This team conducted several aptitude tests on 9th graders in classrooms with varying temperatures to determine how well they performed. The team entered their experiment and findings in the regional and state science project competitions.
- Contact: Debbie Cooper, (503) 259-5218
2005 Mentor of the Year Award Winner
Blue Valley School District #229, Overland Park, Kansas
 |
Blue Valley School District’s vision is, “Together, we will enable each child to become more than he or she ever hoped to be.” The District, a winner of a 2003 Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools National Excellence Award, has shown tremendous leadership in its enthusiasm to explore innovative solutions to create exceptional indoor learning environments. Blue Valley has made IAQ management an integral component of its Strategic Plan, prioritizing target goals and institutional supports. Their success includes an active mentorship program providing leadership, education, and positive impacts to school districts in Kansas and Missouri. They have also adopted new protocols including low moisture carpet cleaners, Green Seal Certified cleaning chemicals, improved pest management procedures, dust control floor cleaning machines, micro fiber cleaning programs, and diesel bus retrofit initiatives. In addition, the District pursues innovative projects utilizing Displacement Air Technology, Underfloor Air Distribution Systems, and carbon dioxide (CO2) sensors. Recently, Blue Valley School District received full funding for a seven year comprehensive district-wide building envelope plan and major mechanical systems upgrade and replacement program, totaling more than $26 million in capital funds.
|