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2001 Excellence Award Winners

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IAQ TfS Award Winners

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Envisioning Excellence presents the Framework for Effective School IAQ Programs: Six Key Drivers -- guidelines that detail the organizational approaches and practices that are fundamental to school IAQ program success -- and presents five profiles to demonstrate how different school districts applied the Framework to create enduring IAQ programs. Learn more about this exciting tool.

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National Leaders in Improving Indoor Air Quality in Schools
 

Excellence Award Winners

Chicopee Public Schools, Chicopee, MA

The Chicopee Public School District joined the IAQ TfS Program in 1996 and is the first district in the nation to equip all of its buildings with an IAQ TfS Kit. The IAQ Team represents a cross-section of the district, including trade union representatives, a teacher, nurse, and parent. It established short-term solutions to IAQ problems and long-term practices (e.g., written procedures for the use of pesticides and chemicals in school, and establishing better communication between teachers and custodial and maintenance personnel). Chicopee continues to tailor the IAQ TfS Kit to each school and shares its experiences with other districts.

Connecticut School Indoor Environment Resource Team, Hartford, CT

Who are you going to call if you're in Connecticut and you want free expert advice on how to implement the IAQ TfS Kit? The Connecticut School Indoor Environment Resource Team (CSIERT) is the long but correct answer. Founded in 1999 by the Connecticut Department of Public Health, EPA New England, and the Connecticut Council for Occupational Safety and Health, the Team is now a statewide network of IAQ specialists, trainers, and health experts. CSIERT has become a one-stop resource for schools that need help with the basics of IAQ to the most sophisticated of issues. It is one of just a few state-based programs in the country.

Educational Service District 101, Spokane, WA

Education Service District 101 (ESD 101) has been distributing the IAQ TfS Kit for several years. In 2000, ESD 101, determined to make its IAQ TfS efforts more effective, opened its doors to experts from the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Energy Office in Spokane, which assesses implementation of IAQ TfS under an EPA grant. The Washington State University team conducted walkthroughs in more than 50 of ESD 101's 242 schools. The experts discovered small IAQ problems that were easily fixed and more serious concerns that were corrected using IAQ TfS. Despite a lack of funds in rural communities, ESD 101 is working hard to advance IAQ TfS in its schools and is achieving promising results.

Everett School District #2, Everett, WA

The Everett School District #2 (ESD) turned to the IAQ TfS Program after a major IAQ issue. In 1994, ESD closed a middle school because children complained of watery eyes and nausea when they were in a particular classroom. ESD formed an Indoor Environment Program, which led it to IAQ TfS. Using the Kit, ESD gathered data about asthma and IAQ tests, which it shared with the public and school employees. This was an important step in maintaining the trust of the community. Now every school uses IAQ TfS to identify and resolve IAQ problems. ESD is emerging as an effective and enthusiastic supporter of IAQ TfS.

Fort Bend Public School District, Stafford, TX

Fort Bend Public School District worked hard to overcome problems with communication and bring representatives from across the school community into the IAQ TfS Program. For example, each school sent an IAQ fact sheet in English and Spanish to parents. IAQ information pamphlets are available at front offices and clinics, while teachers can complete their checklists on line. Two district IAQ coordinators manage IAQ TfS efforts in each school. Fort Bend has overcome hurdles of communication and organization to build an effective IAQ program. Today, Fort Bend assists other districts with communications.

Hillsborough County Public Schools, Tampa, FL

The IAQ Team at Hillsborough County Public Schools credits its program, which is based on IAQ TfS, with saving thousands of dollars and creating a greater understanding of IAQ issues among staff. The district trained its Safety Specialists in the identification and resolution of basic IAQ problems. Since the program began in 1998, the District reports that it has only spent $400 of public funds on IAQ consultants, compared to an estimated $250,000 prior to 1997.

Jefferson County R-1 School District, Golden, CO

A recent participant in IAQ TfS, Jefferson County R-1 School District has developed a pilot program for IAQ TfS in nine of its schools. The District started with training sessions for facility and maintenance personnel and energy managers. From there, staff concentrated on assessing the state of the schools' ventilation and finding specific problems to tackle. The next step was to compile the data and prioritize repairs, renovations, and other methods for improving ventilation. The Jefferson County program emphasizes the important role that maintenance personnel can play in improving IAQ. Plans are underway to build on this early success and apply the program throughout the District.

Little Harbour School, Portsmouth, NH

Little Harbour School entered the IAQ TfS Program in 1997 after years of complaints from school staff about chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, and even new diagnoses of asthma in three teachers. Student asthma cases had also been rising. Little Harbour IAQ advocates used a team approach to overcome skepticism about whether a program was workable or even necessary. Its IAQ committee included members from across the school community and outside experts. Little Harbour has identified its ventilation problems and set short-term and long-term goals, steadily improving indoor air quality and winning people's confidence. The school nurse's office reports that student visits for headaches and stomach aches are down by at least 15 percent. School staff are reporting far fewer bronchitis cases. The Team's commitment to bring IAQ TfS to every school in Portsmouth demonstrates its continued dedication to IAQ issues.

Montgomery County Public School District, Rockville, MD

Montgomery County Public School District recognizes that indoor air pollutants can trigger asthma problems and allergic reactions. The District is working with Montgomery County health officials, parents, employee groups, and the Montgomery County Asthma Improvement Resources Coalition to take the message of IAQ TfS into the school community and beyond. The District is also participating in a study titled Health, Energy and Productivity in Schools, which is run by the HP-Woods Research Institute. An excellent example of team work and community cooperation, the District has achieved much and aims to place an IAQ program in all its schools by the end of FY2004.

Naperville Public School District, Naperville, IL

Naperville teachers complained of flu-like symptoms, and employees blamed sick building syndrome. Although outside testing did not find elevated levels of indoor pollutants, the Naperville Public School District decided to implement the IAQ TfS Program to help improve resolution of IAQ issues. The District used the Kit as a starting point, adding a teacher survey, developing a flow chart to organize complaint procedures, regularly reporting to the School Board, and other initiatives. The District has steadily gained positive media coverage of its efforts. Naperville continues to expand its efforts to ensure a healthy school environment.

Nashua School District, Nashua, NH

Nashua School District was among the first to participate in the IAQ TfS Program in New Hampshire. Since the early 1990s, school staff had reported the smell of musty, stale air, which was the result of poor ventilation and leaky roofs. With the help of IAQ TfS, the District introduced yearly inspections of all facilities, set new standards for building maintenance, and gave janitors better equipment and training for using chemicals. Nashua continues to be innovative, by adapting the IAQ TfS Kit to the needs of individual schools. Nashua also shares its expertise with other school districts by hosting training sessions and conferences.

North Country Union High School, Newport VT

Complaints of headaches, nausea, and sinus infections used to be commonplace at North Country Union High School. Two employees even filed lawsuits against the Orleans Essex North Supervisory Union and the school district. But the school community has turned around Union High's IAQ problems. In 1997, the school board formed an ad hoc IAQ Committee. Using an employee questionnaire, based on materials in the IAQ TfS Kit, the Committee identified trouble spots (e.g., idling delivery trucks that pumped diesel fuel fumes into the building). Most important, the committee recommended a radical upgrade of the entire ventilation system at Union High, to ensure sufficient fresh air in every room. School board members agreed and successfully campaigned for a bond issue and budget that are financing the renovation. North County Union High stands as a model to other schools in the region.

Savannah-Chatham County Public School District, Savannah, GA

School nurses work on the front lines of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School District's IAQ efforts. In August 2000, the District and the Chatham County Board of Health's Environmental Health Division provided the IAQ TfS Kit and training to nurses at all 54 schools. The nurses began implementing the Program through their asthma management plans, sharing information with parents as well as school staff. The District's Risk Manager also provided IAQ training to maintenance and custodial staff. Thanks to these efforts, most principals understand their HVAC systems better than before. Teachers can better diagnose IAQ problems, thanks to the Kit's checklists. The District and Health Department are taking the IAQ message beyond the school, cooperating with community groups and government agencies to promote improved IAQ in homes.

Scott Middle School, Lincoln, NE

Scott Middle School implements the IAQ TfS Kit in a creative way. The school formed not one but five IAQ management teams of teachers. Teachers use checklists to identify IAQ problems and take their findings back to their teams. This process happens twice a year and has led to improvements. For example, the school has documented high levels of formaldehyde, an issue that has been resolved by bringing in more fresh air. School personnel detected outside air pollutants wafting into the building from an illegal construction site trash fire, a problem which was easily fixed. Scott Middle School is seeing good results from this work. Before implementation of IAQ TfS, several children were diagnosed with symptoms of early respiratory complaints. The school's health office reported no such problems since the introduction of the Program.

St. Mary's Central High School, Bismarck, ND

In October 2000, St. Mary's Central High School began using the IAQ TfS Kit to identify IAQ concerns and set priorities. Using checklists, IAQ volunteers discovered the foundation surrounding the music room had settled and cracked, letting water seep through. The school will use 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 has made good progress in a short time and is passing on its experiences to other schools.

Visalia Unified School District, Visalia, CA

Located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, this agricultural community has one of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the United States. As the community grew increasingly aware of the effects poor indoor air quality can have on health, Visalia Unified School District (VUSD) officials turned to the IAQ TfS Program. VUSD has established a District IAQ Management Team and Site Coordinators in all of its 32 schools. These volunteer teams are cataloging long-standing concerns, such as the many classrooms that have inadequate outside air ventilation. VUSD is taking significant steps to improve the health of its community in the face of great challenges.

West Virginia Department of Education, Charleston, WV

Education lies at the heart of the IAQ TfS Program, especially in West Virginia where the state's Department of Education has implemented a proactive indoor air quality program that is supported by the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health and the West Virginia Legislative bodies. Staff members have completed indoor air quality facilities reviews, identified problems, provided technical assistance to schools and recommendations for resolution of problems. Outreach and education to the public, school personnel, and local county officials has been accomplished through the presentation of training programs and cooperative efforts with the Department of Health. West Virginia is now dealing with the aftermath of extreme flooding that has led to severe damage, including mold, in several county school districts. The West Virginia Department of Education IAQ TfS Program will be instrumental in assisting school personnel to correct and rebuild these schools.

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