Schools Learning to Improve Indoor Air Quality

The Environmental Protection Agency began the day by handing out awards to eight school districts, two organizations and an administrator for their efforts in improving the quality of the air inside the classroom. The awards are part of the Eighth Annual Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) National Symposium in Washington, D.C. this week.

The EPA started the Tools for Schools program in 1995 and hosting the national symposium beginning in 2000 in an effort to not only draw attention to the importance of indoor air quality, but also to facilitate local school districts in developing strong management plans for IAQ. With more than 50 million children and staff members spending up to eight hours a day inside the classroom, IAQ can affect productivity and performance. Poor air quality can trigger asthma, respiratory infections and other health issues that can lead to decreased concentration and absenteeism.

The IAQ TfS program offers an action kit to schools to better assess and manage their indoor environmental quality through simple low- or no-cost methods as well as offering other resources for administrators including sample plans and videos. The three-day IAQ TfS symposium goes farther in providing the latest research on such topics as mold and other asthma triggers, radon, cleaning chemicals exposure, and ventilation systems. More than 500 administrators, teachers, nurses, school and health associations, and parents attend the symposium and participate in educational sessions.

Schools that have shown excellence in their own IAQ management program are recognized at the symposium. Awards are given out for beginners in the Great Start category, as well as those who have been achieving high marks for years with the Sustained Excellence Award.

This year the winners include Baltimore County, Maryland Public Schools; Mayfield City Schools in Mayfield Heights, Ohio; and Ridgefield Public Schools in Ridgefield, Connecticut. They were given the Exceptional Commitment Awards in the Excellence category. The Sustained Excellence Awards were given to Wichita Public Schools; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Katy Independent School District in Katy, Texas and the School Boards of both Palm Beach and Broward Counties in Florida. The Healthy Schools Network in Albany, New York and the Pediatric/Adult Asthma Coalition of New Jersey also received awards for Special Achievement. Finally, Philip Apruzzese of the Connecticut Education Association was nominated by his peers and awarded for his passion in improving IAQ.

The Sustained Excellence Winners, Katy Independent School District and the Wichita Public Schools also received awards in 2005. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools were recognized previously as well in 2004. The Palm Beach County School Board is also a repeat winner from 2003.

The EPA's principal deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation said in the EPA press release, "Good indoor air quality in our schools is vital to the health and education of our nation's children. A clean and healthy learning environment is as fundamental as reading, writing and arithmetic."

Source: Environmental Protection Agency