IAQ Tools for Schools
Find an IAQ Champion
Region 3 IAQ Champions
EPA Region 3 Contact
Cristina Schulingkamp
Email: schulingkamp.cristina@epa.gov
Phone: (215) 814-2086
Address: Mail Code (3AP50), 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
Delaware | District of Columbia | Maryland | Pennsylvania | Virginia | West Virginia
This information will be updated, so please check back. The page was last updated on April 24, 2012
Delaware
Contact your Regional representative to find an IAQ Champion.
District of Columbia
Contact your Regional representative to find an IAQ Champion.
Maryland
Cecil County Public Schools, Cecil County, Md.
Contact: Jim Fite, jfite@ccps.org
Cecil County Public Schools used the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance to identify solutions for several IAQ concerns, including a printing operation, custodial procedures and boilers requiring replacement. The IAQ Tools for Schools guidance gained widespread support in the community because information was presented that tied IAQ to student performance. Since using this guidance, Cecil County Public Schools has experienced a 40 percent reduction in IAQ complaints. In addition, roughly 96 percent of IAQ complaints are investigated within 24 hours.
The Baltimore County Public Schools, Middle River, Md.
Contact: Sean Joyce, sjoyce@bcps.org
Baltimore County Public Schools continues to expand its IAQ management plan and has successfully incorporated a group of 54 schools into an IAQ program based on the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance. They established IAQ teams in all county schools and created an annual training for new IAQ coordinators. IAQ concerns now receive the highest priority in the school district's maintenance work order system, resulting in quick resolution of potential problems. The county also improved communication in schools by modifying checklists from the Action Kit to include a summary page to report key findings, recommendations and resolutions. An IAQ newsletter keeps staff up-to-date on IAQ issues.
Frederick County Public Schools, Frederick, Md.
Contact: Laura Olsen, laura.olsen@fcps.org
Frederick County Public Schools recognized the critical importance of healthy school environments to their educational mission and launched an IAQ management program based on the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance. With senior management support, a multi-disciplinary team created maintenance clusters to organize and divide maintenance responsibilities across small groups of schools and streamline necessary repairs. The team institutionalized a building maintenance and repair tracking system to identify IAQ needs at the individual building level. The district uses low VOC chemicals and ensures that HVAC equipment is easily accessible to facilitate the maintenance and replacement of air filters. Lastly, the district encourages open and honest communication about IAQ issues by accepting IAQ complaints in a variety of ways, including work orders, phone calls or emails. The IAQ management team conducts annual assessments through customer satisfaction surveys in order to improve their service from year to year.
Harford County Public Schools, Bel Air, Md.
Contact: Keith Jewell, Keith.Jewell@hcps.org
Working in partnership with the American Lung Association, Harford County Public Schools established IAQ guidelines for team formation, walkthrough inspections and reporting complaints, but allows flexibility to meet the needs of individual schools. Harford County Public Schools has an effective communications plan that involves the school community, including training on IAQ and maintenance and parent notification through newsletters and cable access programming. This school district's IAQ efforts have been successful due to the effective communication and partnerships within the community.
Montgomery County Public School District, Rockville, Md.
Contact: Sean Yarup,
sean_r_yarup@mcpsmd.org
Montgomery County Public School District recognizes that indoor air pollutants can trigger asthma problems and allergic reactions. The district works with Montgomery County health officials, parents, employee groups and the Montgomery County Asthma Improvement Resources Coalition to take the message of the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance 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.
Pennsylvania
Millcreek Township School District, Erie, Pa.
Contact: Brad Dunn, bdunn@troy.mtsd.org
Millcreek Township School District modeled proactive IAQ management techniques in district schools. The district maintenance supervisor visited each school, showed a walkthrough video, conducted initial inspections and prepared work orders for any apparent problems. This significantly improved the IAQ in each school in the district. Millcreek Township School District shares information about its IAQ program and progress with a union network of 20 other districts.
North Penn School District, Landale, Pa.
Contact: Mark Stein, steinmr@npenn.org
The administration at North Penn School District jumped on the idea of utilizing the IAQ Tools for Schools Framework to proactively avoid problems in the future. All facilities department supervisors and head custodians participated in trainings. The district began utilizing an innovative IAQ scorecard to track IAQ considerations so that schools could identify problems early on. The scorecard, coupled with an internet-based work order system and monthly inspections, now helps North Penn continuously assess and monitor all indoor environments. In addition, the district utilizes an integrated pest management program and green cleaning practices to minimize student and staff exposure to chemicals. The facilities department has also implemented a 24-hour response time for any IAQ complaint. After a thorough investigation, the building occupants are advised of the results of the investigation. This exemplary responsiveness combined with continuously looking for ways to proactively manage IAQ threats, allows North Penn to provide a healthy and safe environment for both students and staff.
The School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.
Contact: Francine Locke, flocke@philasd.org
As the eighth largest school district in the country, with approximately 25,000 staff, 163,000 students, and over 350 buildings that have an average building age of 63 years, The School District of Philadelphia has faced significant challenges in creating healthy indoor environments within its schools. To tackle its challenges, the district developed an IAQ management program using the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance and received mentorship from a successful school district — Baltimore County School District. The IAQ program is comprised of empowered sub-committees that focus on solving IAQ issues in all schools. Using a collaborative approach, the school district successfully addressed and remediated IAQ issues by securing staff and stakeholder buy-in of IAQ management efforts, conducting building walkthroughs to identify issues, and tracking and evaluating data to inform program impact and revisions. By prioritizing its IAQ issues and communicating its efforts throughout the school community, the district has made strides in creating healthy learning and working environments for all students, staff and faculty.
Radnor Township School District, Wayne, Pa.
Contact: Leo Bernabei, leo.bernabei@rtsd.org
Radnor Township School District not only established an exemplary IAQ management program based on the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance, but additionally, built a new school designed to be free from toxins and other IAQ hazards. This school won the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence. Radnor also developed a written protocol for maintenance procedures in all of the district schools.
Reading School District, Reading, Pa.
Contact: Craig Bramble,
bramblec@readingsd.org
Reading School District has implemented an extensive IAQ communications and outreach effort in each of the district’s 19 schools. The district educates school staff, school board officials, community members, parents and school nurse associations about IAQ issues in schools by distributing IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kits and supporting materials. The district involved local businesses in an innovative "Adopt a School" program to secure funding for building repairs while providing opportunities for positive recognition of participating organizations. After IAQ improvements were made, school nurses noticed a decline in the number of student visits to the nurse's office for asthma medication and health complaints. The IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit helped Reading School District establish a successful IAQ management program for identifying and resolving IAQ problems, including asbestos, lead and mold.
Robert K. Shafer Middle School, Bensalem Township School District, Bensalem, Pa.
Contact: Tom Vasek, tvasek@bensalemsd.org
Bensalem School District implemented the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance in response to citizen concern over poor IAQ in schools. Six schools were pilot IAQ Tools for Schools partners, and all have identified and mitigated a long list of IAQ problems — ranging from bird nests in HVAC systems to chlorine infiltration in classroom air. The district continues its dedication to sustaining a comprehensive IAQ management program and ensuring healthy learning environments for students and staff.
Virginia
Contact your Regional representative to find an IAQ Champion.
West Virginia
West Virginia Department of Education, Charleston, W.Va.
Contact: Bill Elswick,
cwelswic@access.k12.wv.us
West Virginia's Department of Education implemented a proactive IAQ program that is supported by the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health and the West Virginia Legislative bodies. Staff members have completed IAQ reviews, identified problems, and provided technical assistance and recommendations to schools 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.