&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Envisioning Excellence,
Lessons from Effective
School Indoor Air
Quality (IAQ) Programs
A Snapshot of Six
Profiles in Excellence
Read more about the profiles in IAQ Excellence and the
Framework for Effective School IAQ Programs at
www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/excellence.html.
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Visit www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/excellence.html to access an in-depth treatment
of the profiles in IAQ Excellence—
Envisioning Excellence: Lessons from Effective School IAQ Programs
December 2008
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Six Profiles in IAQ Excellence
EPA has developed Envisioning Excellence: Lessons from Effective School IAQ
Programs to help schools take effective action to advance health, safety,
and wellness initiatives. Envisioning Excellence presents the Framework for
Effective School IAQ Programs—guidelines that detail the organizational
approaches and practices that are fundamental to school IAQ program
success—and tells the stories of several very different school districts that
applied the Framework to create effective and enduring IAQ programs. In
their diversity, these stories demonstrate the flexibility and adaptability of
the Framework. They make clear that any school, regardless of location,
size, budget, or facility conditions, can use the Framework to launch and
sustain a successful IAQ program.
Following is a snapshot of six school districts and the work they have done
to effectively manage IAQ These Profiles in IAQ Excellence demonstrate
the Framework for Effective School IAQ Programs in action showing
how the six Key Drivers that comprise the Framework contribute to each
school district's program success.
The Framework for Effective
School IAQ Programs
Communicate
with Everyone,
Evaluate
Your Results UJ
for Continuous
Act
to Address Structural,
Institutional, and
Behavioral Issues
Organize
for Success
Assess
Your Environment
Continuously
Plan
Your Short and
Long-Term
Activities
Blue Valley School
District
The School
Board of Broward
County, Florida
Charlotte-
Mecklenburg
Schools
Hartford Public
Schools
Suburban District in Overland Park, KS
• 35 facilities ranging from 0-87 years old
• 21,000 students & 2,650 staff
Urban District in the Fort Lauderdale, FL
area
• 253 facilities ranging from 0-80 years old
• 258,905 students & 38,833 staff
Urban District in Charlotte, NC
• 650 buildings, 1,250 Mobile Units, 170
schools ranging from 0-80 years old
• 134,500 students & 19,000 staff
Urban District in Connecticut (sixth highest
poverty rate of any large U.S. city)
• 47 facilities ranging from 0-127 years old
• 22,500 students & 3,700 staff
Built momentum and secured support for facility
investments by linking IAQ management to student
performance
Created a collaborative approach to IAQ management
that brought parents, unions, teachers, facilities,
maintenance, and operations together
Committed to ensuring healthy indoor environments after
an expensive and exhausting IAQ crisis. Departmental
reorganization, district-wide training, and benchmarking
all facilities led to the sustainable, institutionalized IAQ
management program CMS enjoys today
Used the IAQ TfS Program to coordinate school health
and facilities functions across the district and engage
community organizations in an effort to address asthma .
Katy Independent
School District
West Carrollton
School District
Rapidly growing suburban District outside of
Houston, TX
• 67 facilities ranging from 0-40 years old
• 55,749 students & 7,645 staff
Suburban District near Dayton, OH
• 7 facilities ranging from 40-90 years old
• 3,750 students & 450 staff
Turned an IAQ crisis into an opportunity by creating an
effective IAQ program led by key senior managers at
the district-level and by health services representatives
at each school
Overcame an IAQ crisis and loss of public trust by
employing an open communications and planning
strategy to build understanding, improve assessments,
and create ownership for IAQ results
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BLUE VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Building Momentum—Linking LAQManagement to Student Success
In 2000, Blue Valley School District (BVSD) launched an IAQ management
program to address increased parent interest in environmental issues,
counter the risks of a public relations disaster like the one that occurred
when a neighboring district closed a school for IAQ problems, and ensure
outstanding learning environments for their students. BVSD applied the IAQ
TfS model to create a structure for facilities management that tied their existing
programs together and leveraged resources to radically accelerate their progress.
"Ourprogram's success didn't materialize overnight. It started with a vision and
expectation of excellence and we have continued to push the program forward at every
opportunity." — Dave Hill, Executive Director, Facilities and Operations
Organize for Success — Build an Effective Team: BVSD created an
inter-disciplinary IAQ team that includes design and construction, safety,
energy, operations and maintenance, and custodial functions. A designated IAQ
coordinator leads the team and everyone in the district knows he is the 'go-to
guy' for IAQ The team also includes an executive-level leader who relays the
team's goals and investment needs to the district's strategic planning committee.
"Before adopting IAQ TJS, we had a lot of successful, but... unrelated pieces in place
for managing our environments.. .IAQ TfS gave us a framework for organizing; it
provided the comprehensive approach we needed... to pull it all together, strengthen our
existing practices.. .and get more out of our work. " — Dave Hill
BVSD uses their work order system to
track reported IAQ concerns and monitors
operating expenditures to capture cost
savings from IAQ upgrades.
A Fewer per capita IAQ concerns each
year
A Reduced operating costs through IAQ
upgrades (e.g., $23,000 energy savings
at one school in one year)
A Rise in test scores every year since
program began (highest ACT scores
in the state; 4 out of 6 of state's top-
ranked schools are in the Blue Valley
School District)
A Marked decrease in lost instructional
time due to facility problems
Assess Your Environments Continuously — Use Technology: Blue Valley uses technology to benchmark facilities, conduct
routine monitoring, and save money and man hours by avoiding problems. "With regular inspections, we can detect potential problems
before [they] become larger issues that require expensive repairs. By demonstrating the cost savings that preventive maintenance can deliver, we
convinced the decision-makers that upfront technology investments made sense. " —Dave Hill
ACT to ADDRESS STRUCTURAL,
INSTITUTIONAL, and BEHAVIORAL
ISSUES:
Educate Staff About IAQ to Change
Behavior
"We have been able to sustain the
excellence of our district's IAQ
management program because we
have cultivated an atmosphere of
program ownership and building
stewardship among all of the
employees who are responsible for
maintaining excellent IAQ."
- Dave Hill, Executive Director,
Facilities and Operations
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities — Put Goals in
Writing: Blue Valley institutionalized their program by including IAQ
goals in the district's strategic plan and establishing metrics to evaluate their
progress against goals.
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time — Share Your Goals:
"Everyone soon knew exactly how their role... contributes to outstanding
learning environments for the kids." By tying the IAQ work to a goal
that people care deeply about, BVSD was able to build the depth of
commitment the IAQ initiative needed right from the start.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional, and Behavioral Issues
- Educate Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior: Blue Valley used
training to cultivate a culture of stewardship and to create IAQ champions
across the organization. All facilities staff members were trained to identify
root causes of lAQproblems and to avoid cosmetic fixes.
Evaluate Your Results for Continuous Improvement — Solicit
Feedback: BVSD asks occupants to score the school's indoor environment
on annual surveys and aims to receive scores of at least 4 out of 5 from
100% of respondents.
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THE SCHOOL BOARD OF BROWARD COUNTY, FL
The More Open and Collaborative the Program, the Better the IAQ Outcomes
The School Board of Broward County, Florida (Broward) experienced a
mold crisis in 2002 that led to the implementation of a comprehensive,
district-wide Z4Q TfS Program. "Before 2002... we were taking some
action to address IAQ, but our activities were not systematic and they were not
undertaken in a spirit of collaboration. Our crisis caused a paradigm shift in our
approach.. .Now, we're much more focused on involvement, communications, and
collaboration with the community, the unions, and all the disciplines throughout
the district. Before, we worked behind the scenes. ..in a veiled way... but now,
everyone in the district understands IAQ and knows they have a role to play
in promoting healthy school environments. "—JeffMoquin, Director of Risk
Management
Organize for Success —
Identify Existing Assets: When the district was hit with a crisis, they
looked for an organization that was viewed as effective and trustworthy to
carry their IAQ plans forward. In 2002, they engaged the existing Facilities
Task Force, comprised of union members, teachers, parents, school board
members, and others.
Broward uses survey results to track IAQ
concerns and responses over time, and
monitors workers compensation claims.
A Implemented IAQ TfS in 164 schools
and 1 department so far and continue
to add at least 20 new schools each
year
Declining trends in IAQ complaints
(over a 50% decrease seen from 2005
to 2007)
A Correlation between schools with IAQ
programs and decrease in reported
IAQ issues and workers compensation
claims and average expense per claim
" Improved district relations with union
and parents; prior adversaries are now
part of the solution
Secure Senior Buy-In: Broward's IAQ Subcommittee includes the district's
superintendent. The team does not run into institutional obstacles because
when something needs to happen or someone needs to participate, he can make it happen.
Build an Effective Team: Broward engaged all possible stakeholders for the IAQ Subcommittee and recruited IAQ committees
in each school to serve as trainers, survey administrators, and communications channels to the community.
Assess Your Environments Continuously — Listen to Occupants: To ensure that the District-level team gets thorough input
from building occupants, Broward's online survey is designed to be simple and comfortable for building occupants to use (e.g., no
name required), and the robust, online survey assessment instrument automatically compiles survey findings and maps required
response activities to create a complete picture of each facility.
ORGANIZE for SUCCESS:
Create Champions
"Unions, PTAs, and other interest
group organizations are your
friends. A major component of
our recent success has been the
positive relationships we have
garnered with the district's unions
and alliance groups. It is important
to develop a true partnership with
these groups when investigating
IAQ issues and developing your
overall IAQ plans and goals."
-Jeff Moquin,
Director of Risk Management
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities — Prioritize Actions:
Broward's system names IAQ work orders according to a priority ranking based
on the seriousness of the IAQ concern and the nature of the required response
(e.g., behavioral change versus equipment repair).
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time — Be Transparent &
Inclusive: Where once IAQ issues were addressed quietly, now the district
broadcasts information about its facilities—problems and all—on its Web
site, on its cable access television station, and through written action plans to
remediate the issues identified on their walkthroughs, which are distributed to
all stakeholders.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional, and Behavioral Issues —
Educate Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior: By engaging the unions
and parent groups, the IAQ Subcommittee changed the way the Facilities and
Maintenance and Operations Departments did business. They helped staff
become collaborative problem-solvers rather than secret keepers.
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CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS
Organizing to Institutionalize Proactive IAQ Management
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' (CMS) IAQ troubles began with parent
concern about possible mold in one school. CMS' investigation concluded
that mold was not an issue, but skeptical parents took their concerns to
the media inciting a whirlwind of bad publicity and community mistrust.
Although CMS weathered the immediate crisis, this event spurred a new
commitment—CMS set out to ensure that proactive IAQ management became
a way of life in the district. CMS followed the IAQ TfS Program guidance
to establish a district-wide facility assessment program, assign departmental
responsibilities to address environmental risks, partner with community groups
to implement the management approach, and train everyone across the school
community on IAQ management. The result is a sustainable and successful
program, a sense of ownership among the staff for facility and occupant health,
and improved trust and openness with the community.
Organize for Success — Empower an IAQ Leader: For CMS, a
sustainable IAQ program required a strong advocate with the power to
make big decisions. Senior management created a new position, Manager of
Environmental Health and Safety, and hired an IAQ expert with extensive
experience managing environmental health in large, institutional buildings.
work orders and monitors
costs saved by their proactive approach.
A Summer-time program emphasizing
IAQ fundamentals cut mold work orders
by 54%
100% of IAQ complaints investigated
within 24 hours
Early identification and prompt
response to IAQ concerns has
reduced response costs: items costing
$150,000+ in the past are safely handled
for less than $10,000 today
" Change in school culture: Greater
awareness and responsiveness and a
new commitment of fiscal resources to
address IAQ issues district-wide
Assess Your Environments Continuously — Walk the Grounds: CMS
implemented a two-track system for continuous assessments. Track one is a proactive inspection system consisting of routine monthly
walkthroughs. Track two is a reactive system for responding to all reported occupant concerns within 24 hours to assess the conditions
and initiate a response plan. "We're proactively looking for problems. By finding and cleaning up problems early, we make the classrooms
healthier and save maintenance funds in the long run!" —Brian Kasher, Manager of Environmental Health and Safety
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities — Work in Stages: CMS' Executive Director of Building Services, Phil Berman,
understood that he couldn't sustain an effective IAQ program alone; successful management requires a team approach. CMS worked
with the University of Tulsa to plan a district-wide assessment program for all 150+ school facilities. To ensure adequate time, budget,
and thoroughness of inspections, they conducted the baseline assessments, including occupant surveys, HVAC inspection, walkthroughs,
and collection of monitoring data over two years.
"The Framework is really just
a natural progression for an
IAQ management program. Our
program's approach has always
been the Framework, before we
even knew what that was."
- Brian Kasher, Manager of
Environmental Health and Safety
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time — Share Your Goals: A written
mission and vision that aligns with your district's strategic plan helps keep you on track
and acts as an anthem for your efforts. The Building Services Department's mission
resonates with everyone: "to provide excellent educational facilities for all stakeholders
that are safe, clean, well-maintained, and environmentally secure." "The less time teachers
and school-based administrators spend worrying about facilities-related issues and instead
focus on their primary mission of educating children, the better. " —Phil Berman, Executive
Director, CMS Building Services
Act to Address Structural, Institutional, and Behavioral Issues — Educate
Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior: By conducting training for all school groups
about how everyone can help maintain healthy IAQ, Building Services demonstrated that every department and function has value. The
result was a visible shift in CMS' culture: a change in perceptions, behavior, and ultimately, the mindset of the school community. One
of the first signs of this change was a new appreciation for the facilities staff—the unseen champions of any IAQ program. "Now. ..we
understandIAQ issues are not an agenda item, they are a way of doing business. We have received so many thank you letters from staff—and for
a usually thankless job."—Chip Irby, CMS Director of Maintenance
Evaluate Your Results for Continuous Improvement — Solicit Feedback: CMS noticed a sharp spike in their mold work
orders during the summer months—not surprising considering the humid North Carolina climate—but the facilities staff noticed many
were repeat calls. By talking to people experiencing repeat problems, facilities discovered they could address the repeats by revising the
summer energy management program. The results: a 54% reduction in mold work orders from repeat calls during the summer.
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HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Using LAQManagement to Address Asthma in an Urban District
The city of Hartford has the sixth highest child poverty rate of any large
city in the U.S. In 2001, a study of Medicaid eligible, school aged children
in Hartford revealed an asthma prevalence of 19%. The city council
declared an asthma emergency and called on the school district to help
manage asthma. Hartford Public Schools (HPS) was challenged by old buildings
and limited resources. Two dedicated champions used the IAQ TfS Program
to create a wellness program for the district. They recruited collaborators from
across the community and established a network of Health and Safety Teams in
the majority of schools linked through the district-level nursing and building and
grounds functions. Although recent changes in upper management have resulted
in new challenges, bundling IAQ TfS with the Health and Safety teams has
maintained a sustainable structure to address school wellness. A more targeted
focus on training and education has empowered building occupants to be
stewards for their environments.
Organize for Success — Develop Systematic Approach: In 2001, HPS
applied the IAQ TfS framework to create a district-wide wellness program and
address rising rates of asthma. They didn't add IAQ activities to a to do list; they
used IAQ TJS to create a systemic solution. They recruited teams at each school
site and partnered with health and environmental organizations from across the
city (universities, non-profits, local and state government, etc.). These Health
and Safety teams remain intact despite shifting priorities in the district.
HPS monitors IAQ TfS implementation at the
District's schools, and the nursing staff tracks
asthma outcomes.
A Decrease in asthma visits to school
health rooms over the initial three
years of systematic data collection
Sustainable and active health and
safety teams in the majority of
schools
Greatly enhanced staff commitment,
involvement, and stewardship of
facility health
Widespread staff awareness of how
and why to report IAQ concerns
IAQ TfS recommendations used in
renovations and new buildings
Proactive approach ensures IAQ
problems are addressed in a
systematic and timely manner
Assess Your Environments Continuously — Listen to Occupants: HPS
trained the site-based Health and Safety Teams with the tools and information
they needed to assess their facilities. The teams gather detailed information from
their occupants about facility history, health trends, and comfort issues and use that information to develop a list of priority activities;
prompt response to improvement requests from Facilities and Nursing Services provides positive reinforcement. By allowing school staff
to assess their facilities and prioritize their own IAQ needs, the district empowers school-based teams to be facility experts and stewards.
ORGANIZE for SUCCESS:
Develop Systematic Approach
"From our very first pilot project...we
were driven by the question, 'what are
we going to do about asthma?' The fact
that IAQ TfS provides support for asthma
management was a major selling point
for us and our administrators."
- Pam Clark,
Hartford Public Schools
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities — Work in Stages: HPS put
together the components of success over time. At first, there was a single pilot project.
But, they used that example to build momentum and support; used the support to
build a training program; used the training program to create school-based Health
and Safety Teams; used the teams to assess the facilities; and so on. And now, they are
ensuring sustainability by reinforcing the program with IAQ TJS on Health and Safety
Team agendas and active outreach to administration and principals that emphasize
the relationships among IAQ management, student health, and student performance.
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time — Make IAQ Meaningful: The
IAQ program champions in HPS marketed the program by describing their goals
for it in the terms that were most relevant to each audience: for administrators it
was a solution for asthma and attendance; for school-based teams, it was the key to
achieving "safe, clean, and healthy" schools.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional, and Behavioral Issues - - Train Occupants to Address IAQ Risks: HPS keeps
IAQ management front and center by continually communicating the importance of IAQ to various groups within the school district,
from focused training for custodians throughout the district, to annual staff training on asthma and the environment, to regular meetings
with the principals, and even educating teens on asthma in high school. No one person or group is overwhelmed by the workload
because the responsibility for good IAQ in the schools is spread and shared across the district, the schools, and the community. "Although
many programs compete for attention at HPS, the IAQ initiative is sustained because health leadership continues to see the value oflAQ TJS in
supporting a, healthy learning and teaching school environment. " —Paula Schenck, University of Connecticut Health Center
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KATY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Turning Crisis into Opportunity...and Thriving
Katy Independent School District (KISD) launched their IAQ
TfS Program to respond to a mold crisis that led to the closing of
one of their schools and the sudden relocation of over 700 students in
the spring of 2002. The community voiced disapproval and expressed
distrust that the district could maintain healthy buildings for their
children. The district learned some powerful lessons during their crisis
and put them to work immediately: a comprehensive IAQprogram is
essential; it costs less to prevent IAQ problems than to fix them; IAQ
management has to be integrated into the culture to be successful;
continuous improvement, not just remediation, is the goal; and open
and honest communication with the public is essential.
Organize for Success — Empower an IAQ Leader: KISD's IAQ
Program is led by an assistant director inside the Maintenance and
Operations (M&O) Department. This level of authority lets the IAQ
coordinator hire staff, set policies, and apply funds as required to meet
the IAQ challenges.
Assess Your Environments Continuously — Determine a
Baseline: The IAQ team recorded baseline environmental conditions
at all facilities by conducting walkthrough assessments in the first year
of the program. The baseline has provided a way to measure progress
over time and continuously motivates staff to take effective actions. And
ongoing assessments show continuously improved facility performance
over time.
KISD tracks baseline facility conditions and
improvements over time based on their
walkthrough assessments and the number of
reported IAQ concerns from work orders.
A Walkthrough assessments of all schools
show continuous improvement from
baseline
A Decrease in reported IAQ concerns
A Improved student, teacher, and staff
comfort, performance, and satisfaction
A Decreased absenteeism and reduced
number of nurse visits for asthma
A Turned once negative publicity into positive
publicity for the district
A Ongoing public support for major facility
investments, including facility upgrades
A 1 of 12 schools internationally to win
Facilities Masters Award from the
Association of School Business Officials
International
ORGANIZE for SUCCESS:
Secure Senior Buy-In - KISD
continues to ensure program
sustainability through obtaining
support or new administrators.
"I believe ensuring we have
skilled technicians and
managers able to respond to
any feedback or concern from
the end user is critical to our
success."
- Tom Gunnell,
KISD Chief Operations Officer
"Providing a safe and
orderly working and learning
environment is essential to the
district's performance."
- Alton Frailey,
KISD Superintendent
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities — Prioritize Actions: KISD
prioritizes IAQ activities in at least two ways: after the assessments, supervisors in
the M&O Department review their action lists and rank priorities according to
risk; and before any money is spent on major facility upgrades, the department
prioritizes sealing of building envelopes, windows, and doors to prevent moisture
intrusion and manage mold risks.
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time — Be Transparent &
Inclusive: KISD began an aggressive and open communications campaign
when the crisis hit and since then, has never stopped engaging their community.
The IAQ team shared their IAQ plan, continuously updated the community
on its progress, and willingly opens their facilities to community tours. This
openness and the team's follow-through on their commitments built trust and
significant support for the program in a once-doubting community.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional, and Behavioral Issues —
Educate Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior: KISD saw a change in
the principals' reactions from Year 1 to 2 of the assessment process. At first,
principals hardly noticed their reports, but by Year 2, they paid close attention.
The district-level staffs reaction to the reports demonstrated that "this IAQ stuff'
must be important. When the assessments were quickly followed by M&O
activity in their schools, the principals took notice.
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WEST CARROLLTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Communicating to Build Trust, Conduct Effective Assessments, and Deliver IAQ Results
West Carrollton School District (WCSD) began thinking seriously
about IAQ issues in the wake of a public IAQ, moisture, and ventilation
problem that resulted in a lawsuit and negative media attention in the fall
of 2001. In response, WCSD launched an IAQ management program in
December 2001 to improve facility conditions and regain the public trust. The
district built a program using guidance from the IAQ TfS Kit. "IAQ TfSgave us
the guidance we needed to form our original committee and assess our facilities.. .an
organizational framework and the credibility we needed in the wake of our crisis. "
— Dana Green, Business Manager
Organize for Success — Build an Effective Team: WCSD's initial IAQ
Team was a diverse group. Members included once skeptical parents, school
board members, the superintendent, the business manager, the operations
supervisor for maintenance and facilities, union representatives from the teachers
and classified workers unions, and at least one representative from each building.
This composition made the team a communications network, a warehouse of
facility expertise, and a decision-making body that could authorize spending and
assign personnel. Over time the make-up and focus of the IAQ team has evolved
to meet the shift from IAQ to student/staff health, wellness, and success.
Assess Your Environments Continuously — Identify and Prevent
Risks: WCSD continues to conduct preventive assessments by benchmarking
all rooms in the district and conducting in-depth occupant surveys annually.
They use this data to establish a picture of the normal functioning of every
location in every facility. These tools allow them to recognize small problems
early and act to prevent big problems from emerging. This process has also made
the implementation of the State of Ohio's recently legislated Jarod's Law seamless and productive.
WCSD tracks the number and type of IAQ
concerns reported on annual surveys.
A Found less severe IAQ problems that
take less time to address from year to
year
A Improved student performance,
attendance and increased levels of
staff and community trust
A Increased voter support: converted
a fixed-term to a permanent levy to
provide guaranteed funds for capital
improvements and operations
A "IAQ TfS is our framework for
promoting high quality environmental
health, safety, and wellness. It helps
us to design IAQ processes and
proactively align and deploy our IAQ
management system."
- Dr. Rusty Clifford,
Superintendent
ASSESS YOUR ENVIRONMENTS
CONTINUOUSLY:
Listen to Occupants
"We would not have thought of
doing walkthroughs the way we
now do them—with thorough
input from staff and reviewing
each facility with a fine toothed
comb—if we hadn't learned to do
sofromthe/dQrfSKit."
- Dana Green,
Business Manager
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities — Put Goals in Writing:
Including IAQ issues in the strategic plan ensures that WCSD remains committed
to the program because IAQ is linked to their core ideology: "core values —
Improvement, Learning, Leadership, Value, Results and purpose - to be the school
district of choice in Ohio." "Our lAQprocess will.. .always be pan of the plan...
because we recognize that wellness is largely influenced by IAQ. " — Dr. Rusty Clifford,
Superintendent
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time — Be Transparent &
Inclusive: During the IAQ crisis, WCSD observed the value of honest and open
communication: it was the best strategy for diffusing the media and demonstrating
to the public and staff a "sincere commitment to protecting school health and safety."
"The IAQ TfS approach for addressing problems has become a way of life for everyone in
the school community, from administration to students. " — Dana Green, Business Manager
Act to Address Structural, Institutional, and Behavioral Issues —
Educate Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior: WCSD involves all staff in the
assessment process to build their knowledge of and confidence in the IAQ program
and to get better data on facility conditions. Staff participation in the in-depth
surveys transforms them into educated IAQ champions and building stewards. This
has resulted in an annual decline in the number and severity of walkthrough related
issues.
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www.epa.gov/iaq/schools
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