Connector E-Newsletter#33: Gearing up for the National Symposium November 22, 2010 Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) IN THIS ISSUE: > News and Events > Listen, Learn, Lead: The 2011 IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium • Don't Miss Out: Exciting National Symposium Sessions • Finding Real Solutions: The IAQ Design Challenge > Have Your Questions Answered NEWS AND EVENTS • Register for the 2011 IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium: Join teachers, school administrators, nurses and others from across the country to learn best practices to implement and sustain school IAQ management programs. The Symposium will be held in Washington, D.C., Jan. 13-15,2011. Reserve your spot today! • Attend the Virtual School Walkthrough Webinar: Join IAQ experts Richard Prill from Washington State University and David Blake from the Northwest Clean Air Agency on a virtual school walkthrough. They will guide you through a comprehensive and effective walkthrough to identify, diagnose and solve common IAQ issues. The webinarwill be held Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, 1:00 PM ET. Register today! • Save the Date: Mark your calendars for EPAs Communities in Action National Asthma Forum, June 9-10, 2011, in Washington, D.C. Registration will open in early 2011. SHOULD WE HAVE OUR SCHOOLS TESTED FOR MOLD? CAN AIR FRESHENERS TRIGGER STUDENTS'ASTHMA? Have these and other questions answered on the Schools IAQ Connector E-mail Discussion Forum. Join today by sending a blank e-mail message to schools, iaq_connector-subscribe@lists. epa.gov. Then check your e-mail inbox for your confirmation and membership details. LISTEN, LEARN, LEAD: THE 2011 IAQ TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM The IAQ Tools for Schools Program has an overarching mission and goal — to promote safe and healthy school environments through peer-to-peer learning, sharing and networking. To fulfill this goal and to bring school administrators, teachers, maintenance and facilities staff, parents, and students together, EPA hosts the annual IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium — a premiere event in helping schools achieve their IAQ management goals. "Listen to the IAQ storytellers, practitioners and champions. Learn by actively participating in sessions, networking and collaborations. Lead multifaceted, integrated and sustainable IAQ projects, initiatives and programs." -Rusty Clifford, Ph.D., Superintendent, West Carrolton City Schools, OH ACCESS PAST E-NEWSLETTERS ONLINE Can't find a past IAQ Tools for Schools Connector e-newsletter in your e-mail inbox? No problem! Wish you could read past editions? You can! Visit the e-newsletter archive to access printable versions (PDF) of all past editions on the IAQ Tools for Schools website. ------- The complex challenges in IAQ management that your school may face — lack of funding, communication and administrative buy-in — can keep you from sustaining and growing your school's potential. But your school is not alone. Join experts and peers from across the country in hands-on learning exercises and arm yourself with the knowledge, strategies and solutions you need to take action and accelerate your school's IAQ management goals. The 2011 IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium will be held Jan. 13-15, 2011, at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. Check out the Symposium website to learn more about the sessions that will be offered and how to register. DON'T MISS OUT: EXCITING NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM SESSIONS The 2011 IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium is a can't-miss event! Get hands-on experience and hear from experts in all aspects of IAQ — chemical management, integrated pest management, radon, asthma management, school walkthroughs and more. Read descriptions of some of the exciting and interactive sessions below: • Asthma Management in Schools — Asthma is a leading cause of student absenteeism, accounting for millions of missed school days each year. Join IAQ and asthma experts to discover how your school or school district can help students with asthma stay healthy and productive. Learn from faculty school districts as they share their asthma management challenges, solutions and successes. • Overcoming Obstacles: Funding Your IAQ Management Program — Effectively funding an IAQ management program can lead to a successful and sustainable program. Attend this session to gain insight on cost-saving strategies and creative sources of revenue to fund IAQ programs. • Using IAQ as a Teaching and Learning Tool in Your District — Student participation can take an IAQ management program to the next level — making it an institutionalized element in your school or district. Join teachers, facilities staff and IAQ experts as they highlight how to integrate IAQ issues into lesson plans and activities. • Radon Management in Schools — Radon, an extremely hazardous indoor air pollutant, should be tested for in all school buildings. By taking simple steps to test for radon, school officials can reduce this health risk for students and staff. This session will showcase successful radon projects and strategies that schools have implemented to address this serious health risk. Check out this year's detailed agenda for all sessions at the 2011 IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium. ------- FIND REAL SOLUTIONS: THE IAQ DESIGN CHALLENGE Are you ready to network and team up with your peers to solve lAQ-related issues? The IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium offers the opportunity to raise issues that your school or district faces and to walk away with real IAQ strategies and solutions. Register now! The IAQ Collaborative Design Challenge is a problem-based learning approach that helps attendees learn how to design effective solutions to IAQ challenges in real-time by applying the knowledge gained at the Symposium. By working in IAQ Collaborative Design Teams, groups representing a diversity of backgrounds and roles crucial to any successful IAQ management team, you will become a key member in solving problems faced by the IAQ Design Challenge School Districts. These Challenge School Districts are a diverse group of schools from across the country that are working to establish and sustain comprehensive IAQ management programs. To learn more about a school district that has overcome hardship to tackle lAQ-related issues, read the EPA Greenversations blog entry "The Louisiana Recovery School District: Healing and Thriving." This article describes the Louisiana Recovery School District of New Orleans' struggles after Hurricane Katrina and how the district found success by implementing the IAQ Tools for Schools Program. HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED! Is there a topic you want to see covered in an IAQ Tools for Schools Connector e-newsletter? Need more information or have a quick question? Do you have suggestions for a webinar, an e-newsletter feature, or are you simply curious about an IAQ topic and would like more information? If so, send us an e-mail at IAQTfSConnector@ cadmusgroup.com. Share YOUR news and events! Send us information to share with the school IAQ community. It could be featured in the next e-newsletter. E-mail your news to IAQTfSConnector@cadmusgroup.com. The IAQ Tools for Schools Program is a comprehensive resource to help schools maintain a healthy environment in school buildings by identifying, correcting and preventing IAQ problems. Learn more about the IAQ Tools for Schools Program at www.epa.gov/iaq/schools. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) ------- |