Connector E-Newsletter#49: Create a Critter-Free School Using IPM
November 2, 2012

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
IN THIS ISSUE:
~	News and Events
~	The Importance of Creating Critter-Free Schools
~	7 Steps to Establishing an IPM Program at Your School
~	Get Answers to Your Questions
NEWS AND EVENTS
•	See How Your State Ranks on Asthma — View the State
Honor Roll 2012. The State Honor Roll of Asthma and Allergy
Policies for Schools is an annual research project of the Asthma
and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) to identify states with
the most comprehensive and preferred statewide public policies
supporting people with asthma, food allergies, anaphylaxis risk
and related allergic diseases in U.S. elementary, middle and
high schools.
•	Participate in an Upcoming Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) in Schools Webinar. Wintertime means more time
indoors, which also means more exposure to allergens and
asthmagens, especially from indoor pests. Join this EPA
webinar to learn about seasonal opportunities to control
indoor pests in schools and best practices for effective pest
management interventions. The webinar will be held November
28, 2012, at 12 p.m. ET. Register today!
•	Attend the 2012 Greenbuild International Conference and
Expo. The 2012 Greenbuild, to be held November 14-16,
2012, in San Francisco, Calif., is expected to be the largest
one in history, attracting more than 30,000 attendees. The
conference will include K-12 education sessions focused on a
variety of school issues, including sustainable learning spaces,
energy monitoring and green building. Register today!
•	Participate in an Upcoming Webinar on School
Environmental Health. Join EPA to learn how your school
or school district can create a healthy environment for
students by implementing a sustainable and comprehensive
environmental health program. The webinar will also feature
highlights, tips and strategies from established state programs.
The webinar will be held November 7, 2012, at 2 p.m. ET.
Register today!
Did You Know ....
There are new tools and resources
available to help you host a successful
school event.
The inaugural School Health and Indoor
Environments Leadership Development
Summit (SHIELDS) event brought
together over 80 school health leaders to
discuss the future of the healthy schools
movement. Since then, EPA's Healthy
Indoor Environments in Schools Initiative
has developed a new SHIELDS Web
page to showcase all of the materials,
resources and photos from the event.
Visit this new page to learn how to make
your events more impactful and to show
your support for this initiative by signing
a Declaration of Commitment, just as all
of the participants of SHIELDS did.
Access Previous Connector
E-Newsletters Online
Can't find a previous IAQ Tools for
Schools Connector e-newsletter in
your email inbox? No problem! Visit the
e-newsletter archive on the IAQ Tools
for Schools website to access printable
versions (PDFs) of all past editions.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING CRITTER-FREE
SCHOOLS
"There are many parallels between best practices for good
indoor air quality management and pest management.
Both are essential for healthy schools and can reduce
asthma incidences for our children. Twenty percent of the
U. S. population, nearly 55 million people, spends most of
their days in our elementary and secondary schools. In our
schools, children may be unnecessarily exposed to biting
insects, cockroach and rodent allergens, and pesticides.
Integrated Pest Management is a cost effective approach
that reduces exposure to pests and pesticides."
- Sherry Glick, National Pesticides and Schools
Coordinator, EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs
Pest management is an integral part of a comprehensive IAQ management program.
Common pests found in schools or on school grounds include flies, cockroaches,
yellow jackets, ants, spiders, mice and termites. Droppings or body parts of
cockroaches and other pests can trigger asthma in sensitive students and staff.
Certain proteins are found in cockroach feces and saliva and can cause allergic
reactions or trigger asthma symptoms in some individuals.
Although pesticides can help control pests, they need to be used carefully. Children
may be more sensitive to pesticides than adults. Young children may be particularly
susceptible as they can encounter pesticides while crawling, exploring or through
hand-to-mouth activities.
What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?
Integrated Pest Management is a safer and usually less costly option for effective pest management in
schools. A school IPM program employs common sense strategies to reduce sources of food, water and
shelter for pests in your school buildings and grounds. IPM programs take advantage of all pest management
strategies, including careful use of pesticides when necessary. IPM relies on a combination of the following:
•	Low-impact pesticides.
•	Comprehensive information about pests.
•	Available and economical pest control methods.
•	Safety considerations for people, property and the environment.
Review the list below to learn more about implementing IPM practices and policies at your school. If you have
any further questions on IPM in schools, reach out to an EPA IPM Regional representative in your area.
7 STEPS TO ESTABLISH AN IPM PROGRAM FOR YOUR SCHOOL
IPM provides schools with an economical and environmentally-friendly alternative to control and prevent pest
problems. To get started on establishing an IPM program at your school, tailor the steps below to meet your
school's specific needs; set appropriate objectives and thresholds to implement a successful pest management
program.
Should we have our schools tested
for radon? How do we keep mold
from returning once it has been
removed?
Find answers to these and other
questions on the Schools IAQ Connector
Email Discussion List. Join today by
sending a blank email message to
schools_iaq_connector-subscribe@lists.
epa.gov. Then check your email inbox for
confirmation and membership details.
J

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•	Step 1: Develop an official IPM Policy Statement. The statement should demonstrate the district's
support for an integrated approach to pest management and outline methods to educate and train
staff, store pesticides, notify parents and school occupants of pesticide applications, and keep accurate
records. This policy statement can also act as a guide for the IPM manager while developing an IPM
program.
•	Step 2: Designate specific roles for pest management personnel, school occupants and key
decision-makers. For example, encourage occupants to keep their areas clean, encourage parents to
learn about IPM practices and follow them at home, designate a qualified person to be the pest manager,
and gain the support of decision-makers who control the funds for IPM projects. Establish methods for
good communication among these groups of people, and educate or train them in their respective roles.
•	Step 3: Set specific pest management objectives for each site. Tailor each objective to the site
and situation. Examples of objectives for school buildings include preserving the integrity of building
structures or preventing interference with the learning environment of the students. For school grounds,
your objective may be to provide safe playing areas and the best possible athletic surfaces.
•	Step 4 Inspect site(s) to identify and estimate the extent of pest problems. Identify potential pest
habitats in buildings and on school grounds and develop plans to modify the habitats (for example,
exclusion, repair and sanitation). Establish a monitoring program that involves routine inspections to
estimate the size of the pest population and track the success of the habitat modifications.
•	Step 5: Set thresholds for taking action. These thresholds are the levels of pest populations or site
environmental conditions that require remedial action. It is important to consider sensitive individuals
when setting thresholds.
•	Step 6: Apply IPM strategies to control pests when you reach an action threshold or to prevent
pest problems. These strategies may include redesigning and repairing structures, establishing watering
and mowing practices, and storing pesticides in well ventilated areas. Refer to the IPM Checklist for a
list of possible strategies for indoor and outdoor sites as well as information on safe pesticide use and
storage.
•	Step 7 Evaluate the results of your IPM practices to determine if pest management objectives
are being met. Keep written records of all aspects of the program, including records for state and local
regulations.
School administrators, IAQ team members and others involved in creating healthy indoor school environments
can use the IPM Checklist within the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit to ensure your district develops an official
IPM policy; designates pest management roles; inspects, identifies and monitors pests; develops preventative
strategies; and evaluates results. This Checklist is also available in Spanish.

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GET ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS
Is there a topic you want to see covered in an IAQ Tools for Schools Connector e-newsletter? Do you have
suggestions for a webinar or e-newsletter feature, or do you have questions about a specific IAQ topic? If
so, send us an email 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 Connector e-newsletter. Email your news and events to
IAQTfSConnector@cadmusgroup.com.
The IAQ Tools for Schools guidance is a comprehensive resource designed 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 guidance at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

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