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Healthy Schools

Serving Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma,
New Mexico, Texas and 66 Tribes

June 2020

EPA Region 6 - South Central

Region 6 Food Recovery Challenge Winners

EPA recognizes the exceptional
accomplishments of businesses and
organizations participating in our Food Recovery
Challenge. Award winners apply innovative
approaches and practical, cost-effective actions
to prevent and reduce food waste. This year, two
Narrative Awards went to Region 6's very own
Wylie Independent School District in Texas!

National Press release: https://www.epa.gov/
newsreleases/epa-recoqnizes-food-recovery-
challenqe-award-winners

To join Wylie ISD and others in the Food
Recovery Challenge, go to:

https:/A/vww.epa.qov/sustainable-manaqement-
food/food-recoverv-challenae-fro#HQw.

Wylie ISD Harrison Intermediate School received
an honorable mention in the Leadership
category. Read more at: https://vwvw.epa.ooy/
sustainable-manaqement-lbod/about-2019-fbod-
recoverv-chaljenqe-national-award-
winners#wvlieinter

Helping Kids Learn in a Pollution Free Environment

Wylie ISD Birmingham Elementary was a
national winner in the Source Reduction
category. Read more at: https ://www .epa.gov/
sustainable-manaqement-food/about-2019-
food-recoverv-challenge-national-award-
winners#wvliebirm.

For more information, contact
Stephen Sturdivant, EPA Region 6, at:

sturdivant.stephen@epa.gov.

Region 6 Environmental Education Grants

Under the Environmental Education (EE) Grants
Program, EPA supports environmental education
projects that promote environmental awareness
and stewardship and helps provide people with
the skills to take responsible actions to protect the
environment. Since 1992, EPA has distributed
between $2 and $3.5 million in grant funding per
year, supporting more than 3,700 grants. Some
of the past grantees have: provided training to
thousands of educators and students; initiated
community-based resiliency projects; increased
awareness about water, air and land pollutants;

introduced environmental stewardship to new
fanners; and connected STEM to school
environmental initiatives in the states and tribes of
Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and New
Mexico.

For additional information and to sign up for
notices, go to: https://www.epa.qov/education/
grants. Contact Paula Flores-Gregg about
Environmental Education grants at EPA Region
6 by email at: fiores.paula@epa.gov.

Inside this issue:



June is Home Safety Month

3

Learning Links

2

July is Sunwise and Extreme Heat Month

3

Notes for Nurses

2

Future Newsletter Topics

3

Custodian's Closet

2

Upcoming Newsletters, Contacts and More

4

Welcome to the first edition
of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
Region 6 Healthy Schools
newsletter.

EPA is committed to
protecting children where
they live, learn, and play.
Children are especially
vulnerable to health risks
from both the indoor and
outdoor environments be-
cause their bodies are still
developing. Our newsletter's
goal is to provide information
and resources to all the
stakeholders working to help
make schools and homes
healthier places for children.

Whether you are an adminis-
trator, classroom teacher,
school nurse, custodian or
parent, we know you are
working hard to make
learning environments safer
for students. EPA has
environmental education
resources and tools to help
schools and parents make
informed decisions on
choosing cleaning products,
improving indoor air quality,
using integrated pest
management, and
preventing lead poisoning.

We hope you will find this
newsletter useful and share
it with others. Let's work
together to stay safe and
protect our families, our
community, and our
environment.

— Ken McQueen

Regional Administrator
EPA Region 6


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Page 2

Healthy Schools

Volume 1, Issue 1

Learning Links

Whether students are in
school buildings or learning
remotely, parents and
educators are always
looking at useful links to

M help with virtual learning.
This section of the
newsletter will be devoted
to interesting links for each
issue. In this issue, the
links will be EPA or
available resources on the
web. These resources can
be found at https://epa.gov/
students and https://
www.epa.gov/schools.

In addition, included are
several widely available
websites which also might
be of interest to schools

and school districts during
these challenging times.

United States Geological
Service: www.usgs.gov/
science-support/osgi/yes/
resources-teachers

NASA Kids Club:

www.nasa.gov/kidsclub

National Gallery of Art:

www.nga.gov/education/
kids.html

Centers for Disease
Control Healthy Schools:

www.cdc.gov/

healthvschools/bam/

teachers.htm

Smithsonian:

www .twee nt ri fau ri e. co m:
www.si.edu/kids

National Science Founda-
tion: www. n sf. g o v/n e ws/
classroom

National Achives:

www. a rch i ves. g o v/
education

National Park Service:

www.nps.gov/teachers/
index, htm

Federal Aviation
Administration:

www.faa.gov/education/
programs

Notes for Nurses

This section in each issue will give information on items of interest to school nurses. Selected
topics will include asthma and asthma triggers, extreme heat events, ultraviolet light, Sunwise,
Sun Safety, cleaning of schools, children's environmental health, indoor air quality, and outdoor
air quality such as from idling school buses, in addition , other pertinent topics will be highlighted.

In this issue, a pertinent topic for school nurses also relates to proper cleaning and disinfecting of
all areas of a school during a pandemic. EPA has a Coronavirus (COVID-19) website at https://
www.epa.gov/coronavirus. Within that website EPA is continuing to update our frequently asked
questions as well as listing of disinfectants and other timely information of use to schools. Other
useful links are:

https://www.epa.gov/managing-pests-schools/bed-bug-guidance-school-nurses
https://www.epa.gov/iao-schools/indoor-air-oualitv-tools-schools-action-kit

Custodians Closet

\ W "|

ICLO SET



This section in each issue
will give information on
items of interest to custodial
and facilities personnel.
Selected topics will include
lead paint, indoor air quality
and ventilation, mold and
moisture control, PCBs in
caulk and fluorescent light
bulbs, pesticides and pest

management, radon, energy
efficiency, cleaning of schools,
and chemicals management in
schools. Of immediate interest
to all schools and school
districts is proper cleaning and
disinfection of all areas of a
school during a pandemic.

Guidance for Cleaning and

Disinfecting Public Spaces,
Workplaces, Businesses,
Schools and Homes
includes:

Cleaning and Disinfecting
Decision Tool (PDF')(2 pp,

424 K, April 29, 2020)
More helpful links can be
found at https://
www.epa.gov/schools


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Healthy Schools

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 3

June is Home Safety Month

A Healthy Home

This spring our homes
became schools. With this
in mind, June is Home
Safety Month. Here are a
few tips.

How do you clean up mold
in your home? If you find
mold, scrub surfaces with
water and detergent, then
keep the area dry by fixing
leaks and running vents to
the outside.

How do you know if you
have radon in your home?
Radon is a colorless and
odorless radioactive gas.

Test your home for radon
gas using a cheap and
easy to use radon test kit
purchased from your local
hardware store.

How can you protect
yourself and your family
from carbon monoxide
poisoning? Never idle your
car or lawnmower in the
garage, even if the garage
door is open.

How can asthma risks be
minimized? Dust surfaces
with a damp cloth, and
vacuum carpets and floors
often.

How can you eliminate the
risks to your family of
second-hand smoke?
Smoke outdoors or outside
of the car if children or non-
smokers are present.

Is indoor air pollution a
concern in your home?
Ventilate areas that have
strong vapors or odors,
and choose products with
low vapors.

Is your water safe to drink?
Do not flush prescriptions
or dispose of hazardous
items down the toilet or
drain. Do not wash
antifreeze or car oil into

July is Sunwise and Extreme Heat Month

Overexposure to UV is
harmful and can lead to
cataracts and skin cancer,
the most common cancer
in the United States. The
National Cancer Institute
estimates that more than
100,350 new cases of
melanoma, the most
dangerous form of skin
cancer, will occur in 2020.
This is over 4,000 more
estimated cases than in
2019.

Fortunately, it is easy to
reduce your risks:

Seek shade when outside
during mid-day hours when
UV exposure is highest.

Wear clothing such as wide
brimmed hats, long
sleeved shirts, long pants,
and sunglasses that
protect your skin and eyes
from UV rays.

Generously apply SPF 15+
sunscreen, and reapply
often.

Be aware that reflective
water, snow, and sand
intensify UV exposure.

Avoid tanning beds and

minimizing sunbathing.
Check the UV Index.
Be sure to get the UV
Index app on your
smartphone, sign up for a
daily UV Index forecast via
email, or check the UV
Index online at https://
www.epa.gov/sunsafetv.
Also National
Environmental Education
Foundation at: https://
www.neefusa.org/sunwise

Future Newsletter Topics

Coming Soon:

School recycling and
pollution prevention

Food waste and waste
reduction in schools

Indoor Air Quality Tools for
Schools

Creating Healthy Schools

Schools Chemical
Cleanout Campaign

Integrated Pest
Management

Disposal of Paint and
Toxics

Disposal of White Goods
and E waste

Federal Green Challenge

Lead Based Paint and
asbestos

Sustainable Materials
Management

storm drains.

Did you know that fluores-
cent light bulbs contain mer-
cury? Wear latex gloves to
clean up broken fluorescent
light bulbs and mercury ther-
mometers. Carefully pick up
broken pieces with sticky
tape and place them a bag or
jar to dispose. Carefully read
and follow instructions on
product labels.

Here is a list of disinfectants

for use against Covid-19:

https://www.epa.gov/

pesticide-registration/list-n-

disinfectants-use-against-

sars-cov-2

"Overexposure to
Ultraviolet Light is
harmful and can lead to
cataracts and skin
cancer."

r7f
[\ /

iyNeujs letter


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U.S. EPA Region 6—
South Central

1201 Elm Street
Suite 500

Dallas, Texas 75270

EPA Region 6 Children's Health Team

Paula Selzer, Children's Environmental
Health Coordinator
Selzer. paula@epa.gov;

214 665-6663

Cathy Gilmore, SEE for Healthy Schools
Newsletter

Gilmore. cathv@epa. gov

Protecting human health and
the environment.

Progress fof o SJionger Future

The EPA has many opportunities to increase the safety and sustainability of
your school. Please contact us to schedule a live webinar on any of the subjects
below:

Sustainable Management of Food: It's important now more than ever for all of
us to not waste food. Learn how our food choices impact the environment and
how we can reduce food waste and save money.

Stephen Sturdivant, Sturdivant.stephen@epa.gov. 214-665-6673

Recycling: Recycling, along with reduction and reuse, is a great way for your
students to participate in your sustainability goals. By providing increased
access to recycling receptacles and awareness of recycling best practices, you
can reduce your waste and your carbon footprint.

Deanna Debose, debose.deanna@epa.gov. 214-665-6762

Safer Choice: Developed to give consumers an easy way to choose products
with safer chemical ingredients, the Safer Choice label indicates that a chemical
product has met the EPA's rigorous standards for safety, which means the
products are better both for the environment and human health.

Whitney Lehrer, lehrer.whitnev@epa.gov. 214-665-6553

Lead Based Paint: The Lead Renovation, Repair, and & Painting (RRP) Rule
helps protect children from exposure to lead based paint dust caused by
renovation and repairs conducted in a building built prior to 1978. Our lead-
based paint program is here to help answer questions and to provide guidance
on the regulation and removal.

Mikeal Adams, adams.mikeal@epa.gov, 214-665-6711

Integrated Pest Management: The Region 6 Contact for the Integrated Pest
Management Program under Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA) is Ken McPherson, mcpherson.kenneth@epa.gov. 214-665-6754.

ODDS AND ENDS

Upcoming
Newsletters

Contacts

Disclaimer

Feedback

The Region 6 Healthy
Schools Newsletter in
September 2020 will
highlight:

•	Pollution Prevention
Week, September 21-
27;

•	Children's Health
Month and National
Lead Poisoning
Prevention Week in
October; and,

•	America Recycles
Day on November 15.

Other topics will include
asthma awareness,
schools chemical
management for
education, art, and
science supplies in

addition to the quarterly
columns on Notes for
Nurses, Custodian's
Closet, and Learning Links.
Healthy Schools is
published by the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency Region 6 - South
Central in Dallas, Texas.
Region 6 includes the
states of Arkansas,
Louisiana, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, and Texas as
well as 66 Tribes. For
general information about
Healthy Schools, to provide
feedback on this
newsletter, or to be added
or removed from the
distribution list, please
contact Cathy Gilmore,
Senior Environmental
Employee (SEE) for
Healthy Schools at
Gilmore.cathv@epa.gov.

This page may provide
links to non-EPA web sites
that provide additional
information about topics
that may be of interest to
schools and school
districts. EPA cannot
attest to the accuracy of
information on any non-
EPA page. Providing links
to a non-EPA web site is
not an endorsement of any
non-government website,
company or application;
nor does EPA recommend
membership in, donations
to or commercial sales
from non-government
organizations. Also, be
aware that the privacy
protection provided on the
EPA.gov domain (see
Privacy and Security
Notice) may not be
available at the external
link. We would love your
feedback on this
newsletter or suggestions
for future topics. Please
email EPA at
Gilmore.cathv@epa.gov.


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