Of course,
I’m concerned about the air quality in my child’s school. But it
seems like a huge problem, and I don’t have any expertise or resources.
What can I do to improve the indoor air quality in our school?
Indoor
Air Quality in Schools
There
are many things individuals can do to improve indoor air quality
(IAQ) in schools. What’s more, such activities don’t have to be
expensive or highly technical. They can involve simple solutions-such
as banning smoking in the school or uncovering an air vent.
The National
Education Association Health Information Network (NEA HIN) offers
school employees a number of services and resources designed to
improve IAQ in schools. This IAQ program is funded by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and includes numerous partners at both the
national and state levels.
Training
on Indoor Air Quality Advocacy
NEA
HIN conducts national IAQ management in schools workshops for school
employees. After trainees return to their communities, they assist
schools in numerous ways. For example, they can use the EPA’s
IAQ Tools for Schools Kit to launch a low-cost, common-sense
action plan in their workplace. They can also test for radon and
educate colleagues about IAQ issues. Teachers, administrators, maintenance
staff, and others can work together to complete checklists that
pinpoint air quality problems. They can then identify practical
solutions, as well as preventive measures.
The trainees
are encouraged to serve as a resource for other NEA members who
are concerned about IAQ. For example, they may speak about IAQ at
school board and/or Parent Teacher Association meetings or conduct
workshops at state and/or local NEA meetings and conferences. To
find out who has been trained in your state, contact Jennie Young
at 202/822-7481 or e-mail [email protected]
Building
Awareness among NEA Members
NEA HIN distributes print materials about IAQ in schools to interested
NEA members. It provides information on IAQ in various NEA publications,
such as, NEA Today, ESP Magazine, and NEA Now.
NEA HIN also
conducts IAQ workshops at Educational Support Personnel annual conferences,
NEA state and regional conferences, and UniServ cluster trainings.