All News Releases By Date

 

EPA honors Adams Twelve Five Star Schools with excellence award

Release Date: 10/27/2003
Contact Information:

Denver -- The Adams Twelve Five Star School District -- serving the five communities of Broomfield, Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster -- is among 16 schools and districts selected to receive the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools 2003 Excellence Award. This prestigious award recognizes exemplary indoor air quality programs and commitment to provide a healthy learning environment for students and staff.

Steve Johnson, Acting Deputy Administrator, U.S. EPA presented the award to Mike Paskewicz, Superintendent of Schools for the Adams Twelve Five Star Schools, and Pat Hamilton, Environmental Manager, during the 4th Annual Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools National Symposium in Washington, D.C., Oct. 27.

"We're very honored by this award. It's been a year-long commitment to this labor-intensive project, and we think we have a unique, world-class indoor air quality management plan in place now," said Hamilton.

The Adams Twelve Five Star Schools successfully developed a proactive indoor air quality monitoring program to ensure indoor air quality issues are handled expeditiously in their school district. To solidify the level of trust with teachers and parents, the district uses various communications methods, from the school cable channel to bulletin boards, to keep the community informed. Sharing their experience through the Colorado Association of School Executives, they serve as mentors to other schools within the state.

In 1995, EPA developed the voluntary Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Kit and Program in response to government studies highlighting the deteriorating conditions of the nation’s schools and the alarming rise in asthma cases, particularly among school- and preschool-age children. Asthma accounts for 14 million missed school days each year. Today, one out of every 13 school-age children has asthma. The Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Kit is a flexible, comprehensive resource designed to help school staff identify, resolve, and prevent indoor air quality problems and is available to schools at no cost. Currently, an estimated 10,000 schools and school districts across the country are utilizing the Program.

“EPA is proud to recognize these select schools and districts for their efforts in implementing outstanding and effective indoor air quality programs,” said EPA Region 8 Administrator Robert E. Roberts. “They made the health of their students and staff a priority. Their programs serve as a model for other schools to address indoor air quality and provide a healthy and productive learning environment.”

Approximately 550 school representatives; health specialists; technical and environmental experts; Federal, state, and local government personnel; and nonprofit organization members participated in the 2003 Symposium. Participants discussed the basic indoor air quality problems found in schools as well as indoor air quality litigation, new school design, operations and maintenance, sustainability and school preparedness in the event of a terrorist threat.

For more information about the EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program, visit
www.epa.gov/iaq/schools.