Federal Official Highlights Use of Best Practices for Maintaining Good Indoor Environmental Quality in All Howard County Public Schools

October 7th, 2016

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional administrator Shawn M. Garvin visited Hammond High School today to celebrate October as Children’s Health Month and praised the Howard County Public School System’s implementation of best practices for maintaining good indoor air quality in all its facilities.

Administrator Garvin also visited a classroom to speak with students about their roles for supporting healthy schools in ways that can reduce absenteeism, improve student achievement, and enhance student and staff productivity.

“As we celebrate Children’s Health Month, it is encouraging for the Environmental Protection Agency to see school districts such as Howard County implement an indoor air quality program that better protects children’s health,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “Students and teachers spend a large part of their lives in school buildings and it is essential for families to know their school district is committed to providing a safe and healthy indoor environment.”

In September 2015, the Board of Education chartered the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Indoor Environmental Quality Committee. The IEQ committee was comprised of 33 members, including teachers, school administrators and other school staff; HCPSS facilities and central office staff; representatives from a local environmental consulting firm and the Howard County Health Department, and parents, students and community members.

The IEQ committee reviewed current school system services and practices, and benchmarked them to the EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit. The committee also researched HCPSS’s previous “School Environment Team,” established in 1999, legal requirements, and the practices of other school systems. Committee members solicited and considered feedback from students, employees, parents and community members; and based on its analysis, made recommendations for a systemwide IEQ plan to the Superintendent in spring 2016.

HCPSS took the next step to use the committee’s research and recommendations to create IEQ protocols consisting of a comprehensive, two-fold plan for action and communication. The IEQ Committee also considered it to be essential for the school system to have an overall IEQ Coordinator to successfully implement an action plan, and the Board of Education approved the appointment of Greg Maciulla last month to serve as the systemwide IEQ coordinator. The protocols are now being implemented in all 76 Howard County public schools.

“HCPSS is committed to transparency in reporting IEQ concerns and the implementation of best practices for investigating and resolving any problem areas,” Howard County Board of Education Chairman Christine O’Connor said. “We appreciate the EPA’s resources and guidance in the development of new protocols for protecting the health and safety of everyone who uses our facilities.”

Last spring, HCPSS piloted the use of new IEQ protocols and inspection forms in five schools, including Hammond and Marriotts Ridge high schools, Harper’s Choice and Mayfield Woods middle schools, and Atholton Elementary School. Teacher and Staff Classroom/Area Checklists also were piloted to help maintain quality indoor environments in each classroom in several high schools, middle schools and elementary schools systemwide.

“We are implementing a plan that puts HCPSS on the forefront of maintaining the healthiest school facilities for teaching and learning,” said Superintendent Renee A. Foose.

Everyone has a role in implementing the new protocols, which include regular inspections and reviews by an IEQ team at each school and information, resources and reports posted on each school website. HCPSS also offers the public a central IEQ web portal where environmental quality information and resources, inspection reports, and a process for submitting and tracking concerns are provided.