Takeaways and next steps for school district leaders after IAQ workshop

Hear from school district attendees about their plans to develop indoor air quality plans following a hands-on training.

This fall, forty school district staff members from across the country came together in Washington, D.C., for an indoor air quality (IAQ) training session, the second of the year, cohosted by the Center for Green Schools and the Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign from the U.S. Department of Energy, and in coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). After attending the workshop, four of the Leaders in School Air Quality Fellows share their reflections and plans to take action. These four are

• Latanya Carter, senior project manager of environmental compliance, Baltimore City Public Schools, Maryland.
• Brian Croyle, environmental specialist, Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland.
• Lindsay Rogers, environmental safety coordinator, Vancouver Public Schools, Washington.
• Lauren Bolton, environmental technician, Boston Public Schools, Massachusetts.

Image credit: Hannah Carter.

What were some of the key takeaways for you in attending the school IAQ workshop?

Carter: I feel more equipped to finalize the district's IAQ management plan and streamline our other communications resources. It was very helpful to hear feedback directly from industry experts as well as review other districts' existing written materials.

Croyle: You are not on an island; other districts have similar issues and may be able to provide insight to find solutions. It's important to document your processes, measure the results of your work and keep open lines of communication with internal and external stakeholders. Your IAQ plan should be a living document that is periodically reviewed and updated to keep it current and effective.

Rogers: Being in a small department can sometimes feel isolating, and this workshop not only gave me a chance to connect with others in similar roles as myself, but it also gave me clear steps to follow for developing a written IAQ management plan. It was extremely valuable to brainstorm solutions together with those who understand the specific challenges I face.

Bolton: The school districts represented were geographically diverse, but many of the challenges associated with implementing an IAQ program were similar across the country. It was [helpful] to hear about best practices and lessons learned in a collaborative crowd with a mutual understanding of the importance of IAQ in educational facilities.

Image credit: Hannah Carter.

How do you plan to continue taking action to improve IAQ moving forward?

Carter: I am currently working on an IAQ management plan and creating a pilot for monitoring IAQ in our schools. I'm excited to continue to share and initiate new ideas with my school district that will further provide our students and staff with a safer and high-quality learning space!

Croyle: I feel more prepared to tackle the updating and modernization of our IAQ program. Our aged program once received an EPA Tools for Schools Excellence Award and I would like to see it reach that level again.

Rogers: This workshop provided information on federal funding opportunities for green projects at schools, including how these can overlap with good IAQ. This information will be extremely helpful as we work as a school district to meet new building energy-use standards set by the Clean Buildings bill in the state of Washington!

Bolton: I feel more equipped to finalize the district's IAQ management plan and streamline our other communications resources. It was very helpful to hear feedback directly from industry experts as well as review other districts' existing written materials.

Future events

Following both workshops, school district staff expressed how refreshing and impactful it was to learn from their peers about improving IAQ in a collaborative space. The Center for Green Schools will continue prioritizing trainings to support healthy and green schools, including sessions at the upcoming Green Schools Conference, virtual webinars and more in-person IAQ workshops to come!

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