School Administrator’s Guide to a Healthy School

Karen RobinsonChildren's Vulnerability, Environmental Health, Learning and Health Effects, Sick Schools - Healthy Schools

There are school indoor environment issues over which school administrators have control. (These are in addition to, although sometimes partnered with, the building management team’s responsibilities.)

This guide contains:

  1. Essential information on environmental impacts on learning ability and health of normal individuals and also on those with existing health problems.
  2. Examples of common issues and possible solutions that heighten principals’ awareness.
  3. A resource list to keep handy to help solve problems.

School administrators can address and prevent many building-related and program-related issues that can affect both the health and the learning/teaching performance of students and staff.

Resources for School Administrators

  1. IAQ Action for School Administrators
  2. Resources on Environment and Health for School Administrators
  3. Understanding how school environments affect health and learning ability
  4. Guidelines to Accommodate Students and Staff with Environmental Sensitivities: A Guide for Schools (PDF)
  5. The Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI ©) (PDF)
  6. The “BIG FIVE”: A way of identifying sensitivities
  7. Why Children are More Vulnerable than Adults
  8. Examples of Hazardous Incidents in Schools

Indoor Environment Quality and Student Performance

  1. EPA performance findings (PDF)
  2. Indoor Built Environment 2011 LEED (PDF)
  3. Carbon Dioxide

Tools for Schools Indoor Environment Quality Action Kit checklists

  1. Administration Checklist (PDF)
  2. Classroom Checklist (PDF)
  3. Air Handling Checklist (PDF)
  4. Custodial Checklist (PDF)
  5. Air Handling Log (PDF)
  6. IAQ Incident Report Form (PDF)
  7. Renovation and Repair Checklist DRAFT (PDF) 
  8. Relocatable Classroom Checklist DRAFT (PDF)
  9. Waste Management Checklist DRAFT (PDF)
  10. Design Build Lease Back Checklist DRAFT (PDF)

Indoor Air Quality Comic Book and Lesson Plans

Indoor Air Quality Comic Book and Lesson Plans for all grade levels by Shelley Rosenblume and the US EPA.

We offer the comic book and one model lesson plan as an example:

  1. Lesson Plans (PDF)
  2. Comic Book (PDF)
  3. Classroom Materials: Health Impacts from Environments