School IPM 2015 Newsletter: January 2020

School IPM 2020 Newsletter: January 2015

In This Issue What's New? Highlights Upcoming Events Tools for School IPM New California Healthy Schools Act Amendments Require IPM Training Building a School IPM Team Receiving a forwarded copy? Know of others who should receive this newsletter? Join the Schoolbugs listserv to ask questions, learn from others and share successes and challenges. What's New This Month Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that emanates from rock and soil and can enter school facilities through cracks and openings in building foundations. This January, as part of National Radon Action Month, U.S. EPA encourages you to test your school facilities for radon. To learn more, click here. Highlights Organize an IPM Symposium for ICE 2016! All individuals are encouraged to develop and submit symposia on IPM, including IPM in agriculture and communities including land care, schools and other facilities!  Symposia for ICE 2016 will be 2-4 hours in length and will feature 15-minute presentations related to the symposium topic based on 30 identified scientific sections. The deadline for submissions is March 2, 2015. Click here for more information.  New Year, New USDA Farm to School webinar series. There will be 2 to 3 webinars per month starting in January, all taking place at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Following is the schedule of webinars: January 15 Farm to School Planning and Building a Team   January 28 Setting Goals and Establishing an Evaluation Baseline     February 5 Finding and Buying Local Foods   February 19 Farm to School Menu Planning   March 5 Food Safety   March 19 Promoting Your Farm to School Program    April 2 School Gardening  April 16 Curriculum Integration    April 30 Program Sustainability    May 13 Evaluating Your Program    May 28 Tying it All Together and Digging In   To register for these webinars please sign up at this link.  Upcoming Events February 18-19, 2015 School IPM Coordinator Training DFW Area  More Information March 4-7, 2015 5th Annual Green Schools National Conference Virginia Beach, VA More Information March 24-26, 2015 8th International IPM Symposium Salt Lake City, UT More Information April 2, 2015 Turfgrass IPM Workshop Santa Maria, CA More Information April 6-8, 2015 2015 Imported Fire Ant and Invasive Pest Ant Conference New Orleans, LA More Information April 22-23, 2015 School IPM Coordinator Training Woodville, TX  More Information September 23-24, 2015 School IPM Coordinator Training Houstan, TX  More Information October 21-22, 2015 School IPM Coordinator Training Kingsville, TX More Information Quick Links  School IPM 2020 Homepage About School IPM 2020 Make a Contribution!

*View this newsletter as a PDF Greetings from School IPM 2020!   Every day, 49 million children attend school in the United States, served by nearly seven million teachers and staff.   But they're not alone.  Schools are also frequented by a number of pests including cockroaches, mice, dust mites and more.  Asthma is epidemic among children, impacting nearly 6% of school children nationally with rates as high as 25% in urban centers. House mice and cockroaches are potent asthma triggers. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a prevention-based, highly effective approach proven to reduce pest complaints and pesticide use by up to 90% in schools and other public buildings.  IPM practices such as sanitation and exclusion also improve food safety, fire safety and energy conservation.  Our newsletter highlights real-life examples of IPM in practice and can help you start an IPM program in your school district.  For more information, visit www.schoolipm2015.com.  Tools for School IPM Whether you have a well-established school IPM program or are just getting started, a number of free and useful resources are available online.    The School IPM 2020 initiative resource webpage is a great place to start. Here you will find links to sample documents, fact sheets, presentations, checklists, newsletters and other school IPM aids. Model school IPM manuals IPM checklists  Pest sighting logs  Pest Press newsletters   School IPM laws Model indoor air quality checklists PowerPoint presentations School IPM surveys Pest-specific fact sheets IPM training curricula for pest managers and school professionals    Pest-specific training curricula    School IPM 2020 eNewsletters archives  IPM Cost Calculator   IPM Curricula A school IPM program is most successful when everyone is involved, including students. A fun way to get students excited and interested is to incorporate school IPM into the classroom curriculum. IPM lessons can prepare students to be informed, inquisitive and proactive participants in healthier schools and at home. Most available IPM curricula meet the Next Generation Science Standards and can easily be integrated into existing science curriculum. A Classroom InPestigation   Maine K-12 IPM Education Penn State Extension Teacher Curriculum    eXtension IPM Video Games and Curriculum University of Arizona Education and Outreach   Iowa State K-12 Resources    University of Nebraska-Lincoln IPM in Schools   IPM Sleuth  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tools EPA's Tools for Schools Action Kit includes checklists, factsheets and guidelines regarding indoor air quality, a concern directly related to IPM. EPA regional contacts are available to answer questions and can be found at the bottom of the resources to get started webpage. The IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit  Resources to get started  Get involved! Interested in learning more about your region's school IPM programs and work? Join your regional working group and be a voice for IPM at your school/district! North Central School IPM Working Group Southern School IPM Working Group Western School IPM Working Group Northeastern School IPM Working Group To learn more about school IPM programs in your state, click here. If you notice that an active coalition or school IPM webpage is not listed, please contact  Mariel Snyder.  New California Healthy Schools Act Amendments Require IPM Training As of January 1, 2015 several new amendments to California's Healthy Schools Act will take effect to promote the use of IPM practices in schools and daycares throughout the state. The new regulations require schools and licensed daycare centers to report their pesticide use annually to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). Additionally, any facilities that apply "non-exempt" pesticides must develop and post an IPM plan for the school or school district online. School districts without websites are required to physically distribute their IPM plan to all parents, guardians and staff. Exempt pesticides are 1) pesticides used in self-contained baits or traps; 2) gels or pastes used in crack and crevice treatments; 3) antimicrobials; and 4) pesticides that contain active and inert ingredients exempt from U.S. EPA registration. An amendment to take effect on July 1, 2016 will require any school staff who apply pesticides to attend an IPM training course. The training courses approved by the DPR will be listed on the DPR School IPM website no later than spring of 2016. Regarding the practical implications of these new amendments, Rob Corley, field representative for the state Department of Education who covers Monterey County, said, "The real effect in January ... means that school districts will have to start taking much better records of all the pesticides and regulated ingredients they use." For more information on the new regulations and resources like School IPM plan templates and pesticide reporting forms, visit the DPR School IPM website.  Building a School IPM Team A successful school IPM program is supported by a team that includes all school employees, students and parents who each play a specific role. Education and Communication Although some responsibilities are shared throughout the team, such as reporting any signs of a pest and being aware of the school IPM Policy, specific elements of the IPM program are unique to individual team members. Ryan Davis, an arthropod diagnostician at Utah State University Extension shared his experience with teaching school staff about IPM roles. "Often, when I would talk with school personnel from nutrition, nursing, administration, faculty, etc., they would immediately want to pass me on to the next person, usually someone from custodial or maintenance, because they are thought to handle pest control. As School IPM Program Coordinators, changing the minds of a (school) culture is one of our most difficult, but most important tasks. After receiving training these individuals universally agree that they have a role in keeping their schools pest free, no matter how large or small that role might be. A little education goes a long way. When you empower members of the school community by teaching them the importance of their individual roles in an IPM program, people want to help and it gives them a vested interest in seeing their program succeed." To view a list of school role responsibilities, compiled from school IPM programs across the country, click here . School Role Training The Stop School Pests - A National IPM Standard Training and Certificate Program is designed to give school staff the opportunity to learn more about their specific IPM responsibilities. Training material will be available in online and downloadable format, accompanied with an exam/quiz if the participant is interested in receiving a certificate/certification. Stop School Pests is still in need of individuals to review developed training materials. Please contact Mariel Snyder if you are interested in participating!

IPM Institute | 608-232-1410 | msnyder@ipminstitute.org | http://www.ipminstitute.org 1020 Regent Street Madison, WI 53715

School Pest News, Volume 14, Issue 1 January 2015

School Pest News, Volume 14, Issue 1 January 2015
To provide the best professional integrated pest management training and advice for school districts and other environmentally sensitive institutions in Texas and the Southwest.” Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service School IPM Program
	In this Issue: School IPM Receive Excellence Awards for 2015 Garden of Greatness 4-H club plants seeds for teens' future
School IPM Team Receives Superior Service Award The Texas School Integrated Pest Management Program received the AgriLife Extension Service’s Superior Service Award in the Team category during the Texas A&M AgriLife Conference on January 6. The team consists of Dr. Blake Bennett, AgriLife Extension economist-management, Dallas; Wizzie Brown, AgriLife Extension program specialist, Travis County; Janet Hurley, AgriLife Extension program specialist, entomology, Dallas; Molly Keck, AgriLife Extension program specialist, entomology, San Antonio; Dr. Mike Merchant, AgriLife Extension urban entomologist, Dallas; Dr. Paul Nester, AgriLife Extension program specialist, entomology, Houston; and Dr. Don Renchie, AgriLife Extension program leader, agricultural and environmental safety, College Station. Other members joining the main team are Alva “AJ” Clinton, Springtown Independent School District maintenance director and school IPM coordinator; Paul Duerre, Killeen ISD environmental specialist and school IPM coordinator; and Tom Ohm, Frisco ISD IPM coordinator. These team members are responsible for conducting training for all IPM coordinators for each school district, which is required by the State of Texas. Since 2001, according to the nomination, the team has provided training or direct assistance to more than 600 school districts and nearly 1,000 school employees. The team also hosts a website, publishes a monthly newsletter and creates other materials to educate schools about pest management. To continue reading click here Garden of Greatness 4-H Club Plants Seeds of Success Jeremy Mann, 16, said teamwork and coordinating with other teenagers in the Garden of Greatness 4-H special interest, or SPIN, club in San Antonio were among the things he enjoyed most about participating in the youth development program that uses gardening to teach practical skills and life lessons. Mann, who attends Kipp University Prep charter high school, said he also enjoyed learning how to use the vegetables he and other participants grew to make healthful, nutritious dishes. “It was nice to do something for the community too,” he said. “This was my first time to do any gardening, and it was fun to plant and grow these vegetables.” Mann was one of about 30 youth who recently “graduated” from the four-month, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service-led program at the San Antonio Boys and Girls Club Teen Center on the city’s west side. Club members, along with AgriLife Extension personnel, Bexar County Master Gardeners and others, planted 15 raised beds built by program partners and youth participants. In early September, they planted tomatoes, broccoli, red lettuce, cabbage, onions, carrots, peppers and other vegetables, as well as various herbs. Teen program participants weeded, fertilized, watered and otherwise took care of the garden in accordance with the curricula from the Texas Go! Eat! Grow! Program of AgriLife Extension. “The kids harvested the garden, then at graduation received their certificate for completing the program and competed as teams in preparing healthful dishes made from the vegetables and herbs they grew and harvested,” said Rosemary Fuentes, AgriLife Extension health and wellness program specialist for Bexar County, who coordinates the program. Fuentes said club efforts are part of a five-year U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded community-based project to address the issue of urban food deserts, while providing youth with new experiences and opportunities. To continue reading click here Remember the 2015 School IPM training schedule can be found at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/ key words "school IPM" you can also find classes to obtain you pesticide license at this same website.

Keep Rodents out of Your School – EPA Webinar, January 27

EPA Pesticide Program Updates      From EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs       www.epa.gov/pesticides

January 22, 2015 In This Update: Keep Rodents out of Your School – EPA Webinar, January 27 A webinar, “Keeping Rodents out of Your School,” hosted by the EPA’s Center of Expertise for School Integrated Pest Management (IPM), will be held on January 27 from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time. This webinar will present the challenges schools face concerning rodents and an IPM strategy that engages the entire school community to successfully manage rodents. The webinar will feature: Dr. Bobby Corrigan, Rodentologist, Corrigan Consulting Dr. Claudia Riegel, Director, New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board A moderated question and answer session will conclude the event. This webinar is one in a series of EPA presentations offering information on IPM and helping school districts adopt a proactive approach to pest control. The presentations are geared specifically to the school community: facility managers, buildings and grounds managers, and staff, nurses, administrators, and IPM coordinators. Our IPM webinar series has already reached more than 500 school officials, representing over 4 million students across the country. IPM is a smart, sensible, and sustainable approach to managing pests. IPM takes action to address the underlying causes that enable pests to thrive. Register for the webinar: https://epa.connectsolutions.com/rodentipm/event/event_info.html Future webinars will cover the following topics: Dealing with Nuisance Birds around Schools - February 24, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time Managing Outdoor Vertebrate Pests at Schools - March 31, 2015 Avoiding Stinging Insects in School Environments - April 21, 2015 Find information about future School IPM webinars: http://www.epa.gov/pestwise/events/sipm-webinars.html Learn more about IPM in Schools: http://www.epa.gov/pestwise/ipminschools/ and http://www.epa.gov/pestwise/ipminschools/implementation.html. Watch this short video from the Colorado School IPM Coalition to learn more about IPM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TSJaDtqAeY.                       Read the IPM Institute of North America’s blog about school IPM:  http://onevoice.pta.org/?p=4564.