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So Oak Ridge Elementary is set to cost the school system over a $1 million in repairs and running these alternative sites. No agency has produced a direct cause and effect with anything in the building and the illnesses.

Should the funding stop? Should the board be required to produce quantifiable results for these expenses? Does it boil down to the question; can you put a price tag on children’s health?
 

Let the commenting commence. Guilford County Schools received an EPA award for improving indoor air quality Thursday night.

**Cue echoing "WHAT!" from Oak Ridge

The irony wasn't wasted on board member Darlene Garrett who presented Chief Facilities Officer Leo Bobadilla with the award. Garrett, whose district includes Oak Ridge, took the opportunity to press Bobadilla to get done with Oak Ridge Elementary soon.

Later in the meeting Bobadilla dispelled rumors students and staff might get back into the school by the end of October. They will likely remain at four separate locations through November.

Here's what the EPA website says about the award:
"National Great Start Award is for U.S. schools and districts that are in the initial stages of implementing the IAQ TfS Program."

IAQ is indoor air quality and the TfS Program is an EPA program school systems can adopt to improve, you guessed it, indoor air quality.

Interesting point, anyone can nominate a school system. I wonder who nominated GCS?

You'll find the GCS press release after the break.
_____________________________________________________

GCS Receives Award for Commitment to Health
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized the district for working to improve indoor air quality

Greensboro, N.C. – Guilford County Schools (GCS) is a recipient of the 2009 Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Great Start Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The district received the award for its commitment to improving student health. Recently, GCS formed an indoor air quality project team that will be leading the district’s efforts in identifying, correcting and preventing indoor air quality problems.

During the 2009-10 school year, the project team will work to implement EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools program, a comprehensive resource that helps districts maintain a healthy environment in school buildings. Additionally, the team is developing a written indoor air quality management plan that will capture best practices for handling air quality issues.

The award from the EPA comes weeks after GCS had to temporarily relocate Oak Ridge Elementary students due to air quality concerns at the school. GCS hopes the new team and their efforts will help the district stay proactive.

“As a district, we want to make sure we stay on top of any environmental concerns,” said Leo Bobadilla, chief operations officer. “The health of our students is always our number-one priority. We know a safe and comfortable learning environment can help our students excel in the classroom.”

The EPA gives the Great Start Award to school districts every year for committing to improve the indoor air quality in schools and protecting the health and safety of students and staff.

As an award recipient, GCS will receive a “Commitment to School Health” certificate signed by an EPA official; recognition on EPA's Web site; access to topical web conference calls, training, events and recognition/mentoring opportunities; and regular e-mail updates aimed at advancing the district’s indoor air quality program.
 

Think vocational classes are a thing of the past in high schools? Think again. The trades are better represented now than ever, according to teachers and administrators working with the Career and Technical Education program within Guilford County Schools.

Masonry, accounting, drafting, nursing, and many other skilled trades are represented at every one of the county’s traditional high schools and middle school students get introductions to many of the courses as well.

I’ll have a story about the health of the CTE program in tomorrow’s paper but I’d love to hear stories from some of you about your own experiences in trade classes.
 

Anyone know of a school where a program or special class has been lost because the teacher was cut?

I’m writing a story about enrollment and how some teachers are being moved from schools to others based on those numbers.

If you don’t feel comfortable posting it here email me at brian.ewing@news-record.com
 

Anyone have stories about crowded schools? Which classes and what schools are bursting at the seams?

Just a year into his new job and Terry Grier looks to have one foot out the door for greener pastures yet again. The Houston Chronicle is reporting Grier is the sole finalist for their city school system’s top job.

The Union Hill community is getting ready for the grand reopening of their elementary school. The old school was built in 1929 and among the oldest in the county still in operation before it was destroyed last year to make way for the new building.

Tammy Guer, the school’s librarian, is collecting old photos and information about the original school is asking for help.

Anyone with old photos or any historic info can reach her via email at gruert@gcsnc.com or by phone at 819-2130.
 

We got this press release today and I thought it might be of interest to some parents who've had issues at their school buildings in recent years:

Washington, D.C., August 18, 2009 – 21st Century School Fund, Healthy Schools Campaign, and Critical Exposure launched Through Your Lens, a photo and essay contest to highlight what’s great and what’s troubling about our nation’s public school facilities.

“Public school students and teachers are being held to high standards. They deserve school facilities that are healthy and safe and that support their school’s curriculum, programs and services,” states Mary Filardo, Executive Director of 21st Century School Fund.

Students, teachers and others with a view of school buildings are invited to submit photos and stories from Aug. 18-Sept. 14. Contest submissions will be shared with elected leaders as Congress is considering legislation to fund the repair, renovation and construction of safe, healthy, and green school buildings. Winning photos and stories from students and teachers will be displayed at a special exhibit in Washington, D.C., (currently planned at the Russell Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol building the first week of October) and many more will be published in a Through Your Lens book and online gallery.

School districts spend nearly $50 billion a year on our nation’s 97,000 public schools for capital costs associated with building repair, modernization and new construction. A 2006 study by Building Educational Success Together (BEST) shows substantial inequity in school facility spending between low and high wealth communities.

Earlier this year, school facility grants where removed from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, leaving only special bond financing provisions to encourage public school building investment. These policy actions are increasing the inequity in building conditions of our nation’s public school facilities.

Recently, however, the House and Senate passed legislation that would provide a new opportunity to reduce building disparities for students and teachers, generate jobs in the construction sector, and reduce energy spending.

“Communities need public schools that are environmentally responsible and energy efficient,” says Mark Bishop, Deputy Director of Healthy Schools Campaign. “And above all, our children need school buildings that are healthy and safe so they can learn and succeed in life. Federal funding is an essential part of making this simple vision a reality.”

“It’s time for our policymakers and the public to see through the lens of the students and teachers who experience first-hand the tremendous disparities that exist in this country’s public school facilities,” adds Adam Levner, Co-Director of Critical Exposure, a nonprofit that empowers youth through photography and advocacy training.

For more information, to submit an entry, and to see the gallery, please go to www.ThroughYourLens.org

Do you agree with GCS Chief of Staff Nora Carr’s statement explaining why the school system didn’t test the air quality at Oak Ridge Military Academy when they decided to lease the space for some of the students and staff at Oak Ridge Elementary.

From my article Saturday.

    School system officials said they inspected Oak Ridge Military Academy prior to leasing the space. But Carr said that it was a visual inspection only. She said the school system did not consider it necessary to inspect the facilities beyond that.
“That would be beyond what I think would be considered reasonable protocol,” she said.
 

With all the issues facing the elementary school and its students and staff was it really wise not to check these facilities in the first place? Should we be testing/inspecting every building?
 

USDA released an updated policy for the free and reduced school lunch program. Here’s the link to the press release.

The release includes a chart showing who qualifies.