By MIKE RUSSO
Since 1999, the district has implemented a number of regulations to help conserve energy and use environmentally-friendly products to clean and maintain their schools.
According to Mike Sheehan, Director of Facilities for the district, the schools use bio-based cleaning products within the schools that consist of hydrogen peroxide or plant derivatives as opposed to petrol-based chemicals. The district uses High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuums, which filter out 99.97 percent of harmful fibers as opposed to standard vacuums which only filter out 40 to 50 percent, said Sheehan. There are also floor mats at all entrances to the schools to help prevent contaminants from being tracked inside.
The district has an effective Indoor Air Quality program, under which air filters are inspected and changed a minimum of twice a year. To help keep the air within the schools clean, all personal items that faculty may bring in such as cleaners or a small carpet are inspected by district officials before they can be brought into the schools.
To maintain the grounds outside the schools, the district developed the Integrated Pest Management Plan. The district tries to use organic fertilizers and treatments whenever possible, however, when a pesticide is needed, only the least toxic chemical is used. Sheehan recalled a case about two years ago in which one of the district's fields had grubs on it. Instead of using a harmful pesticide, they released nematodes to get rid of them.
The district also has rules that prohibit automobiles from idling anywhere on school grounds, which helps to prevent the polluting of clean air around the schools.
To make sure that all these regulations are being followed, district officials
conduct environmental surveys of the schools three times a year. During these inspections, they look for problems such as mold or unusual odors. One of the reasons this system works so well, Sheehan said, is because they speak with students and staff to get a feel for what is happening within the schools.
"We think it has a good prolonged effect on the students where they're not being exposed to toxic chemicals or insecticides," said Sheehan.
In addition to these standards, the district also educates its faculty and staff on how they can help the process. No one is allowed to eat in the science or technology room, and students are encouraged to constantly wash their hands and warned about hand-to-mouth contamination.
The district has also taken additional measures to cut down on the amount of energy they use.
The boilers at every school in the district have been changed in the last three years, with the exception of Shubert School, which already had a new boiler. In addition, the district upgraded their lighting system from fluorescent T-12 light bulbs to the new energy fluorescent T-8 bulbs. According to Sheehan, the district saved $214,551 between March 2007 and February 2008 just from the lighting retrofit.
Under the district's Energy Conservation Program, faculty are educated on ways they can save energy, such as unplugging appliances when they are not being used and not leaving lights on when their classroom is empty. The schools all have occupancy sensors in the schools which automatically switch the lights off when no one is present in the room.
Sheehan urges all students to dress appropriately for the weather, especially during winter. He said that the district plans to keep all their schools at a temperature of 68 degrees, the New York state standard, and that students should be prepared for that.
Comments about this story? MRusso@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
