Re: Oct 10th conf call- CHS- agenda/notes

[Guest guest]

Oct 10th conf call- CHS- agenda/notes

Coalition for Healthier Schools

.providing the platform and the forum for school environmental health.

Conference Call Meeting Notice and Agenda

for October 10, 2006

and

Consolidated Notes

Conference Calls on September 7, 2006, 4 PM EDT & 7 PM EDT

Next Call: Tuesday, October 10, 4 PM EDT & 7 PM EDT

Conf call number: 866-228-9900, pass code 285 9348 #

DRAFT AGENDA

Self introductions

Announcements

Update on S 3591 The High Perf. Green Bldgs Act of 2006 (HSN-Barnett, others)

Review/set final plans for Dec 5-6 meeting in DC. US EPA IAQ TfS Symposium

12/7-9

* NEED count: attendees and est # of gov't rate hotel rooms

* National Healthy Schools Day, April 30, 2006 (HSN-Barnett)

HSC-, HSN- Barnett, CHEJ- , INFORM-Westinghouse on green

cleaning

* Mold & remediation (AFSCME- Bowles)

* Setting the agenda for 07-08 (AFT, )

* Federal Summit on School Environments (AAMR, AFT, NEA-HSC)

* Update: US Supreme Court Amicus Brief re cell towers/FCC auction

(HSN)

* NEA Reception Plans? (?? )

Other..

Notes from September 6th calls

Coast to coast participants (OR, WA, CAL, IN, CT, IL, VT, DC, NH, NY):

Chip Halverson, WEA IAQ Council - Portland, OR

Ginny Mott, ALA of Maine/Healthy Schools Consultant - Lakeville, ME

Lohrmann, IN University, Past Pres, Am School Health Assn

len Lawson, CT Foundation for Environmentally Safe Schools, Newtown, CT

Claris Olson, Healthy Schools Campaign, Chicago, IL

Deb , Green Schools Initiative, Berkeley, CA

Carol Westinghouse, INFORM/Cleaning for Health, East Burke, VT

Kirk Stone, The Jordan Institute High Perf. Schools Partnership, Concord, NH

Art Busch, WEA - Yakima, WA,

Bowles, AFSCME, Washington, DC

Tina Dove, National PTA, Washington, DC

Doris Rapp, MD, Environmental Medical Research Foundation, Buffalo, NY

Carolyn -, President, NEA- Healthy Schools Caucus, Salem, OR

Arthur, WEA-IAQ Council, Issaquah, WA

Barnett, Healthy Schools Network and Coordinator, CHS, Washington, DC

Sentar, Healthy Schools Network, Albany, NY

Announcements:

1. Art Busch: WA is revising all laws/rules on health

and safety in schools. Needs expert testimony for the Washington Board of

Health hearings about actions other states are taking.

2. Dave Lohrmann: New book Frumkin, H., Geller, R.,

Rubin, I.L. (2006). Safe and healthy school environments. New York: Oxford

University Press -

(http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Medicine/PublicHealth/?view=usa & c\

i=9780195179477). Lohrmann, D.K. (2005). Creating a Healthy School Using the

Healthy School Report Card: An ASCD Action Tool. andria, VA: Association

for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

3. Jo-Ellen Lawson: Book My Office is Killing Me by

May on Amazaon.com

(http://www.amazon.com/My-Office-Killing-Me-Survival/dp/0801883423/sr=8-1/qid=11\

57982523/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-3552042-9453559?ie=UTF8 & s=books) .

4. Deb : National Association of Independent

Schools (NAIS) conference to be held in Feb. 2007 focused on sustainable

schools.

5. Steve Boese: Children's Environmental Health

Leadership Symposium held on October 12 in Albany, NY, sets stage for

implementation of new state law.

6. Carolyn -: great cover story article in

" OEA Today " on IAQ.

High Performance Green Buildings Act of 2006 (S 3951):

History. S 3591 introduced in June 2006 by Senator Jeffords is an update of S

2620 that Jeffords introduced in 2004 that was presented and discussed at the

Dec 2004 and January 2006 annual meetings of this Coalition. In 2003, Jeffords

sent " Building Green: Building Momentum " national report to all members of

Congress, based on Roundtable discussions he chaired and on a Senate Hearing on

School Environments in October 2002.

S 3591. Calls need to be made now for action on this bill. The deadline for

final bill markups is Friday, September 8. Senators Inhofe and Bond are holding

this bill from reaching the Senate floor. Inhofe agrees with most of the

language but defers to Senator Bond on the school issue. Bond does not want

schools included in this bill. Right now, these two are holding this bill from

the Senate floor.

Art Busch said he had some people working on this issue, but was not aware of

the feedback they have gotten from staffers. Deb said she reposted the

action alerts to a small group. Barnett explained any efforts to get

this bill to the floor need to happen within the next two to four days. Carol

Westinghouse talked with Bond's office about the issue, but got little feedback

from staffers. Carolyn - and Arthur have made calls and/or sent

emails to contacts regarding this bill. Tina Dove said that Natl PTA had not

taken a position on this bill and would wait until the next session of Congress.

Because Jeffords is retiring, Art Busch asked whether or not this bill would

be carried on should it not be voted on during this legislative session. Carol

Westinghouse said she spoke with ' office and he said they would carry

the bill. is running for Jeffords seat in the Senate and is currently

in the house version. Barnett asked for any contacts in the Tennessee,

Missouri, and Okalahoma areas to make one last pitch to get this bill to the

floor for a vote.

Annual Meeting (Dec. 5-6, 2006): Barnett confirmed Darryl has

once again offered the AFT board room as the site of the meeting (555 New Jersey

Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., walking distance to Union Station). Art Busch

then spoke about the NEA reception on the 6th. He suggested a guest speaker at

the NEA wine and cheese party to increase exposure. Barnett suggested

anyone with ideas for a speaker should email Art Busch (WEA -

abusch@...) or Jennie Young (Health Information Network -

jyoung@...).

Meeting Agenda: Barnett said Bowles (AFSCME) would like to lead

a panel discussion about mold remediation. Bowles said the program would

benefit not only school employees, but all occupants. Bowles discussed topics

for the panel including problems people have encountered, best practices, horror

stories, who is doing what as well as how mold exposure manifests in children

and what symptoms are present. Bowles would like the Coalition participants to

be part of the panel offering stories, policy ideas as well as procedures.

Art Busch suggested a presentation given by the EPA and Washington State

University on mold remediation would be a good place to start for the technical

aspects of this. He also mentioned providing the panel with one speaker.

Bowles also suggested including someone from the New Orleans area that could

give a synopsis of the clean up efforts related to mold.

Green Cleaning EVERYBODY IS DOING IT: A " green cleaning " issue priority for

National Healthy Schools Day in 2007 was re-discussed. Barnett said after

reaching out to multiple groups, she could offer to assemble a web-based " kit "

of existing resources suitable for local/state /organizational action. If

drafted by the December meeting, attendees could review, edit, and sign off. Art

Busch suggested starting with Steve Ashkin's information and seminars. Deb

said the Center for a New American Dream has great resources. Barnett listed

some items that may be of use to this kit: such as bill text, executive orders,

guides, factsheets, etc. Claris Olson suggested the " Quick and Easy Guide to

Green Cleaning in Schools " CD ROM in development by the Illinois Healthy Schools

Campaign that will be released shortly. MassCOSH has also offered information

used with custodians. INFORM's has fact sheets; CHEJ is now adding green

cleaning information to its GF program.

Federal Opportunities: Setting the agenda for 07-08 With Darryl not

on the call, this portion of the agenda was held for the next conference call in

October.

Cell Towers/EMF's: Amicus Brief: Barnett spoke briefly about the Amicus Brief

HSN submitted to the Supreme Court. Should the Supreme Court rule to hear the

petitioner's case, HSN will have the opportunity to submit another Brief. The

Brief states that there is evidence of risk from EMF's exposure and therefore,

HSN believes an Environmental Impact Statement is necessary before the FCC can

auction off cell tower licenses. Barnett said HSN was not participating in

advocacy on this issue and is relying on the low key, science heavy brief

submitted to the Court at this time. HSN will make information available as

directed by the HSN board. Several groups were also contacted to participate,

but either had no history on EMF' issues and/or no position on the Precautionary

Principle.

Next National Coalition Call: Tuesday, October 10 at 4 PM EDT & 7 PM EDT.

L. Barnett, MBA, Executive Director

Healthy Schools Network, Inc.

and

Coordinator, Coalition for Healthier Schools

www.healthyschools.org

202-543-7555, 518-462-0632

Mail:

773 Madison Avenue

Albany, NY 12208

or

110 land Ave, NE, Ste 505

Washington, DC 20002

Visit www.healthyschools.org, subscribe to NewsSlice, use Guides-factsheets.

Support the Healthy Schools Agenda! Make your school a healthy school!