Prioritizing Health And Safety In Schools As The New School Year Begins

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2023 / As school-aged children and adults in the United States and many other parts of the world return to school, parents, teachers and administrators are realizing the importance of school supplies. Protecting the health and safety of students and staff. For many, school is a safe haven, a community center where children learn, grow and develop. But from aging infrastructure to extreme weather events linked to climate change, such as fire smoke and heat waves that increase indoor air pollution levels, much of the education sector is struggling to meet the demands of operating and maintaining modern schools.

Everyone knows how important the school year is to meeting academic needs, but students, faculty, and staff also need educational opportunities that support their physical, mental, and emotional health. According to the Harvard School of Public Health: “By the time a student graduates from high school, he or she spends more than 15,000 hours in a school building, the longest time spent indoors after home...and depends on many. indoor factors such as growth and emotional development, including air pollution, mold, sprawl, radon, asbestos, inadequate lighting, etc. These home conditions not only affect students' health, but also their learning. A recent New York Times article states, "Decades of research have shown that improving air quality improves academic performance, improves test scores, enhances concentration and memory, and reduces absenteeism due to illness or other causes."

These fears are compounded when the dire condition of the school grounds is taken into account. In 2021, IWBI partnered with the 21st Century School Foundation and National Schools to produce and publish the 2021 State of Our Schools Report, which collects and analyzes data from America's public school districts: America's PK-12 Public Schools. -12. He points to the significant underinvestment in school funding and funding in the United States. The report also found that healthy, safe and sustainable schools can provide a conducive learning environment and sustainable environment for children to learn in all districts, and indoor air quality is an important component.

The report notes that the United States alone faces an $85 billion school funding shortfall. Districts spend $110 billion annually on maintenance, operations, and capital construction, but educational institutions need about $195 billion for administrative requirements. Chronic underinvestment in PC-12 school facilities endangers student health, impedes academic achievement, and weakens our entire education system.

Policymakers are paying attention and working to better support schools and districts to close this gap through federal and state partnerships in school infrastructure. Recently reauthorized in July 2023 and strongly endorsed by the IWBI, the Restoring America's Schools Act of 2023 aims to "improve the infrastructure and environment of public schools" to "ensure that school facilities are safe, healthy, strong, and positive." carries "students. With a $130 billion investment. As IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon says, many schools are "really falling apart...we can turn the tide.

Along with these policy-driven efforts, it's important to understand how we can build school buildings that help protect the health and safety of the students, teachers, and staff who walk through their doors every day. The next State of Our Schools report, published every three years, will be published in 2024. The 2024 report is a unique opportunity to provide better information and new insights for decision makers to prioritize public health, equitable education and sustainability. education planning Policy and budget. In the two years since the 2021 report, awareness of structural disparities in our nation's public schools based on income and race has grown. The vulnerability of our communities and school climates is better understood. Finally, the widespread damage caused by the global pandemic has highlighted the risks and health risks associated with the chronic neglect of our public schools. In this changing landscape, the need to deeply understand the state of our schools and their impact on health and equity, and to take action to address the challenges facing our educational institutions, has never been greater.

As states and school districts strive to become leaders in healthy schools, the WELL Standards provide a practical framework that educational institutions can use to demonstrate health leadership and make school buildings safer, healthier and more conducive to learning. By implementing WELL strategies, educational institutions can capture human experience and performance data and optimize over time for spaces of health, productivity, innovation and collaboration. For leaders who value proven performance, prioritize risk management, and want to make a significant difference in health and safety, the WELL program is indispensable. As of August 2023, nearly 2,200 schools in 18 countries have already implemented WELL programs covering more than 78 million square feet.

Specifically supporting the education sector, the WELL Health Security Assessment is a comprehensive framework for placing health sustainability at the center of corporate policies and operational plans in the operation and management of businesses. With more than 60 science-based WELL Standard strategies, from operational policies and maintenance protocols to emergency response plans, the WELL Health and Safety Standard serves as a roadmap for organizations to envision the future. corner, build trust and prepare the necessary plans and protocols. . Promoting long-term sustainability.

Jeff Plattenberg, assistant director of facilities and transportation services for Fairfax County Public Schools, said of the WELL Health and Safety Standard, "The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority. Ensuring that our buildings are optimized to provide a healthy work and learning environment is at the heart of this effort. is a part of

Dr. John Rozzo, Upper St. Clair School Region superintendent, "The health and safety of our students and staff, as well as those who use our school facilities, remains our top priority...The seal is proof of that. We are committed to doing everything we can for our customers." to make the learning process as safe as possible for loyal people.

"Our children's access to a safe, healthy and fair educational environment is not a right, but a right. During a school infrastructure crisis, Well Health's security standards provide educational institutions with a customized preparedness solution that enables them to meet today's challenges and prepare for future events. "We see school operators and administrative leaders around the world using this standard as a roadmap for health, safety and security practice. To put learning at the center."

The ranking is a tool to help schools begin the journey towards excellence and continue to engage at the portfolio level with greater participation. The Mass WELL program helps organizations build a culture of health by deploying WELL in multiple locations, recognizing incremental improvements along the way.

Daycare Learning Centers have earned the WELL Wellness Rating for child care systems and preschools. Achieving this status is one way Kindercare demonstrates its commitment to the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff, and has since expanded its commitment to well-being by expanding the WELL program on a larger scale.

Sara Redgrave, KinderCare's vice president of operations, said of the importance of implementing the Health Safety Score in Early Childhood Education: “… because we serve vulnerable children: physically, socially and emotionally. Safety has a direct impact on a child's growth and development. We also create a safe environment for our staff by meeting these high health and safety standards, allowing them to focus on what they do best and make a positive impact on the lives of every child. is under his responsibility".

For more information, read how IWBI is supporting healthy schools in its 2022 annual report: Implementing our Human-Centered Vision: Healthy Buildings, Facilities and Communities .

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