DPAC Health & Safety Working Group November 2024 Update
TLDR:
- There is new guidance by the BC Government and Vancouver Coastal Health about the need for cleaner air in schools
- Portable Air Cleaners are now recommended for schools to help clean the air
- We encourage parents/PACs to advocate/donate/fundraise for these portable air cleaners for schools
- The cost of air cleaners is minor compared to the cost of not having them (i.e. absences, illness, lost learning…)
- We are hosting a 30 min presentation followed by questions Nov 21 at 7pm online via Google Meet “NEW Guidance Requires Cleaning The Air in Schools: A Presentation to Help You Get Air Cleaners into your Schools”
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Air pollution is jeopardizing kid’s health and impacting learning outcomes. Removing harmful substances from the air (chemicals or micro-organisms that contaminate the air) will help improve their long term health and improve learning outcomes .
Interested in helping schools clean the air?
- Participate in our online meetings: sign up at hswg@vancouverdpac.com – we welcome guests so don’t worry if you aren’t part of Vancouver district
- Advocate at your school, at your PAC meetings, put air cleaners into your PAC donation budgets – that is one way PACs have successfully placed air cleaners in each classroom and often in shared spaces like gyms, libraries and hallways
- Advocate for the school board and the province to pay for better ventilation and filtration in schools as new guidelines direct.
- Attend our Clean The Air presentation Nov 21 at 7pm online via Google Meet “NEW Guidance Requires Cleaning The Air in Schools: A Presentation to Help You Get Air Cleaners into your Schools”
What help is available?
Vancouver Health and Fraser Health have created resources to support schools’ improvements to Clean air via Increased Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality for Schools and Child care facilities. Here are 5 useful things you can encourage your kids/teachers to do:
- Let Fresh Air in: On days when your local air quality is good, open windows and doors to increase air circulation (even just small amounts or for short periods)
- Use air quality monitors to check Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and all kinds of particle levels (PM is stuff like mold/smoke/allergens). CO2 monitors are available to borrow from most Public Libraries and some health authorities like VCH. Cost-effective PM 2.5 monitors are available from IKEA.
- Install Portable air cleaners with HEPA filters. Here is handy tool to select portable air purifiers to meet the needs of your school.
- Find out if your school’s HVAC systems meet the most current guidance and have the high-level of filtration required in case of emergency. Ensure they are maintained/repaired/upgraded to the best standards.
Want to KNOW more?
Check out our:
- “Clean Air in Schools” mini-comic! It’s free to download, print, and distribute as a teaching tool for students, school workers, and parents. It’s based on the newest guidance from Vancouver Coastal Health, and is currently being translated into other languages.
- Clean the Air Primer – This is our science-based 10-Point Primer to improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in schools.
- Urging Implementation of NEW MECC/VCH Guidance – it’s about who we are and what we hope to do
Sincerely,
The team at Clean Air in BC Schools – a Vancouver DPAC Health & Safety Working Group initiative
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We are a group of concerned parents and caregivers whose main focus this year is on getting cleaner air in schools and classrooms as per the new guidance from Vancouver Coastal Health and the Ministry of Child Care
Contact:
Roger Haskett, Coordinator
778.668.4252
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