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Basics of School IPM Webinar Report

Thank you for attending the Basics of School Integrated Pest Management webinar broadcast on October 21, 2014, a part of the School IPM Webinar series hosted by EPA’s Center of Expertise for School IPM. Included here is the contact information for the presenters, responses to questions and comments and related resources.

View the webinar presentation from The Basics of School IPM webinar section.

On this page:

Speakers

  • Tim Stock (stockt@science.oregonstate.edu), IPM Specialist, Oregon State University 
  • Mark Hardin (mhardin@hcpss.org), IPM Specialist, Howard County (Maryland) Public School System
  • Marc Lame (mlame@indiana.edu), Ph.D., Clinical Professor, Indiana University
  • Marcia Anderson (anderson.marcia@epa.gov), Ph.D., EPA Center of Expertise for School IPM

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Responses to Questions / Comments

The questions below were posed by the webinar participants. The responses may have been refined by the presenters following the webinar for clarification or to include additional resources.

  1. Please let us know where this excellent, practical session will be available after this webinar. Can you send out to attendees a link to the recorded webinar when it is online?
    View the recording of this webinar Exit

  2. Is the recording and publication in the public domain (ie: Can we use it again for training to other staff)?
    Yes it is public domain. You may access it as much as you like for review and training purposes.

  3. What is the best way to clean kitchen drains?
    Annually, with a drain brush, then bi-monthly with an enzymatic cleaner.

  4. How do you find out if your illness is from mice or the flu?
    The best way to find out is by laboratory diagnosis. See the CDC Web page that explains both symptoms and diagnosis.

  5. Should we be concerned about western fence lizards? They are plentiful in southern California and are everywhere in and around our schools.
    In southern California, and most other locations, the western fence lizards are a beneficial vertebrate consuming a wide variety of insects. In northern California, they have become a deer tick host. The good news is that the ticks do not become infected with Lyme disease from the lizards. So, there is no need to be concerned about them. See this UC Berkeley Newscenter article Exitfor more information.

  6. What is the best way to discourage rabbits from entering schools and leaving droppings in play areas such as sandboxes and fields?
    The best way to discourage rabbits in sand boxes is by exclusion. Either cover or fence the sandy play areas.

  7. Do you find bed bugs in schools these days? How do you control them?
    Yes, bed bugs are still being found in schools. Bed bugs require an integrated approach to control. eXtension provides a good school bed bug action plan Exit. For more bed bug resources, visit EPA's Bed Bug Clearinghouse. To learn more about bed bugs in schools, refer to the webinar as it occurred on Dec. 16, 2014.

  8. Can this info be used at college level as well? I would need some more info on IPM to share with administration at my college. 
    Absolutely! IPM is a smart, sensible, and sustainable approach to controlling pests that can be used in all locations. See the resources below.

  9. Please provide contact info for an IPM specialist if we wish to update our IPM program.
    EPA’s Center of Expertise for School IPM (school.ipm@epa.gov; 844-EPA-SIPM (372-7476)) can put you in touch with an IPM specialist in your state.

  10. Would it be a good idea to remove bushes and mulch from around the school?
    You can still have some foundation plantings, however, shrubs, dense groundcovers and mulch should not touch the school building. A walkway behind shrubs and the building of about 2-3 feet should be maintained. Use gravel next to the building instead of mulch to keep vegetation to a minimum and provide sturdy access for maintenance and as a pest deterrent.

  11. Do you have a special way to clean lice from a classroom?
    Here are a some valuable lice resources:
    http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/parents.html
    http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/licedosdonts.htm Exit
     

  12. Can we contact you if I have additional questions?
    Yes, you can reach EPA’s Center of Expertise for School IPM by email at school.ipm@epa.gov or toll-free at 844-EPA-SIPM (372-7476).

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Resources - Technical Guidance and Reports

General School IPM and Policy Guidance

Implementing IPM in School Buildings and Environments

  • Integrated Pest Management in Buildings – Guide to help building managers understand how to implement and verify IPM services.
  • IPM in and Around Structures Exit - The eXtension website includes information from many other websites on pest management in and around structures. eXtension is an interactive learning environment delivering the most researched knowledge from the smartest land-grant university minds across America.
  • National School IPM Information Source Exit - The University of Florida includes information for parents, administrators, faculty, staff and pest managers, a toolbox with video clips, brochures, model policies, sample contracts, presentations, regulatory information, and common pest management strategies.
  • Tick Safety in Schools - IPM tactics for protecting school children from ticks and tick-borne diseases.
  • School Bed Bug Action Plan Exit - eXtension action plan schools can use to prepare for and deal with bed bugs.

Pesticide Safety Information from EPA

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Upcoming School IPM Webinars

We welcome your participation in our upcoming webinars and ask you to encourage your peers to attend. These presentations are geared specifically to school and school district facility managers, buildings and grounds managers and staff, childcare facility managers, and school IPM practitioners. School nurses, school administrators, health officials, and pest management professionals are welcome to attend.

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