As principals, teachers, and education workers move forward in getting their classrooms and schools ready for a safe return to school, the fact that these buildings have been unused for six months is an important consideration. Testing the water quality, running any forced air systems, and testing air quality prior to school starting is an important element of schools reopening.
The provincial government has only allocated $50-M for all Ontario’s school boards to dedicate to HVAC, and did not leave school boards with much time.
We urge you to contact your local MPP & @fordnation & @Sflecce to voice your concerns about ventilation in your local schools, & demand that provincial funding actually needed for publicly funded schools to open their doors safely in a few short weeks. #safeSeptember pic.twitter.com/T7RJezZ5Ec
— Fix Our Schools (@Fix_Our_Schools) August 22, 2020
That said, school boards can:
- conduct regular maintenance (testing, flushing, changing filters, cleaning ductwork, etc) of their existing systems
- conduct any needed/previously identified upgrades or easy to install enhancements that could be done to those existing systems to improve air quality and ventilation.
- work to ensure that as many windows as possible open wide enough to bring in outdoor air and improve ventilation – many Ontario windows may have some type of guard/lock that could be adjusted/removed
- flush all standing water in toilets
- flush out all faucets and drinking fountains by running the water
🔎 School VENTILATION List -Updated today! 🔍
Public concerns of their local school's ventilation: classrooms w/o windows, windows that don't open or hardly open, schools & portables w/o HVAC systems➡️ https://t.co/WDd5HmoW9f#onted #onpoli #topoli @Sflecce @fordnation pic.twitter.com/Ke5ihETwb9
— Fix Our Schools (@Fix_Our_Schools) August 20, 2020
You can contact your local Trustee to ask how your local school board is using the limited provincial funding provided for a safe return to school in the limited time they were allocated.