California Safe Schools

Box 2123

Toluca Lake, California 91610

www.calisafe.org

818-785-5515



Release Date: September 16, 2003

LOCAL CONTACT:

Robina Suwol, Executive Director California Safe

Schools

ph.:818-785-5515 pager: 818-410-4790

email: robinasuwol@earthlink.net

NATIONAL CONTACT: Beth George

212/245-0510

bgeorge@promediacomm.com

Local Schools Receive National Environmental Awards

WHAT: MILLIKAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, ALDAMA ELEMENTARY, SUN

VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL, and FERNANGELES ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL are four out of a fourteen schools receiving

National Awards for their outstanding environmental

work.

The Green Flag Program was created by the Child

Proofing Our Communities Campaign, which works with

communities to reduce environmental health hazards in

schools.

Robina Suwol of California Safe Schools became a

school environmental health activist when her sons

were accidentally sprayed with pesticides five years

ago. She has worked to promote precautionary policies

in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She and

LAUSD Office of Environmental Health and Safety

Director Angelo Bellomo, and Boardmember Julie

Korenstein will be presenting awards to four schools

this Thursday.



Mr. Angelo Bellomo, Boardmember Julie Korenstein, of

Los Angeles Unified, and California Safe Schools will

receive special recognition for their work in

protecting students, teachers, and staff.

PRESS CONFERENCE:

WHEN: Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 10:00am

WHERE: Fernangeles Elementary - 12001 Art Street - Sun

Valley (ph: 818-767-0380)

SPEAKERS:

Angelo Bellomo, Environmental Health & Safety for Los

Angeles Unified School District

Robina Suwol, Executive Director of California Safe

Schools

Boardmember Julie Korenstein, Los Angeles Unified

School District

Martin Schlageter, Coalition for Clean Air

Senator Alarcon, Assemblyman Paul Koretz,

Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez

Cindy Wong, PTA

Karen Maiorca, Los Angeles Unified Director of Nursing

Students, teachers, Principals, local leaders

VISUALS : Great visuals excited students will receive

colorful Green Flag for their work.





HISTORY:

In 1999, Los Angeles Unified School District with the

help of California Safe Schools and their Coalition,

implemented the most stringent pesticide policy in the

nation for schools. This Policy which embraces the

PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE and PARENTS RIGHT TO KNOW,

includes a 15-member PEST MANAGEMENT TEAM which meets

monthly to ensure implementation. This team consists

of district staff (Food Services -Environmental Health

& Safety- Pest Management), parents,

environmentalists, teacher, principal, County Health

representative, physician, and Independent Integrated

Pest Management Expert. This policy has become the

model for school districts and communities throughout

the United States.



In 1990, Los Angeles Unified School District

implemented a Recycling Program which also has become

a model for the nation. This program encourages

recycling in schools, and offices to conserve scare

resources and to reduce the quantity of materials sent

to landfills. California Safe Schools is a Coalition

of forty organizations. CSS has become nationally

recognized as a state, and national leader in

environmental health and safety issues for schools.

Organized in 1998, California Safe Schools, and its

Coalition worked with Los Angeles Unified to create

their current Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy

which has become a national model.

website : www.calisafe.org