Air Quality Monitoring & Management Plan

Good quality indoor air contributes to a favorable learning environment for students, productivity for teachers and staff, and a sense of comfort, health and well-being for all school occupants. These combine to assist a school in its core mission – educating children.

Fridley Public Schools has an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management Plan. The management plan outlines specific policies and procedures that will be used in the district to address indoor air quality issues. IEA, the district’s health and safety consultant, completes annual IAQ walkthroughs and ventilation assessments within the school to ensure proper air quality.

If you have any questions concerning IAQ, or would like to use the EPA Tools for Schools checklists, please contact the District IAQ coordinator:
Mark Mickelson
District Buildings and Grounds Manager
mickelson@isd14.org

• Fridley Indoor Air Quality Management Plan
• IAQ Building Walkthrough Reports

Lead-in-Water Annual Notification

Minnesota Statute 121A.335 requires public school buildings serving pre-kindergarten through grade 12 to test for lead in water in water every five years.  Fridley Public Schools has historically conducted and continues to conduct Lead in Drinking Water testing per the Minnesota Department of Health guidelines. If found, the District remediates lead levels following the Minnesota Department of Health guidelines and completes retesting prior to use.

• 2023 Fridley LIW First Draw Initial Report
• 2024 Fridley Post-Remediation & Flush Testing
• Lead-In-Water Management Plan

Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in soil, rocks, underground water supplies, and in the ambient air. Radon gas typically moves up through the ground into the air in buildings through subsurface wall and/or floor cracks, floor drains, and construction joints and pipes.

The EPA and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) advise schools to test for radon after any renovation to the building or HVAC system, or periodically, such as every five years and to reduce levels to below 4 picoCuries per Liter (pCi/L).

Fridley Public Schools conducts air sampling for the presence of radon using short term (72-96 hours) activated charcoal test kits on school days only (not holidays, vacations or weekends), between November 1 and March 31 on a five-year cycle. Any areas with elevated radon results are mitigated (reference specific radon testing reports for more information). The district will continue to test its buildings every five years.

• Fridley Radon Management Plan  
• Round 1 – 2021-22 Radon Testing Results for Fridley Community Center and Fridley Middle School
• Round 2 – 2022-23 Radon Testing Results for Fridley High School
• Round 3 – 2023-2024 Radon Testing Results for Hayes Elementary School and RL Stevenson Elementary School
• Continuous Radon Monitoring – 2023-2024 RL Stevenson Elementary School
• VISTA Education Center Radon Testing Results

Fridley Public Schools uses a licensed, professional pest control service firm for the prevention and control of rodents, insects and other pests in and around the district’s buildings.

Pests can sting, bite, cause contamination, damage property and spread disease; therefore, we must prevent their presence and control them as necessary. The district or outside contractors may also apply herbicides on district properties, as deemed necessary.

The long-term health effects on children from the application of such pesticides may not be fully understood.  All pest control materials are chosen and applied according to labeling directions per federal law.

To limit the potential pesticide exposure, the district follows safety regulations to ensure pesticides are applied properly. All pesticide products, which are used in and around school buildings, are required to be registered with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, school employees and certified and licensed applicators are required by state and federal law to comply with all requirements of the pesticide label, including building sites, application rates, re-entry intervals, posting, use of personal protective equipment, use restrictions, and disposal on the product label. An estimated schedule of pesticide applications is available for review or copying with the Buildings and Grounds Office.

View the district’s Integrated Pest Management plan. To be notified about pesticide applications, please contact:

Mark Mickelson
District Buildings and Grounds Manager
mickelson@isd14.org

AHERA Annual Asbestos Notification

During the past school year, and continuing into the current school year, the following asbestos management plan activities have been or are currently being completed, pursuant to the Environmental Protection Agency 40 CFR Part 763 – “Asbestos Containing Materials in Schools; Final Rule and Notice.”

• Periodic surveillance
• Asbestos repairs
• Notification of asbestos locations for short-term workers (electricians, plumbers, etc.)
• Training of district personnel
• Abatement activities

Fridley Public Schools has contracted through the Institute for Environmental Assessment (IEA) to provide environmental, health and safety consulting services, including being involved in the above listed activities.

The complete, updated Asbestos Management Plan can be found here, as well as in the Buildings and Grounds Office.

Any questions concerning this notice, or an explanation of our Asbestos Management Plan, can be directed to:

Mark Mickelson
District Buildings and Grounds Manager
mickelson@isd14.org