CALIFORNIA SAFE SCHOOLS COALITION AWARDS SCHOOLS WITH GREEN FLAGS

California Safe Schools
Box 2123
Toluca Lake, California 91610
http://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 [at] earthlink.net

NATIONAL CONTACT: Beth George
212/245-0510
bgeorge [at] 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 : http://www.calisafe.org