SBOH 06-13

For immediate release: November 7, 2006

Contact:
Craig McLaughlin, State Board of Health 360-236-4106

Board holds study session on school health and safety
Wednesday, November 8, 9 a.m. –5 p.m., Grand Ridge Elementary School, 1739 NE Park Drive, Issaquah

At its meeting Wednesday, November 8, at Grand Ridge Elementary School in Issaquah, the Washington State Board of Health will hold a daylong study session on school environmental health and safety. The session is part of the board’s ongoing efforts to craft a school environmental health rule that protects children, has broad acceptance, and a can be implemented successfully. The board is seeking to better understand how school health is regulated currently and identify possible weaknesses in that system before it determines the next steps it should take.

The board will hear from state, local and federal agencies about their existing programs, their successes, and the challenges they face. Speakers will include representatives of local school districts, Educational Service District 101, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, local environmental health agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Health The board and a guest panel also will identify gaps in essential protections for school children.

No decisions will be made and no public testimony will be taken. The board will hear public testimony and provide guidance on the next phase of rule making at its next meeting, which will take place December 13 at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center in Seatac.

For more information about the meeting, please visit the board’s Web site at www.sboh.wa.gov or contact the State Board of Health office at (360) 236-4106.

# # #

The Board’s mission is to provide statewide leadership in advancing policies that protect and improve the public’s health. It does this by reviewing and monitoring the health status of all people in Washington; analyzing policies, providing guidance, and developing rules; promoting system partnerships; and encouraging public engagement in the public health system. For more information, visit the board’s Web site at www.sboh.wa.gov.