June 10 Board Meeting - Pest Management
Board of Education Meeting/Workshop - June 10, 2019
Dear Clarkstown Community,
I am writing to inform you of an upcoming Board of Education Meeting/Workshop to take place on June 10th at the Felix Festa Middle School black & white cafeteria, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. At this session, we will provide an overview of our current Integrated Pest Management program (IPM) and specifics regarding North High School.
As discussed in my May 21st letter to you, the District administers a comprehensive Integrated Pest Management program to control pests at all schools. This approach is mandated by the NYS Education Department and focuses on using a variety of controls to manage pest populations with the goal of limiting the use of toxic pesticides.
Key components of the IPM approach include:
- Reducing food and water sources
- Eliminating hiding places
- Using bait traps to monitor pest populations
- Making ongoing modifications to pest control actions based on monitoring results
- Limiting use of toxic pesticides
The IPM requirement presents a difficult challenge at North High School due to the steam utility tunnels under the building which are small, dark and damp, creating a continual source of shelter and water for pests. As such, our IPM process at North also includes weekly monitoring inspections throughout the school and periodic chemical treatment of the steam utility tunnels.
At the June 10th meeting, we will have detailed discussion on the district’s IPM program and potential adjustments to be made for North High School. We welcome the community’s input at this meeting.
Sincerely,
Martin D. Cox
Superintendent of Schools