National Healthy Schools Day

Since 2002, parents, teachers, school nurses, custodians, advocates, and agencies have promoted National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide.

Coordinated by Healthy Schools Network, the 23rd National Healthy Schools Day, will take place on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, and all week long.

This year’s event will feature State and Local Programs

Protecting school buildings and grounds from extreme weather events
Reducing indoor toxics to improve indoor air and ensure safer disaster cleanups

Disaster Guidance to Help Keep Kids Safe and Schools Safely Open

Resiliency to extreme weather events is more essential than ever. State/Local Programs, plans, and funds to help schools stay open longer and/or reopen safely and quickly after disasters.

In the 2022-23 school year, this Berks County (PA) rural high school was closed due to damage from extreme weather. Students and staff missed school days and spent extra time travelling to schools out of the area.

Improving School Infection Prevention and Control

Reducing the spread of colds, flu, and other infective diseases, and improving attendance and test scores by ensuring clean/fresh air, clean water, and clean facilities as recommended by EPA and by CDC.

Children breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults.

This Pacific Northwest-area classroom has high carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, which cause fatigue, poor concentration, and dizziness. Adult thinking skills decline at 1,000 parts per million CO2; the meter shows 4,069 ppm.

Reduce Legacy Toxics in Schools

Programs and funds to assist schools in eliminating/controlling indoor sources of pollution and legacy toxics that when spilled or exposed are serious risks to first responders and clean-up crews.

Targets: lead in paint, water, and synthetic turf; shelves of old, outdated pesticides and laboratory and maintenance chemicals; PCBs; asbestos; elemental mercury; and PFAs in water and soil.

Pictured: The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s school chemical clean-out project at one high school found many outdated and/or mislabeled chemicals needing identification and sorting before proper disposal.

Thursday, April 3, 2025

12:00 – 2:00 PM EDT (Virtually)

*Registration is required. Registration is free, donations appreciated

Children, Schools, and Wildfires (California)

Moderator:

John Reeder, MA, Healthy Schools Network

Speakers:

Rita Burke, PhD, Keck School of Medicine/USC on pediatric preparedness and injury prevention
Kristen Hengtgen, PhD, ED Trust on Los Angeles Wildfires, see ED Trust and Undauntedk12 report

Monday, April 7, 2025

3:00 – 5:00 PM EDT (Virtually)

*Registration is required. Registration is free, donations appreciated

School Indoor Air Enhancements (Connecticut, Rhode Island)

Moderator:

Tracy Enger, MPH, EPA IAQ TFS Coordinator (Ret’d)

Speakers:

Joellen Lawson, CT Foundation for Environmentally Safe Schools (ConnFESS)
Kenneth Foscue, MPH, CT Department of Public Health (Ret’d)
Joseph Da Silva, PhD, NCARB, Rhode Island School Building Authority

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

3:00 – 5:00 PM EDT (Virtually)

*Registration is required. Registration is free, donations appreciated

Melting Earth: Toxics and Moving Communities and Schools

Moderator:

David Carpenter, MD, MPH, Institute for Environmental Health, Albany University

Speakers:

Pamela Miller, PhD, Executive Director, Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT)
Britanni Robbins, Civic Engagement Coordinator, ACAT

Thursday, April 10, 2025

3:00 – 5:00 PM EDT (Virtually)

*Registration is required. Registration is free, donations appreciated

State Curricula on Air Quality and Chemical Cleanouts

Moderator:

Mansel Nelson, MS, Senior Program Coordinator, Northern Arizona University/ITEP

Speakers:

Madelyn Percy, PhD (she/ella), Education Unit, Air Pollution Control Division, Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado
Kathy Reiner, MPH, BSN, RN, AE C, FNASN, School Nurse Specialist, Health Services, Colorado
Sarah Briggs, Senior Research Specialist, Green Chemistry and Emerging Contaminants, New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology

Get Involved

Plan Your Activity

Find resources for parents and personnel, schools and childcares, and their communities.

Display Your Support

Graphics, flyers, posters, and decals can be used in a variety of ways to show your support and bring awareness to the day.

Register Your Activity

Let us know what you are planning for National Healthy Schools Day.

About National Healthy Schools Day

Since 2002, parents, teachers, school nurses, custodians, advocates, and agencies have promoted National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide. Whether you are at the beginning stages of investigating school environments or have an established Indoor Air/Environmental Quality program, we invite you to host a local activity that educates others and celebrates your school’s successes.

National Healthy Schools Day is coordinated by Healthy Schools Network in partnership with many agencies and organizations. Together, we promote the use of EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools guidance as well as other EPA environmental health guidelines and programs for schools and children’s health.