We started our system of guides and packets in 1995. Since that time, we have helped thousands of parents and schools across the country adopt healthier practices. Each guide or published report has been developed with expert consultants and resources in the field, and with assistance from parents and school employees. If you need more help or have comments about our informational resources, please call us at 518-462-0632.

GUIDES & FACT SHEETS | REPORTS & REFERENCES | MULTI MEDIA | CHILDREN & DISASTERS | POSTERS

ACCESS TO DECISION MAKING: Open Meetings and Freedom of Information Laws
3 pp, outlines why public school meetings must be open and accessible to parents, school personnel, and any other members of the public.

DAYLIGHTING: Better Lighting for Healthier Students
4 pp, references national studies on how the use of natural daylight indoors boosts test scores and includes simple illustrations on 'harvesting' daylight, © 2005.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION GUIDE FOR NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS
42 pp, the purpose of this guide is to inform parents, advocates, and school personnel about existing laws and resources available to ensure that every child and school employee has an environmentally safe and healthy school, © 1999, 2005 (Advocates for Children and Healthy Schools Network).

La Guia de Accion Ambiental para Escuelas Sanas del Ciudad de Nueva York, 40 pp, for New York City Schools.

GUIDE TO GREEN CLEANING: Practices and Products for Schools
4 pp, guide on cleaning for healthy schools and the challenges of school cleaning

Also see Green Cleaning for Healthy Schools Toolkit

HEALTHY SCHOOLS/HEALTHY KIDS/ABC'S: Help for Parents and Others in the Absence of Standards Just for Children
80 pp, outlines basic OSHA (occupational safety and health) requirements for schools; researched by Cornell University School of Labor and Industrial Relations for NYS schools; applicable in 26 states that have adopted OHSA for public employees, © 2000, as New York State Environmental Action Guide.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL SUPPLEMENT to the Healthy Schools/Healthy Kids/ ABC's
121 pp, provides an issue by issue go-to list with web links, addresses, and telephone numbers for education, health, and environment agencies in each state, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

KICK THE PESTICIDE HABIT: Children, Learning and Poisons Don't Mix
4 pp, guide on pesticides, safer solution, school application, IPM and more.

NYS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S GUIDE TO PESTICIDE NOTIFICATION LAWS
18 pp, outlines why pesticide prior notification is important to parents and the community.

MARKERS GUIDE
3 pp guide on the use and hazards of Dry Erase Markers in schools

PARENT'S GUIDE TO SCHOOL INDOOR AIR QUALITY
6 pp, "classic" reference in the field of children's environmental health at school, written by and for parents; contains the basics of school IAQ, simple steps, what to ask for/look for, and what to do if no one listens and your child is still sick, © 1997, 2004.

PBDE: Toxic Flame Retardants, What Women, Children, and School Personnel Need to Know
4 pp, includes the dangers of PBDEs, as well as associated health effects and ways to avoid these toxins.

PLAYGROUNDS & TOXIC THREATS:
6pp, facts and information about Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), Lead, Artificial Turf Risks, Play sand, and web links for additional information.

PROTECTING VULNERABLE STUDENTS IN "SICK" SCHOOLS
7 pp, guide for parents and personnel on federal rules requiring schools to provide a free, appropriate public education and accessible facilities, © 2001.

SANITIZERS AND DISINFECTANTS GUIDE
4 pp, basic types of disinfectants outlined along with recommendations for the proper use of anti-microbials and ways to reduce the need for them.

SCHOOL DESIGN: Healthy & High Performance Schools
6pp, includes a checklist of important features of high performance schools as well as information related to current laws and the "robust science" of school environments.

CREATING HEALTHIER SCHOOL FACILITIES, 7 pp, comprehensive policy resolution adopted by the American Public Health Association (11/00); recommended to APHA members, state, and local affiliates.

EMF's, PRECAUTION AND SCHOOLS: US Supreme Court Amicus Brief, 33 pp, Amicus Brief in support of requiring the FCC to produce an Environmental Impact Statement on human health effects of EMF's prior to auctioning off cell tower licenses, (2006).

FOOD DYES AND CHILDREN

HEALTHY AND HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS: Federal Legislation, 4 pp, text of federal legislation enacted in January 2002 that codifies 'high performance schools' standards.

HIGH PERFORMANCE GREEN BUILDING ACT of 2007

HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS: US Senate Testimony, May 15, 2007

GREENING AMERICA’S SCHOOLS: Costs and Benefits, 26 pp, Gregory Kats’ study demonstrates the financial, environmental, and other benefits of using green technologies in schools.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY - IAQ- Scientific Findings Resource Bank (IAQ-SFRB)... developed by the Indoor Environment Department of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with funding support from the U.S. EPA. The IAQ-SFRB is a resource for public health professionals, building professionals, and others who seek scientific information about the effects of IAQ on people's health or work performance.

LEARNING THE HARD WAY, 16 pp, cover story in peer-reviewed "Environmental Health Perspectives", the Journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Services, June 2002 (by permission).

LESSONS LEARNED: 32,000,000 Children: A Public Health Crisis, 67 pp, a collaboratively HSN prepared national report revealing the widespread human health, family, and community impacts of school facilities that are poorly designed, constructed, operated or maintained; state by state data.

MERCURY AND SCHOOLS: A Risky Combination, 2 pp, mercury and schools is a risky combination! Mercury may be found in many different places in schools and a spill can result in health risks and costly clean-up efforts. New York State bans elemental mercury from schools.

NEGLECTED BUILDINGS, DAMAGED HEALTH: Snap-shot of New York City Public School Environmental Conditions, 88 pp, Healthy Schools Network and Advocates for Children of New York survey of school users show health and learning impacts from deteriorated facility conditions and reveals significant building code violations; copy of survey instrument in Appendix, 1999.

NYC GREEN SCHOOLS GUIDE, 212 pp,
Published by the NYC School Construction Authority and NYC Department of Educiation.

NY-CHPS: High Performance Schools Guidelines, 145 pp, developed in cooperation with a panel of experts coordinated by NYSERDA, to emphasize criteria that directly contribute to student learning, reduced maintenance, and long building life.

NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL FACILITIES AND STUDENT HEALTH, ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTENDANCE: A Data Report, 40 pp, report of all public schools in two New York State counties as well as other schools with reported environment problems to determine correlation between schools facilities, student health, and academic achievement, © 2005.

PEHSU Factsheet - PBDEs: Information for Pediatric Health Professionals

PEHSU guidance on hydro-fracking

SAFE AT SCHOOL AND READY TO LEARN: The National Schools Boards Association's 58 pp comprehensive policy guide for protecting students with life-threatening food allergies.

SCHOOLS OF GROUND ZERO: Early Lessons Learned in Children's Environmental Health, 347 pp, only contemporaneous account of the decisions to evacuate and re-occupy seven public schools following the World Trade Center attacks of September 11th. With $30 donation by order only; not downloadable. Co-published with American Public Health Association and can be ordered online.

Unwanted Exposure: Preventing Environmental Threats to the Health of New York State's Children, 56pp, a comprehensive review of the major identified threats to children's health from environmental exposures and New York State's current policy framework for protecting children from these hazards.

US Department of Education Report on Facilities and Children's Health and Learning (2004), 38 pp, paper summarizes the current state of scientific knowledge about the adverse impacts school indoor environments have on health and student performance.

WHAT SCHOOL NURSES KNOW: We Need New Laws to Clean Up Schools, 8 pp, results from survey of members from the NYS Association of School Nurses revealing that nurses fear job retaliation and many know students whose health and learning are affected by school environments (5/00).

Press Release (January 2011): New Data Shows Schools Ignore Children's Health: Groups Urge Action by EPA and States

WHO'S IN CHARGE OF PROTECTING CHILDREN'S HEALTH AT SCHOOL?, 40 pp, national research report outlines the scope of the public health response needed to resolve the nation's largest unaddressed children's health problem, polluted schools, © 2006.

Video: 5 Clean and Green Healthy Schools Tips: Ann Pleshette Murphy interviews Claire Barnett, Executive Director, Healthy Schools Network. Aired on ABC NOW, April 22, 2009

Video: Claire Barnett, Speaker- US EPA Public Meeting: Definition of Solid Waste Final Rule

Audio: Claire Barnett’s WAMC Health Show Interview: Back To School - And Healthy

Audio: Claire Barnett's WBAI Interview: Child Health Groups Call for Robust Assessment of Hydrofracking Health Impacts

BP Oil Spill: Keeping Kids Safe!

GROUND ZERO PARENTS IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Practical Advice to Schools and Parents, 8 pp, highlights the advice of experienced parents of children that attend Ground Zero schools, © 2002, 2005.

SCHOOLS OF GROUND ZERO: Early Lessons Learned in Children's Environmental Health, 347 pp, only contemporaneous account of the decisions to evacuate and re-occupy seven public schools following the World Trade Center attacks of September 11th. With $30 donation by order only; not downloadable. Co-published with American Public Health Association and can be ordered online.

PEHSU/AAP: Clinician Recommendations Regarding Return of Children to Areas Impacted by Flooding and/or Hurricanes: A Joint Statement from the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

PEHSU/AAP: Environmental Hazards for Children in the Aftermath of Wildfires

POSTER: Cleaning for Healthy Schools Toolkit

POSTER: Cleaning for Healthy Schools, ways to keep your school clean and healthy.

POSTER: GREEN SQUAD: Kids Taking Action for Greener, Healthier Schools, things students can do to protect the environment at school - and the world outside- a better place.

POSTER: GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, five-point policy "every child has a right..." adopted by New York State Board of Regents in 1995, and referenced or cited by many public interest groups and coalitions; 8 1/2 X 11.