Note: As required by law, the following Integrated Pest Management Policy Statement was adopted by the Humble Independent School District's Board of Trustees on June 13, 1995.

Pest Management Policy Statement
Structural and landscape pests can pose significant problems to people, property, and the environment. Pesticides can also pose risks to people, property, and the environment. It is therefore the policy of Humble I.S.D. to incorporate Integrated Pest Management (IPM) procedures for control of structural and landscape pests.

Zika Virus Response Planning: 
Interim Guidance for District and School Administrators in the Continental United States and Hawaii
http://www.cdc.gov/zika/schools.html CDC has developed interim guidance for kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) district and school administrators for public health actions pertaining to Zika virus infection. This guidance is intended to address concerns about the risk for Zika virus infection in K-12 schools in the continental United States and Hawaii, provide school districts with information for planning school-related activities, and recommend actions that can be taken, in consultation with local public health authorities and government officials, to reduce the potential risk for Zika virus transmission on school premises and among students.

• Pests will be managed to:
• Reduce any potential human health hazard or to protect against a significant threat to public safety.
• Prevent loss of or damage to school structures or property.
• Prevent pest form spreading into the community, or to plant and animal populations beyond the site.
• Enhance the quality of life for students, staff, and others.

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES
IPM procedures will determine when to control pest and whether to use mechanical, physical, chemical, cultural or biological means. IPM practitioners depend on current, comprehensive information on the pest and its environment and the best available pest control methods. Applying IPM principles prevent unacceptable levels of pest activity and damage by the most economical means and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment. The choice of using a pesticide will be based on a review of all other available options and a determination that these options are not acceptable or are not feasible.

Cost or staffing considerations alone will not be adequate justification for use of chemical control agents, and selected non-chemical pest management methods will be implemented whenever possible to provide the desired control. It is the policy of Humble I.S.D. to utilize IPM principles to manage pest populations adequately. The full range of alternatives, including no action will be considered. When it is determined that a pesticide must be used in order to meet important management goals, the least hazardous* material will be chosen. The application of pesticides is subject to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (7 United States Code 136 et seq.), Humble I.S.D. policies and procedures, Environmental Protection Agency regulations in 40 Code of Federal Regulations, Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, and state and local regulations.

EDUCATION Staff, students, pest managers and the public will be educated about potential school pest problems and the IPM policies and procedures to be used to achieve the desired pest management objectives.

RECORD KEEPING Records of pesticide use shall be maintained on site to meet the requirements of the state regulatory agency and School Board. Records must be current and accurate if IPM is to work. In addition, pest surveillance data sheets that record the number of pest or other indicators of pest populations are to be maintained to verify the need for treatments.

NOTIFICATION Humble ISD takes the responsibility to notify the school staff and students of upcoming pesticide treatments. Notices will be posted in designated areas at school and sent home to parents who wish to be informed in advance of pesticide applications.

PESTICIDE STORAGE AND PURCHASE Pesticide purchases will be limited to the amount authorized for use during the year. Pesticides will be stored and disposed of in accordance with the EPA-registered label directions and state regulations. Pesticides must be stored in an appropriate, secure site not accessible to students or unauthorized personnel.

PESTICIDE APPLICATORS Pesticide applicators must be educated and trained in the principles and practices of IPM and the use of pesticides approved by Humble ISD and they must follow regulations and label precautions. Applicators should be certified and comply with Humble ISD's IPM policy and Pest Management Plan.

* Precautionary statements are required on all pesticide labels. Signal words indicate the level of acute toxicity, the hazard to humans posed by the pesticide product. Every label bears the child hazard warning: Keep Out of Reach of Children.


Application Schedule

POSTING SIGNS IN SPANISH

LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION
Southwest Technical Resource Center IPM in Schools
http://schoolipm.tamu.edu/

The Texas Dept. of Agriculture Structural Pest Control Svs.
http://www.tda.state.tx.us/spcs/