Health & Safety Information

In the event of an accident or illness, Lake Washington School District will make every reasonable effort to contact the parent or guardian immediately. That’s why it’s important for you to fill out the emergency notification form and return it to school promptly. Be sure to notify the school office if any of the information on that form changes during the school year. However, if the parent or guardian is not available, the district will secure proper emergency medical care as needed. Any medical care expense as a result of this emergency medical care will be the responsibility of the student’s parent or guardian or their medical insurance, if any.

It’s important for parents to understand that the district does not provide medical insurance for student injuries. However, the district does provide an opportunity to participate in a voluntary medical/health insurance program, available for purchase through Meyers-Stevens & Toohey and Co., Inc. The brochure for this plan is included in the parent packet.

Please take a moment to review this information so that you can determine if you would benefit from this program.

This notice informs you that there is asbestos in some of our schools. Though present in some building materials, it does not represent a health hazard to people. In 2023, an asbestos re-inspection was made at our schools. Asbestos-containing building materials were found to be in good condition. A plan is in place to ensure that the remaining asbestos will not represent a future health hazard. This plan includes periodic inspections and frequent observational surveys.

You may wonder why all of the asbestos is not removed. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), asbestos only presents a health hazard when fibers become airborne and are inhaled. The mere presence of asbestos in materials does not represent a health hazard. Therefore, the EPA recommends that asbestos only be removed during renovation activities.

The majority of asbestos-containing materials in our schools are located in or around mechanical areas that are not accessed by the public. Floor tile and the glue that holds the tile may also contain very small amounts of asbestos. When asbestos removal projects are undertaken, we take the essential precautions to test and abate as required by the EPA.

Our asbestos management plan identifies locations of the materials assumed to contain asbestos and calls for the removal of any asbestos-containing materials that either present a risk or are present in an area being renovated. The plan also indicates the schedule of inspections and response actions. This plan is located in school offices for your review.

The district manages problem pests through an integrated pest management (IPM) program.

On occasion, Lake Washington School District has the need to use pesticides (i.e., herbicides and insecticides) to manage vegetation and insect pests. To the extent possible with available resources, the goal of the integrated pest management (IPM) program is to protect human health, reduce loss from pest damage and minimize environmental pollution and human exposure to pesticides.

Pest management solutions can range from monitoring the problem to baiting and trapping or to spraying. Alternate, non-chemical pest control methods will be used as a first approach whenever possible. Pesticides are used only when necessary and in the least toxic formulation required. Spraying is done when monitoring indicates that vegetation or an insect pest will cause unacceptable medical, economic or aesthetic injury.

There is no fixed schedule for IPM treatments.

If the district deems it necessary to use chemical sprays to manage vegetation and/or insect pests, the following guidelines are adhered to:

• Whenever possible, pesticide spraying treatments will be managed at times when school is not in session. When it is necessary to apply pesticides when school is in session, the areas will be clearly marked and isolated from the school population.
• Pesticides used in the district must be pre-approved by Support Services.
• Records of applications and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for approved materials are on file at the Support Services Center.

Notification and posting of pesticide treatments will be made in accordance with applicable state laws.

If an emergency application is necessary while school is in session, such as an application to control stinging insects, notification will be posted at the site of the application and at the school’s office.