Disinfecting Wipes Are Pesticides!

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in this issue >>> Disinfecting Wipes are Pesticides! It’s That Time of Year! Some Things to Note… Tips to Avoid Winter Slips, Trips, and Falls in Wet/Icy Areas Winter Break Shutdown 2015 A Friendly Reminder from the Custodial Staff… Clarifications on Amazon as a Vendor Facility & Maintenance Holiday Security Reminders Breakfast Update Subway Sandwiches at CVHS Child Nutrition Staff/CVHS Introducing New IT Director, Peter Cazanis—”Hello, greetings, and happy to be here!” Wireless Updates & Maintenance Schedules Chromebook Operating System Updates Welcome to the Business Office Team! Business Services Announces Two Retirements Season’s Greetings Insight into the Business Services Department Volume 4 Issue TWO Just BS Disinfecting Wipes are Pesticides! By Dr. Candi Clark The State Department of Pest Regulation (DPR) has issued clarification regarding the use of disinfecting wipes, antimicrobial wipes, and hand-sanitizers, which are commonly used in classrooms and throughout school sites. Disinfecting wipes are antimicrobial products that are used to kill germs. Many teachers and other school staff use disinfecting wipes daily for health and safety purposes. Disinfecting wipes are registered pesticides and like all pesticides, must be used according to the label directions, including keeping them out of the reach of children. Microfiber cloths are a reusable, less expensive alternative to disinfecting wipes that do an excellent job at cleaning dirt, grime, and germs from nonporous surfaces with nothing more than rinsing and wringing the cloth out with water before and after use. DPR’s online course will be available in early 2016. Based on the DPR’s position, it is recommended that districts make an effort to eliminate the use of disinfecting wipes in standard offices/classrooms and reserve their use to areas where the benefit of their use exceeds the health hazards associated with the same (health offices, athletic mats, changing tables, etc.). Districts that choose to continue using such products will need to incorporate these pesticides into their Integrated Pest Management (IPM), as required by the Healthy Schools Act. In addition, districts will need to make sure that all staff members using the wipes have been properly trained regarding the hazards associated with this type of pesticide and how best to protect themselves and the children from exposure. yourself, “Where is this product being used?”  Inanimate Objects (Desks or countertops) - HSA applies. If the antimicrobial product is used to kill microbes on inanimate objects, like desks or countertops, then it is a pesticide that is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Pesticide Regulation. When antimicrobial products are used at school sites, HSA training is required (starting July 1, 2016), but notification, posting, recordkeeping, and pesticide use reporting are not required.  The Human Body - HSA does NOT apply If the product is being used to kill microbes in or on a human being, then it is not a pesticide, and is instead regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Therefore, it does not fall under the HSA and no requirements must be met. Hand sanitizers fall under this category. Hand Sanitizers Are hand sanitizers pesticides that fall under the Healthy Schools Act requirements? If you have questions, contact Michael Miller, Director of MOT, at [email protected]. Antimicrobial (germ-killing) products fall into two broad categories that are imBeginning July 1, 2016, all school staff who portant to understand in order to comply use disinfecting wipes will be required to with the Healthy Schools Act (HSA). To participate in training to learn about the make this distinction, it is helpful to ask safe use of pesticides around children. “We will ensure a safe, culturally responsive, and rigorous learning environment where all students are engaged and supported to achieve and succeed in a global society.” Winter Break Shutdown 2015 It’s That Time of Year! Some Things to Note ... By Dr. Candi Clark Holiday Decorations, Parties, and Food The holidays are upon us once again. With this special time of year comes an abundance of gatherings, food and decorations throughout many school districts. Consequently, there needs to be an increased focus on what should be considered acceptable from a risk standpoint in planning for holiday events. Decorations and Trees: If displaying a tree in an office or classroom, lights should not be used in an effort to reduce the risk of fire. If light strands are used, be sure to use UL approved lights. Using live trees is not recommended. If one is used, it should be treated by a flame retardant solution. Extension cords being used to power lights, decorations, food warmers, etc., should be unplugged at the end of each day. Pay special attention to ensure extension cords are not running under carpets or through doorways in which a door is compressing the cord upon closing. dling, prohibit homemade items from being served to the class. Parties should be all-inclusive so that every student, regardless of their background, will feel comfortable participating. The holiday season is something both faculty and students look forward to. Over the years, the celebrations have become more conservative, as have many things in Decorations should not obstruct exit signs or emergency our schools, but appropriate risk management and giving lights. schools a festive atmosphere Do not use multi-plug adaptaround the holidays is someers. Power strips with a surge thing that can, and does, work protector are a recommended well together. alternative. Classroom Parties and Food: Be sure to have an updated list of food allergies for each student in the class. To reduce the risk of illness due to improper food han- Tips to Avoid Winter Slips, Trips, and Falls in Wet/Icy Areas Slips, trips and falls account for 300,000 serious injuries and 20,000 deaths a year. Now that Winter is here, it is important to be aware of slip and fall prevention strategies. Prevention:  Wear proper foot gear.  Take smaller steps.  Walk slowly and avoid running.  Keep hands free for balance, rather than in your pockets.  Avoid carrying heavy loads while walking on slippery surfaces.  Look ahead at where you are going.  Test potential slip areas by tapping your foot on them.  Step - don’t jump out of vehicles.  Keep walkways clear of debris, ice, wa- ter and potential hazards. Actions:  Plan ahead - plan your route and give yourself extra time.  Wear shoes that provide traction: rubber or neoprene composite. Avoid plastic or leather shoes. Walk in designated walk ways when available.  If a walkway is covered in ice, use the grassy edge along the side for traction.  When entering buildings, remove ice and water from footwear to prevent slippery surfaces indoors.  Provide signage or labeling in areas where there could be slippery or icy conditions. Remember that prevention is the best way to stop slips and falls during the winter in wet and icy conditions. ‘Twas the night before Winter Break, not a power strip was “on”, not even a little Elmo. All extension cords, phone and computer chargers were dangling from the mantle unplugged. All computers and computer carts were snuggled in a winter closet waiting for good ol’ St. Energy Turkey to bring a piece of candy and a note of ‘Thanks and Appreciation’. And, if you listen close, you can hear the Energy Turkey gobble, “Off boilers, off thermostats, off personal refrigerators, off computers, off DVD players,” and led by the most famous of them all, the offnosed computer cart.” Dear Teachers, Staff Members and Administrators, Please do the following before leaving on Friday, December 18, 2015. Inform your substitute teacher if applicable. 1. Unplug all personal appliances such as, refrigerators, fans, space heaters, microwaves, all types of radios, coffee pots, water purifiers and air fresheners 2. Turn off all lights in the classroom and the light outside your door if applicable 3. Turn, slide, push and program all thermostats to the OFF mode 4. Turn off and unplug all computers, monitors, speakers, smart pens, printers, scanners, fax machines (NOT THE MAIN OFFICE), electric chargers and Computer/ iPad carts 5. Turn off all televisions & DVD players 6. Turn off and unplug all POWER STRIPS, elmos, projectors and carts 7. Turn off and unplug any electrical device that glows like Rudolph’s nose 8. Please do not unplug child nutrition refrigerators I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and a Wonderful Winter Break. Please keep up the great work and momentum of the November Break Shutdown! Ray Villegas (The Energy Turkey) A Friendly Reminder from the Custodial Staff... By Charlotte Irwin The holidays are a time of celebration, a time to share with family, colleagues, and students. However, you do not want to share with ants, mice, and other pests! Please enjoy your holiday parties but keep food out of the classrooms. Whenever possible, hold your parties in the lunchroom or staff room. Make sure that you take home or dispose of all leftovers. Don't leave candy or food on the counters, in drawers, etc. Enjoy your time off, and we look forward to seeing you next year! Clarifications on Amazon as a Vendor By Dave Pimental 2. Hard date returns. Amazon is great about accepting returns, until it’s too Amazon has come to be one of our more late to return it. Amazon has a hardrobust solutions in purchasing for the date policy of 30 days for returns for district for many reasons including comany reason. And although they have petitive pricing, efficient delivery and a accommodated us in the past beyond simple return policy. However there are that date, it is an exception to their some points that might be invisible to you rule. So please be aware to inspect as a requisitioner though might still have your items in a diligent and efficient an impact on the Purchasing Department, manner to ensure we can get them and we would like to clarify some of these properly switched or refunded without lesser known restrictions issue if necessary. about Amazon: ask 1. Not everything is Prime Eligible. Amazon as a directly thecompany experts >>> provides a number of goods, but they also allow ‘subvendors’ to sell the same or like items. If something is not Prime Eligible, it means it is coming from an alternative vendor who is not subject to free shipping, nor the two-day delivery promise. So be sure when pre-shopping at the website to check and see the source of what you are interested in. This will help you to measure the true cost of that item both in total cost and timing needs. 3. Returns are acceptable for any reason, but… Amazon can and does institute its own form of a restocking fee. Depending on the circumstances of a return, a full credit is not always guaranteed. In other words, if you ordered something and simply didn’t like the color or feel of the item, Amazon may choose to deduct the cost of the service to return the item. This does not apply to damaged or shorted goods, just on ones deemed to be returned because the item is no longer wanted. Facility & Maintenance Holiday Security Reminders By Michael Miller As you prepare to leave for the holidays, please double check to make sure that all of your windows are locked and blinds drawn. During the break the custodians will be off campus five of the ten days, and some custodians will be on vacation, meaning that some campuses will be shut down completely for the full two weeks. If you need to come in during the break, make sure that you properly disarm and re-arm the campus, and double check that everything is properly locked when you leave. If you do not disarm your area correctly, Sonitrol will call the sheriff and a staff member will also be dispatched which will cost the district in overtime pay. Remember to double check that everything is properly locked and armed when you leave. Thanks, and have a great time off! Subway Sandwiches at CVHS By Brenda Lightfoot-Handy The CVHS Subway franchise in the cafeteria is open! By Brenda Lightfoot-Handy Breakfast Update This fall we added the breakfast program at several K-12 school sites. The program has been well received by the students and community. Several of our students are taking advantage of the “Second Chance Breakfast” option served at recess. Proctor Elementary integrated “Before School Breakfast” in August, and “Second Chance Breakfast” began December 1st. Canyon Middle School will be adding Second Chance (Nutrition Break) in August of 2016. Students are enjoying this new option every day. They pick a sandwich, have a choice of 1/2 cup fruit and/or vegetable, juice and milk for their usual lunch price. Students may use their lunch account for the meal. Bottled water and ‘Smart Snacks in Schools 2014’ compliant chips are available for additional purchase from the Subway cart. Many thanks to the custodial staff at CVHS for helping Child Nutrition launch this new and exciting area for our students! Many parents appreciate their students having the option of breakfast at snack time, as well as before school. The students are more fully engaged in their classrooms after eating breakfast. Child Nutrition employees have been working with principals and school site staff to determine the best locations and other logistics for their students. Thanks to all for a successful integration of an enhanced breakfast offering to our students. Child Nutrition Staff/CVHS By Brenda Lightfoot-Handy Pictured left are the Child Nutrition staff at CVHS saying farewell to Kathy Peck. Kathy has taken a position at Chabot Elementary school working with students. A huge thank you to CVHS Cafeteria Manager, Ana Aguilar Barahona and to all of the CN staff at CVHS for serving our students with the challenging additions of Jamba Juice, Subway, and a mobile pizza cart this year! Introducing New IT Director, Peter Cazanis — “Hello, greetings, and happy to be here!“ By: Peter Cazanis November 9th was an exciting day for me, as my first day as Director of Technology for Castro Valley Unified! Within the first week I had the opportunity to meet and get to know my wonderful team, have thoughtful and meaningful discussions about student learning and workspaces that promote collaboration and foster creativity, as well as get to work on implementing a Chromebook take home program for our neediest of students. For me, that first week was an affirmation of why I wanted to be here, Castro Valley ask theatexperts >>> Unified. For those I have not met or may be interested little bit about me, my career has been dedicated to Technology in a K-12 environment. I’ve worked for a large suburban school district in Sacramento where I managed an ‘Enhancing Education Through Technology’ federal grant, implementing Educational Technolo- gy into middle school classrooms. I’ve also worked at a very innovative charter school in the Bay Area that has implemented a 1-to-1 Chromebook program, managing their devices and Google Apps environment for students and staff. Most recently I was the IT Supervisor at our neighboring school district, Dublin Unified, managing a team of 6 technicians which supported the district's 12 sites. Throughout those roles, I have worked on different information systems and infrastructure projects, including Microsoft migrations, Google migrations, firewall and wireless replacement projects, and Videoconferencing technologies. Words cannot truly express my excitement about working in Castro Valley Unified, and I look forward to working with you all. Wireless Updates & Maintenance Schedules By: Peter Cazanis In November there were some issues identified with wireless connectivity, specifically at the Castro Valley High and Canyon Middle School sites. We’ve identified the issues and similarities between these sites, and have engaged our wireless vendor and their reseller. These issues stem from hardware upgrades that were performed during the spring and summer months to address problems that were experienced during SBAC testing. Part of our long term solution in addressing these types of issues when they arise is to develop a more aggressive update and preventative maintenance schedule. The Technology Department will publish dates and send out notifications in advance of such updates, which will undoubtedly cause a service disruption. These updates will always happen after normal operating hours, and sometimes late in the evening, to minimize the impact to everyone in the district. We appreciate everyone’s patience and want to affirm our commitment to building, providing, and securing a stable network environment for all. More Technology Updates Chromebook Operating System Updates By Peter Cazanis Over the next two months, Technology Services will be updating Chromebooks with one of the latest versions of the Chrome operating system, version 46. Chromebooks were frozen at version 40 to ensure their compatibility with the AIRSecure Browser used for SBAC testing during the spring. Now, 46 is one of the CAASPP recommended versions to deploy on Chromebooks in support of SBAC testing. Due to these updates, Technology Services wanted to make you aware of two visibly drastic changes in the how version 46 “looks” as compared to the version we have been running in Castro Valley for the last 8 months. Login Screen The first change you will notice is the look of the ChromeOS login screen. It no longer has fields for email and password, just email. Also this version allows us to pre-populate the @cv.k12.ca.us in the field, making it easier for people to login. Once enter your username and hit next you will then be prompted to enter your password. Apps Launcher What was traditionally the Apps launcher at the bottom left corner of the ChromeOS Desktop has changed as well. Instead of providing a menu of the apps available to you, a new Google launcher will open. With this launcher you can now search for an app on your Chromebook, or look for content on the web. You will see your most recently used applications below the search bar, and be able to expand the list to see all installed apps on the Chromebook. Chromebooks will start updating in December. This should be a transparent process where the Chromebooks will download updates in the background while being used. Students and staff will begin seeing an icon of an arrow signifying that a restart is required to apply the update. Please let students know that if they see this icon, to make sure they completely shutdown the Chromebook at the end of their period or end of the day. The update will be applied the next time the Chromebook is turned on. For questions about these updates, please reach out to your site tech. Welcome to the Business Office Team! Joan Laursen – Accounts Payable Technician Joan joined the Business Services team replacing Jennifer Stevens, who has moved over to Position Control. Joan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Finance from Cal State East Bay. Her experience includes 11 years working in the banking industry and as a banking regulator, and 20 years of experience working with school district staff in her various roles as a Pleasanton Unified School Board trustee, Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation Board Member and PTA leader. Joan is excited to be on “this side” of the desk and looks forward to getting to know everyone. Diana “Dee Dee” Farrell—Purchasing Clerk Recently Hazel (Kelly) Kellar made the decision to retire. Though her longstanding dedication to her position will be missed, her retirement has created an opportunity for Dee Dee to join the Business Office team in Purchasing. Dee Dee most recently served as a Personnel Clerk in Human Resources maintaining the Substitute desk. She has served in a number of roles in the District since 2008 including Noon Supervisor at Creekside, conducting Classified substitute work, and was a Cafeteria Assistant at Canyon Middle School. We look forward to welcoming her into the Purchasing Office. Business Services announces Two Retirements By Teresa Fiscus Vicki Howe has retired after almost 21 years with the District working in the Business Office. She held various positions in the office including accounts payable, overseeing payments and compliance issues with the bond funds, employee reimbursements and mandated costs which resulted in the state paying thousands of dollars in earned claims. She is looking forward to continuing to work with the Sports Foundation as treasurer which she has done for many years. She also plans to spend time with her grandchildren and traveling with her family and friends. Elementary, and following other positions in the District she transferred to the Technology Department as a Student Computer Service Coordinator. In that position she provided training and software support and helped the district implement numerous software packages. Since joining the Business Department in 2008, she has become a vital part of the budget process. She helps manage security of the financial system and resolves software problems. She also handled the migration of QSS to the Windows version. *** Elaine Chung will be retiring after 21 years with the District. Elaine has been an integral part of CVUSD since she arrived in 1994. Her first position was Office Assistant at Proctor On behalf of everyone, we wish both Vicki and Elaine all the best! Child Nutrition recently gathered for a holiday celebration and enjoyed a great lunch with staff. Season’s Greetings from Maintenance Randy Michael Frank Gene Carey Jeff F Manny Vic Jeff H Robert From the Transportation Department, Happy Holidays and safe driving! Tracey, Susan, Mark, Eric, Jim, Ken, Carey and Michael