Why Write an IPM Policy?
Schools and childcare centers work hard to provide a safe and effective learning environment for children. Although it may not be the first consideration on an administrator’s mind, pest management practices and policies can have an important impact on the quality of that environment. Pests in schools are associated with a variety of health threats, and may be distracting to students and staff. Effective pest management programs must incorporate a variety of strategies that are often not considered under “traditional” pesticide-based pest control regimes. These strategies, including sanitation and exclusion, are themselves important aspects of day-to-day operations, but also provide great pest management benefits when applied in an effective and organized way. Other less familiar practices, such as monitoring for pests, can greatly enhance pest control efforts and make pesticide treatments (if needed) more effective. Growing national concern over the use of pesticides and other chemica
