Mukilteo School District
Mukilteo, WA
IPM STAR Certified 2015-2018
Integrated Pest Management is a least-risk discipline of pest management that aims to proactively cut off pest problems at the source. If existing pest populations must be controlled, least-risk methods and products are used in conjunction with non-chemical methods such as sealing, sanitation and monitoring. Mukilteo’s achievement of STAR certification proves their commitment to finding least-risk solutions to protect the district’s staff, students and visitors.
Mukilteo has existed as a school system since 1878. Today they boast over 2300 staff and 15,000 students over 19 schools and two support facilities. The Mukilteo School District created their IPM policy in 2001, and as staff in the maintenance, grounds and custodial departments have changed, it has become a living document. In 2006, the District was awarded the “Best School/Industry/Institution” annual excellence award by Snohomish County Health District Food program, demonstrating their priority in keeping their kitchens clean.
David Johnson is IPM Coordinator for Mukilteo. “IPM is really about educating the staff and our customers. I am proud of our staff for being open to a new way of business and customers for understanding that this way of doing things is healthier for everyone,” he says. He emphasizes cooperation on all levels has been key for Mukilteo’s IPM program. “IPM is about the best practices for keeping harmful items out of the schools, whether it is chemicals or pests. The most important thing to make it work is support up and down the chain of command.”
IPM STAR Certification is presented in partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program. Created and administered by the nonprofit IPM Institute of North America, the program has been available since 2003 for school districts and childcare facilities in North America. Its evaluation standards are publicly available online.