Union County Public Schools IPM Specialist Wins Regional Award
go.ncsu.edu/readext?277825
en Español / em Português
El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.
Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.
Português
Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.
Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.
English
English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.
Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.
Collapse ▲
Photograph: Steve Toth (right) presenting plaque to Chris Mills (left) at Union County School Board Meeting in Monroe, North Carolina on March 3, 2009. Photograph by Rosemary Hallberg.
Chris Mills keeps the bugs out of Union County Schools. As the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist for the district, Mills has changed the way the schools control pests.
On March 3, 2009, staff from the Southern Region Integrated Pest Management Center presented him with the 2009 Friends of IPM “Implementer” Award for successfully managing an IPM program for the school district. The Implementer award recognizes those who demonstrate excellence in the day to day implementation of IPM. The award is one of six Friends of IPM awards; others are given for excellence in education, innovation, teamwork, leadership and long-term influence.
According to Steve Kisiah, Assistant Director of Operations and Custodial Services, before Mills took on the role of IPM Specialist two years ago, the school system contracted with pest control companies to spray monthly for pests. Mills introduced the concept of monitoring for pests before deciding on treatment, key to integrated pest management.
Mills also taught the school maintenance staff how to look for and seal cracks and openings. He talked to principals and teachers about keeping snacks in sealed plastic containers and ensuring that children placed trash in the trash cans rather than throwing it on the floor.
By the end of the year, he saw significantly fewer reports of pest problems.
“I admit, I was skeptical at first,” said Kisiah. “I didn’t think he would be able to control the pests without monthly sprays. But Chris was determined to pull it off. And he did.”
Before his designation as IPM Specialist in 2006, Mills had no background in IPM. He began his job with the district maintenance department in September 2003, after teaching for several years in one of the county high schools. He gained his knowledge of IPM by researching the subject on the Internet and with the guidance of Dr. Godfrey Nalyanya, director of the School IPM program at NC State University. Nalyanya nominated Mills for the Friends of IPM Award.
Union County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state, with 50 existing schools and over 50,000 students. Mills said he would not have been able to implement a district-wide IPM program without the help of school administrators, staff and teachers.
“I could not do this without all of you,” Mills said to an audience of parents, teachers and staff at a school board meeting on Tuesday night, where he received the award. “Your cooperation has meant the world to me and made this a really successful program.”
After the program’s first year, the school district saved between $50,000 and $60,000 from terminating contracts for indoor pest control and instituting an inspection and monitoring system. The schools have substituted reduced-risk baits for scheduled indoor sprays, and Mills says that he receives frequent requests for the secret behind his fire ant control program.
“We don’t have a fire ant problem anymore,” he says.
Union County School Superintendent Dr. Ed Davis and school district administrators say they are proud of Mills’ accomplishments with the IPM program.
“Union County Schools keep growing,” said Don Hughes, Executive Director of Facilities. “But we’re keeping the bugs out.”
Written by: Rosemary Hallberg, Communication Specialist, Southern Region IPM Center, 919-513-8182 or rhallberg@sripmc.org
Date: March 3, 2009
Photograph: Steve Toth (right) presenting plaque to Chris Mills (left) at Union County School Board Meeting in Monroe, North Carolina on March 3, 2009. Photograph by Rosemary Hallberg.