“A force multiplier”
HEALTHY SCHOOLS HERO 2013
Janet A. Hurley, MPA
Extension Program Specialist II - School IPM,
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
…The
most important reason that Janet is a Healthy School Hero is her
commitment to school children. She is able to look at the big picture
where children are concerned and includes all aspects of children's
safety in her programs from asthma to air-quality to safety. As she says
during many of our conversations “We do it for the kids.” -- F.C. "Fudd" Graham
Janet with Kim Pope, Pesticide Safety Education
Specialist at LSU in Baton Rouge.
Early
in Janet Hurley’s working life she was dissatisfied with being a
regulator. She wanted to be an educator. She always felt motivated to be
proactive, to prevent problems. Janet says she attributes her focus on
prevention to the early influence of Smokey the Bear and Woodsy Owl.
“IPM
is often overlooked as a way to increase building health,” says Janet.
“Schools typically compartmentalize responsibilities. IPM teaches
people to bring it all back together. IPM isn’t just about not using
harsh chemicals. There are multiple benefits to the school.”
In
2001, Janet A. Hurley joined Texas Cooperative Extension to launch the
Southwest Technical Resource Center for IPM in Schools and Child Care
Facilities. The challenge was enormous. In 2002, regulatory inspections
found most schools non compliant.
The
first IPM trainings were only 6 hours. Janet couldn’t turn it off.
With her colleagues Don Renchie and Mike Merchant, Janet developed
educational materials, manuals, training programs and clinics for School
IPM Coordinators and others interested in protecting children.
Janet
was the “organizational hub” for the Texas Integrated Pest Management
Affiliate for Public Schools. Janet and her colleagues have trained over
one-third of the schools in Texas. She has helped schools pass state
regulatory inspections and then go on to win awards for School IPM. She
has helped the districts save thousands of dollars by not using
pesticides and avoiding costly fines.
Janet
never just walks away after a school inspection or training, especially
if she is working with a new coordinator. She leaves them with phone
numbers of at least three neighbor schools to call, encouraging veterans
to help each other. She
travels the state of Texas and other states doing trainings and
conferences, yet in spite of her busy schedule, she is always responsive
to phone calls and emails.
Janet emphasizes that a key leadership function is professional development. “I
am constantly growing and learning from the people I work with and the
people I work for, ” she says. “Professional development is helping you
to be better at your job.”
She
inspires trust and confidence with her openness and honesty. Janet
engages people in conversations about competency. That kind of
conversation guards against potential process hazards and gets to the
kind of information that will help them lead a safety culture. She says,
“to verbalize is not to criticize.” She knows that it is the people
whose knowledge and competency help them do a good job and a safe job.
In
one school district, after working with a low mid-manger, she realized
that she needed to get upper management on board.
She met with the
districts new general manager and took the risk of giving him a list of
things to fix. He said, “you’re right." He recognized that the
sanitation department was demoralized by the district’s low performance.
He appreciated her honesty.
Janet
emphasizes the need to have all kinds of conversations to help people
solve problems and make good decisions. Good communication can lead to
understanding the source of a problem. She tells about a case when there
were cockroaches on a school bus and another time when there were
cockroaches in a child’s wheelchair. Good problem solving avoided the
unnecessary use of pesticides. She points out a sad failure of
communication that led to an incident when cotton defoliating was going
on near a school, they didn’t alert the school to turn off the air
conditioners.
Janet
presenting a US EPA Award to Jeremy Theriot,
IPM coordinator for the Ascension Parish, LA with
L. C. 'Fudd' Graham, Ph.D.
Alabama Fire Ant Management Program
Read all nominations for Janet Hurley at this LINK
(Packet page numbers in red.)
Excerpts from Nominations
(LINK 1–4) Charles T. Allen, Ph.D., Professor, Statewide IPM Coordinator, Association Department Head and Program Leader for Extension Entomology writes "Janet
has professionally touched the lives of thousands of people and
improved the lives of millions…Her biggest success has been to improve
the health and wellbeing of the 4.7 million children in Texas public
schools – and countless thousand more in other states. The confidence
she instills in people is a “force multiplier” … Janet inspires trust
and confidence and builds extensive and enduring partnerships."
(LINK 5) C.G. Cezeaux, Director of Operations, Spring ISD, Houston, TX cites Janet’s passion
for IPM. "Janet was instrumental in helping the IPM Coodinators of Texas
to form the Texas Integrated Pest Management for Public Schools. And
she assisted several districts in becoming IPM Star Certification
winners… Even with her busy schedule, if you have a question she is only
an email of phone call away."
(LINK 6) Paul W Duerre, CIE,
Killeen Independent School District, Killeen TX, Environmental
Specialist/IPM Coordinator, President, Texas Integrated Pest Management
Affiliate Public Schools writes "Janet’s
approach to IPM is really an approach to maintaining a safe and healthy
environment for the students, as well as the staff of our public school
districts… She is always a fountain of knowledge on the regulations,
proper documentation and reporting; new/better or just useful techniques
that we can use in our pest management programs. If you have a problem
or concern, Janet is always willing to take your call, emails, or even
come directly to your school district. …Ms. Janet Hurley has made our
job easier in maintaining a healthy school environment for our kids,
staff and parents to participate in the learning process. She cares!
(LINK 7) Kenneth Braeutigam,
Maintenance Supervisor, Russellville School District, Arkansas School
Plant Management Association (ASPMA) Past President writes Janet
is “ALWAYS available to us for answering questions and giving advice.”
Noting that she blends being a leader in school IPM with the promotion
of school health. Janet has dedicated her life to helping others provide
the healthiest learning environment possible for our children.
(LINK 8) Sherry Glick, Office
of Pesticide Programs, US EPA, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention writes “In addition to her recognized efforts in the State of
Texas, Ms. Hurley has been a national leader for healthier schools over
the last decade. She has inspired and established national
partnerships, led innovative practices, and remained dedicated and
committed to our most precious resource, our children… Ms. Hurley
assists school systems in implementing practical pest management
programs that reduce pesticide risk, decrease absenteeism from asthma
related illnesses due to pests, and result in cost savings. Ms. Hurley
also plays a key role in the National School IPM Working Group."
(LINK 9-11) L. C. “Fudd” Graham, Ph.D.,
Coordinator, Alabama School IPM Program, Auburn University, College of
Agriculture and co-chair with Janet of the Southern Region School
Integrated Pest Management Working Group praises her leadership and the
resources she has created, and writes "Janet
was instrumental in establishing a recognition program that values
custodians and maintenance staff as partners, the IPM Pride Award. Janet
has established and expanded regular training programs for maintenance
staff and developed a curriculum for Advanced School IPM coordinator
training reaching over 1,700 individuals in 499 Texas school districts. …The
most important reason that Janet is a Healthy School Hero is her
commitment to school children. She is able to look at the big picture
where children are concerned and includes all aspects of children's
safety in her programs from asthma to air-quality to safety. As she says
during many of our conversations, "We do it for the kids.”
