LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor David A. Paterson to
proclaim April 27, 2009, as Healthy and High Performance Schools Day in
New York State and the week of April 27 - May 1, 2009, as School Build-
ing Week in New York State

WHEREAS, Children spend up to half of their daytime in schools and their
environs; and
WHEREAS, Schools have the potential to expose children to a broad
array of hazards, including air and drinking water contaminants, toxic
substances in the soil, synthetic turf and other media, lead-based
paints, pesticides and other toxins within and outside of schools, asth-
ma-causing pollutants, molds, radon and asbestos; and
WHEREAS, Children may also be exposed to toxic contaminants when
schools are sited near environmental hazards such as hazardous waste
disposal sites, or when schools are renovated or expanded; and
WHEREAS, Environmental contaminants can affect children quite differ-
ently than adults, both because children may be more highly exposed to
contaminants, because they may be more vulnerable to the toxic effects
of contaminants; and further because environmental contaminants can
affect children disproportionately because their immune defenses are not
fully developed and their growing organs are more easily harmed; and
WHEREAS, Children eat more food, drink more water, and breathe more
air relative to their size than adults do, and consequently, may be
exposed to relatively higher amounts of contaminants; and
WHEREAS, Children's normal activities, such as putting their hands in
their mouths or playing on the ground, can result in exposure to contam-
ination that adults do not face; and
WHEREAS, These problems contribute to absenteeism, student medication
use, learning difficulties, sick building syndrome, staff turnover and
greater liability for school districts; and
WHEREAS, There has been a significant rise in the incidence of child-
hood asthma, learning disabilities and cancer, which may have a corre-
lation to the environmental conditions in our schools; and
WHEREAS, Environmental, public health and education laws must reflect
a heightened sensitivity to the more susceptible nature of children and
the mechanisms by which exposures and impacts affect children; and
WHEREAS, Providing for the rights of children, parents and other
members of the schools and the public to access information about known
hazards in schools will allow these persons to make informed choices
about environmental exposures for their children and themselves; and
WHEREAS, Healthy and high performance schools are designed to reduce
energy and maintenance costs, while providing cleaner air, improved
lighting, reduced exposures to toxic substances, materials and supplies,
thereby providing a healthier and safer learning environment for chil-
dren, fostering achievement and well-being; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized the
Baldwin Union Free School District with a National Excellence Award in
2000 and the National Model of Sustained Excellence Award (2008) as a
school district that has already made significant progress toward creat-
ing healthy and high performance schools; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized the
Lancaster Central School District (2004) and Rochester City School
District (2003) with Leadership Awards for their work in creating heal-
thy and high performance schools; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized the
Perry Central School District (2008), the Kingston School District
(2008), the Irvington Union Free School District (2008), the Rochester

City School District (2006), and the Cornwall Central School District
(2003) with the Great Start Award for efforts to create healthy and high
performance schools; and
WHEREAS, The purpose of School Building Week is to celebrate and high-
light high-performing, healthy, safe and sustainable school facilities;
and
WHEREAS, As centers of the community, our schools are the building
blocks of our communities and the keystone of our future; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body has been a consistent and powerful
advocate for the protection of our children in the school environment
and has annually insisted that adequate funding for schools' minor main-
tenance and repair be included in the State budget; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body believes that children in schools
should be afforded the same protections as school personnel in their
workplace; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor David A. Paterson to proclaim April 27, 2009, as
Healthy and High Performance Schools Day in New York State, and to
proclaim the week of April 27 - May 1, 2009, as School Building Week in
New York State; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of New
York.