WHO DOES IPM
Lesson 3 of 4
Self-Guided Module
Introduction to IPM
Learning Objectives
1.
Identify the important roles and
responsibilities of the school IPM team.
Important People for IPM
3
School IPM
Coordinator
 School Administrator
 School Nurse
 Students and
Teachers
 Parents

Maintenance/Custodial
Staff
 Grounds Staff
 Kitchen Staff
 Vendors and Contractors
 Pest Management
Professionals

5.
School IPM Coordinator’s Role
4


Your School IPM Coordinator can be your
primary contact for all pest management
matters for your school. He/she can be the
go-between for your school and your pest
management professional.
This position is usually assigned to a school
facilities leader. In smaller districts the IPM
coordinator may also be the
superintendent, principal or person under
contract to the school.
5.
School IPM Coordinator’s Role
5
To avoid conflict of interest it is generally
recommended that the your IPM Coordinator
NOT be employed by your contracted pest
management service provider, if you have one.
 The IPM Coordinator should have the authority
to request cleaning, repairs or other
improvements to manage and prevent pest
problems.

School IPM Coordinator’s Role
6
The IPM Coordinator:
 Is responsible for the day-to-day operation of
your IPM program.
 Determines what IPM practices are needed for
specific pest problems.
 Needs training to do the job effectively.
 Is usually in charge of evaluating the need for
pesticide application and approving
applications if necessary.
School IPM Coordinator’s Role
7
The IPM Coordinator:
 Typically maintains the IPM Plan, which can
include a list of allowable pesticides.
 Works with everyone including: administrators,
teachers, custodians, kitchen, grounds and
maintenance staff, and parents and students, to
prevent and solve pest problems.
 Educates appropriate individuals about their
role in IPM.
School IPM Coordinator’s Role
8
The IPM Coordinator:
 Ensures bid requests, contracts and design and
construction for new facilities and renovations
include IPM.
 Can establish partnerships with universities,
Extension, PMPs, Department of Agriculture or
Department of Health and non-government
organizations such as the IPM Institute of North
America Inc.
5.
Administrator’s Role
9
Administrators and school boards set the tone for the
IPM program.
 IPM programs need administrative support for
sustainability and effectiveness.
 Administrators should be aware of state laws
about IPM in schools, pesticide use in schools, any
other regulations addressing pest management
and the district’s IPM policy, if one is in place.
 The IPM Coordinator should communicate with
school administrators on a regular basis.
Administrator’s Role
10
The most important responsibilities of administrators
are to:
 Adopt and maintain an IPM policy.
 Include IPM as part of your health and/or safety
committee(s).
 Designate and train a competent IPM Coordinator.
 Support priorities for maintenance and sanitation,
identified by the IPM Coordinator.
 Encourage faculty and staff understanding and full
participation in the IPM program.
5.
School Nurse’s Role
11
School nurses have an important role in IPM. A nurse
should:
 Be aware of the IPM Policy, IPM
Plan and pesticides on school
property.
 Be familiar with the signs and
symptoms of pesticide poisoning.
 Be aware of signs of pest exposure including head
lice, fire ants, bed bugs, asthma, rabies and mosquito
and tick-borne diseases present in the region.
5.
School Nurse’s Role
12
A nurse should:
 Be aware of any children or staff with asthma,
chemical sensitivities or allergies to stinging insects.
 Have information on IPM strategies for pests that
can impact student health.
 Keep a list of students who
have serious reactions to
stinging insects.
Students and Staff Roles
13


Students and staff can support IPM by practicing
good sanitation and immediately reporting pest
sightings to the school office.
Students and staff should avoid:
 Leaving food in lockers, classrooms and common
areas.
 Eating or drinking in areas not designated for food
consumption.
 Clutter, which can provide shelter and makes
inspection and cleaning difficult.
 Bringing pesticides from home.
5.
Parent’s Role
14
Parent support of IPM
motivates and
reinforces school staff
efforts to provide
effective, low risk pest
control.
 Parent support for IPM
can strengthen your
district’s IPM program.

5.
Parent’s Role
15
Parents should express any concerns to the IPM
Coordinator, the school district superintendent, the
school principal, school-based improvement
committees or the
parent-teacher
organization.
 Parents should use
IPM practices in their
homes to extend
the benefits of IPM.

5.
Maintenance/Custodial/Grounds Staff Role
16
Staff are responsible for recognizing and
correcting conditions that may lead to pest
problems.
 Examples: water leaks, potential pest entryways,
plants touching buildings (providing pest access).
 It is essential that all maintenance, custodial and
grounds staff be adequately trained to recognize
and prevent pest problems.

5.
Kitchen Staff Role
17
Kitchen staff should:
 Understand that food
handling, preparation
and serving areas
are among the most
vulnerable.
Keep areas under kitchen equipment
clean and dry.
 Understand that avoiding
foodborne pathogens requires a good
understanding of IPM.
Check Point
Match the Responsibility With the Role
18
Responsibility
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Responsible for the day-to-day operation of
your IPM program
Support priorities for maintenance and
sanitation, identified by the IPM Coordinator.
Be aware of any children or staff with asthma,
chemical sensitivities or allergies to stinging
insects.
Staff is responsible for recognizing and
correcting conditions that may lead to pest
problems.
Understand that food handling, preparation and
serving areas are among the most vulnerable.
Role
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Kitchen Staff
School Nurse
School IPM
Coordinator
Administrator
Maintenance/
Custodial/
Grounds Staff
5.
Vendor and Contractor Roles
19
Vendors and Contractors can expect:
 School districts to enforce good sanitation
practices by including specific language in bid
specifications and contracts.
 Contracts to include specific best practices such
as cleaning under, behind and inside vending
machines, sealing all plumbing and electric
penetrations, use of any pesticides are in
accordance with IPM policy, etc.
5.
Vendor and Contractor Roles
20
Vendors and Contractors may expect that:
 Districts to prioritize the correction of problems
that may support pests, such as leaks or
harborage areas.
 Districts may administer penalties
for not following the district’s
IPM policy.
Pest Management Contractor Role
21
Pest management contracts should include:
 Services in line with the school IPM policy.
 Regular consultation with the IPM Coordinator.
 Procedures for timely response to pest sightings.
 Schedules for conducting regular inspections of
pest-vulnerable areas.
 Requirements for detailed record keeping of
pest sightings and pesticide use.
Pest Management Contractor Role
22
Pest Management Contractors should:
 Provide labels and SDS documents to school
staff.
 Give specific recommendations to correct
pest-conducive conditions.
 Facilitate proper posting
and notification. Legal
requirements vary by state.
Pest Management Contractor Role
23
Pest Management Contractors should:
 Correctly diagnosis the cause of pest problems
i.e., “why is the pest present?”
 Promote the appropriate least-hazardous
methods to correct pest problems.
 Ensure that all applicators are properly
licensed and supervised by knowledgeable,
trained personnel.
 Educate school staff on pest issues, as
appropriate.
Check In!
24
In this lesson you learned:
1. The important roles and responsibilities of the school
IPM team.
Next you will learn how to do IPM!
Resources
25
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Arizona Cooperative Extension. (2009). Integrated Pest Management: The most
effective way to manage pests in your school. Retrieved from
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/insects/az1234.pdf
Illinois Department of Public Health. (1994). Integrated management of structural pests
in schools. Retrieved from http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pdf/imsps.pdf
IPM Institute of North America. (2011). The Business Case for Integrated Pest
Management in Schools: Cutting Costs and Increasing Benefits. Retrieved from
http://www.ipminstitute.org/school_ipm_2015/ipm_business_case.pdf
University of Nebraska, Lincoln Extension. (2006). An Introduction to Integrated Pest
Management. Retrieved from http://pestfiles.unl.edu/concepts.swf