The Healthy Building Committee (a joint Equinox and Roden committee) recently met to discuss our current situation with the flooring at the school. The meeting started with a brief history of Indoor Air Quality at the school since 2009. There have been two air quality tests (neither of which adequately tested areas of concern, particularly the carpets themselves) and a survey (2011) that went out to students/families (Equinox & daycare) and building staff. There were approximately 150 respondents and plenty of anecdotal evidence regarding exacerbation of eczema, asthma, general illnesses, headaches while at school/during the school year.

At present, there is essentially no Board budget for any expenditures. Therefore the ‘Emergency Facilities Budget’ is covering the hallway flooring. The TDSB current standard is vinyl composite tiling (“Excelon”). These are touted as environmentally responsible, being composed of 85% limestone. However, the remaining 15% is PVC and phthalates. Our position is that there is no acceptable level of PVC and phthalates in this school (or anywhere). Vinyl flooring has a shorter lifespan than linoleum/Marmoleum, requires more maintenance (waxing, etc), and is not recyclable/does not break down at the end of its ‘life’.

The Healthy Building Committee is in the process of talking to companies that manufacture Marmoleum to see if we can get either a donation or if they can match the cost of the vinyl flooring (as the installation costs are the same for either one).

Help support the Healthy Building Committee by having your child (or you) write a thank you card to the folks who helped to get our old carpet pulled out. We are hoping that by expressing our thanks and at the same time our concern over replacing the carpet with vinyl, they will see our high level of concern over this matter. Please see attached samples of thank you card 1 and thank you card 2.

For more information on the carpet replacement issues please read the IAQ flooring PDF.

To become involved or find out more please contact, Pascaline Phillips, Chair of the Healthy Building Committee, at pascaline@naturalpanacea.ca.

Thank you to all who supported our last movie night of the year, we were able to raise over $800!

Thanks to all who came out and made this event a big success; an especially strong turnout at the Urdu/Hindi parenting workshop and the Mandarin workshop; thanks to all who helped with the gardening workshop and to the many kids who turned out for the hula hoop workshop.

Big thank you to local realtor, Cameron Weir for donating the Workshop Evening refreshments and to Starbucks for providing the coffee.

We need you!!! Join the Roden School Council next year. Speak to one of this year’s Council members or Mr. Lasso or Mr. O’Shaunghnessy about how you can become involved. Or stop by the Council table at the BBQ this Friday.

Equinox School Council, as part of our PRO Grant series, would like to invite you to Courageous Conversations: Teaching and Learning About Aboriginal Issues. This free event takes place in our school library on Wednesday, June 19th, from 7pm-9pm. Free childcare is available but don’t forget to email info@equinoxschool.ca to secure a childcare spot (spaces may be limited).
Don’t miss this valuable discussion about talking to kids about Aboriginal issues! All are welcome! Pass it on to your friends/neighbours/family members!
Equinox Social Justice Committee