Every district classroom has been supplied with a $450.00 air purifier to limit the airborne transmission of COVID-19

Posted April 2021

By T Gedi

Staff Reporter

The district has spent a total $450,450 to outfit every classroom, laboratory, library, and office with MA-112 Air Purifiers.

These air purifiers are a step schools are taking to prevent Coronavirus transmission. According to the Medifying Air website, the purifiers come with 3,000 hours of Filter Life, a touch control panel, dual air intake, and the capacity to clean an area of 2500 sq. ft. every 30 minutes. MA-112 Air Purifiers filter the air of bacteria, mold, common smoke, and virus carriers.

The district is awaiting word if the cost of the purifiers will be covered by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) or covered by recently approved COVID federal stimulus funds.

In addition to the Air Purifiers, the HVAC (heating, ventilating, air condition) systems in school buildings were upgraded with a higher level of HEPA filters. The district plans to keep the air purifiers and the filters in place for years to come.

Since the district made the decision to offer in-person classes due to a state mandate by Governor Kate Brown, to get the green light on reopening, the district had to meet certain requirements. Air purifiers are essential for the fight against COVID, therefore schools were not allowed to reopen unless each room was outfitted with them.

"I think it's a good investment during COVID to invest in air filters so that we have the safest possible air for our students," said Danielle Miles, district science teacher for grades 10, 11, 12. "It's clear that the district’s number one priority is students' safety."