Although the weather’s been unusually mild in some parts of Wyoming lately, we all know that severe cold and deep snow will eventually mean more time indoors. This makes healthy classrooms especially important, so I hope you’ll scroll down to this issue’s Diving Deeper feature: Healthy Classrooms for Winter. Thanks for your ongoing support of healthier schools!
Events, Opportunities, & Resources
Event: Wyoming Health Fairs Health & Wellness Expo, Saturday, January 10, 2026, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper. Come check out our exhibit at this free event and grab a Wyoming Healthy Schools magnet or bookmark!
Resource: A new fact sheet, “Food in the Classroom,” is available with great tips about how to prevent pests in classrooms. View it at https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-12/333-406_0_0.pdf
Diving Deeper: Healthy Classrooms for Winter
With winter comes more time spent indoors, making healthy classrooms more important than ever. The following tips can help this be a healthier, fun season for everyone at school.
Keep pests off your classroom guest list.
Pests need three things to survive: food, water, and shelter. Take away any of these, and you prevent pest problems. Store food in hard containers with tight-fitting lids. Clean up spills and crumbs immediately. Avoid clutter so pests have fewer places to hide. No one wants to come back from winter break to an infestation of ants or mice, no matter how cute they may be.
Breathe easier by keeping scented items out of the classroom.
Scented products, such as scented candles, soaps, lotions, air fresheners (sprays and plug-ins), essential oils, and scented school supplies can cause or worsen many health problems. These include headaches, skin and eye irritation, asthma, and other respiratory problems. Even products labeled “natural” can have health effects. My family once visited a classroom where a diffuser with peppermint oil was in use. When we left a short time later, every one of us had bloodshot eyes. Some school districts have policies that limit scented products. Even if yours doesn’t, help everyone breathe easier by keeping scented products out of the classroom.
When you decorate, less is more.
Decorations become dusty over time, and dust can harbor irritants and allergens like chemicals, pollen, and dander from pets and pests. Pick only a few special decorations to set out and, if they’ve been stored, wipe them with a damp cloth first. Also, a good rule of thumb is to limit artwork and teaching materials to less than 20% of the walls of hallways and less than 50% of a classroom wall. Make sure to keep all vents and windows clear, too. They’re important for air flow in and out of the classroom.
Keep outdoor air pollution where it belongs—outside.
Just like smoke from wildfires, smoke from cozy winter fires has tiny particles that can cause health problems when inhaled. Cold winter air keeps vehicle exhaust closer to the ground, where kids breathe more of it in. It’s especially a problem when vehicles idle near schools. Encourage policies that limit vehicle idling, and keep classroom windows closed when outdoor air pollution is high, whatever the source.
Limit chemicals, including those used for cleaning.
One of the best holiday gifts you can give is healthy air, and one of the best ways to achieve it is to limit chemicals used in the classroom. While cleaning is important to remove germs that can make people sick from surfaces, cleaning and disinfecting products (including disinfecting wipes) often contain hazardous chemicals that can also make people sick. Kids are especially at risk. If teachers are cleaning, always follow the directions on the product label and only use the school-provided cleaner or plain soap and water. Cleaning products are generally safer than disinfecting products, which are regulated as pesticides. Also, disinfecting wipes can contain hazardous chemicals that trigger asthma and allergies. If students help clean, they should only use plain soap and water. Note: It’s against federal law to have kids use disinfectants, including wipes. If a teacher is having kids use them, let the teacher know this and ask them to switch to soap and water.
Need help or more information? Contact Wyoming Healthy Schools. Together we can make winter a healthier season in our schools.
Sources
Washington State Department of Health,“Winter classroom reminders for healthy indoor air,” Weekly Digest Bulletin, 12/3/25. To learn more, visit their schools website at https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/schools
Wyoming Healthy Schools website, https://wyominghealthyschools.org/
Wyoming Healthy Schools 