The Vermont Department of Health’s Asthma-Friendly Schools Program annually recognizes schools that demonstrate the highest commitment to improving and maintaining asthma-friendly policies and practices within their schools and promoting good asthma management among their students.
FMS and Westford were honored as gold-level asthma-friendly schools for 2024-25, while Hiawatha earned silver status. Nurses Alicia Goodkind (FMS), Ellen Ammirato (Westford), and Reyna Maher (Hiawatha) were each singled out for their efforts in helping their respective schools earn this honor.
Schools are recognized for ongoing work to meet existing state safety and other policy requirements, as well as steps to improve indoor air quality, strengthen asthma management, and support staff training to ensure asthma-friendly school environments.
Asthma-friendly strategies are simple to implement, low-cost, and may benefit all students and staff, especially those with asthma. Among Vermont children with asthma, 61% have uncontrolled asthma (per 2021 data), helping to explain why asthma is a common reason for missed school days. By becoming as asthma-friendly as possible, schools can help students with asthma reduce exposure to triggers, manage their symptoms, learn unhindered, and prevent asthma-related emergencies.
Visit the State’s Asthma-Friendly Schools website for further information.