Limestone recently received air purifiers from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Twenty-seven air purifiers arrived before school began and have been placed throughout the building.

Assistant superintendent Dr. Denise Ryder said,  “We received a set amount of air purifiers, and I emailed teachers to have their name placed in a hat to receive them if interested.” 

Ryder received communications in May 2023 from the Illinois School Board of Education (ISBE) and IDPH explaining the grant they had received to distribute the air purifiers to pre-K through 12th-grade schools. There was $30 million to spread throughout the state. To be considered for the grant districts had to have a high lower-income student population or higher air pollution counts.  Limestone qualified under the income umbrella.

The new air purifier systems introduce fresh air into the room, not just refiltering the old air. Ryder said, “That kinda piqued my interest in the articles because it said turning over of air in a room, but also introducing new air into a space that the systems allow us to do that year-round.” The old ventilation system did not allow the fresh air to be circulated in the winter months. The 27 air purifiers came with replacement filters, but Limestone will be required to maintain once the filters are used.