School Enjoys Benefits of Rubber Flooring

Nora

nora rubber flooring gives Christa McAuliffe Elementary School increased durability and stain resistance when it comes to their flooring, adding to a true 21st-century learning environment.

Christa McAuliffe Elementary School in Concord, N. H., is one of three new, futuristic elementary schools designed to meet the changing needs of 21st-century learning. The school understands the evolution of the library and incorporates a variety of mediums and methods of consuming information. Throughout the facility, norament grano premium rubber flooring supports open, collaborative, flexible and technology-integrated multi-use learning spaces.

“The facility is not only an elementary school but also a community building that’s heavily used before and after school for several town programs,” says Matt Cashman, director of facilities & planning. “The durability and increased stain resistance—without the use of chemical cleaners or coatings—is a huge benefit when compared to our previous dealings with VCT.”

The selection of nora flooring also helped the district meet Northeast-CHPS standards of sustainability. “The elimination of coatings and chemicals has been a breath of fresh air, literally,” says Rusty Bonner, head custodian. The absence of fumes often associated with these substances has positively impacted the well-being of the maintenance staff, as well as students and teachers.

“Just a few regular washes with little more than water erases any staining, allowing the floors to easily maintain their new appearance,” says Bonner. “It’s an easy-maintenance flooring,” he continues. “As a result, we can devote more time to cleaning alternate surfaces, such as glass.”

The rubber flooring also enhances acoustics. Open project areas, including an amphitheater, circular story room, reading nooks and spaces for collaboration, benefit from the floor’s ability to attenuate unwanted ambient noise, allowing everyone to better focus on learning.

www.nora.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part I

    We asked, you answered, and the results are in! Last year, we put out a call for submissions to collect our readership’s opinion on trends and predictions for K–12 and higher education facilities in 2026.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.