Healthy Schools
The importance of HVAC units in schools was brought to the forefront when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in the early parts of 2020. While vaccines became one option for combating the virus, the need for increased ventilation and filtration became an area of focus for many school districts.
New Construction
Midland College in Midland, Texas, recently broke ground on a 60,000-square-foot facility designed to address a shortage of early childhood education centers and a shortage of teachers in the area.
New Construction
At the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., construction is underway on a new centralized home for STEAM education. The Schoenecker Center will stand five stories and cover more than 130,000 square feet to integrate the school’s art, science, engineering and innovation programs.
New Construction
The Board of Trustees at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Penn., recently approved final plans for the construction of a new, $127.7-million liberal arts building.
New Construction
Orange County Public Schools in Orange County, Fla., will open five new schools in August to accommodate rising enrollment figures, according to a news release.
Campus Renovations
A recent news release reports that construction firm EW Howell Construction Group has completed expansion and renovation projects at two private K–8 schools in Manhattan, N.Y.
New Construction
The Zumbro Education District in Byron, Minn., recently completed construction on a new special education facility for the district. According to a news release, the $16.47-million, 61,031-square-foot space will serve as a combined learning center for three separate program types for at-risk K–12 students.
New Construction
Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, Ky., recently announced that it has selected Turner Construction Company as the general contractor for its new Academic Center.
New Construction
Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., recently announced that it will build four apartment-style residence halls over the next two years.
New Construction
Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif., recently opened a new STEM facility on its campus. The Advanced Technology and Applied Sciences (ATAS) building measures in at 52,913 square feet and provides multidisciplinary space for labs and classrooms, general instructional areas, and administrative space.
Campus Furnishings
Children’s furniture solutions company Whitney Brothers recently introduced a new product that combines a play house cube and a light table.
Campus Renovations
Kennebunk High School in Kennebunk, Maine, recently began work on a new $4.3-million athletic complex. RSU 21 School Board Chair Art LeBlanc called the project “very exciting and long overdue,” as the existing athletic complex has fallen into disrepair in recent years.
New Construction
Last week, the Idaho Falls School District 91 Board of Trustees approved a $250-million bond proposal that would provide funds to renovate and improve several schools within the district.
New Construction
Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., recently moved forward with plans to build a new residence hall for honors students.
Awards Program
Submit your project today and pay nothing to enter. If your project is selected for publication in the 2022 Education Design Showcase, you will receive an invoice in late September to help cover judging expenses and production, printing and distribution of Spaces4Learning magazine. Don't miss your chance to be part of this program, which highlights the nation's finest environments for teaching and learning. The extended submission deadline is Friday, Sept. 9!
New Construction
A $140-million renovation and construction project has already begun at three schools within Springdale Public Schools in Springdale, Ark.
Podcast
Our guest today is Bob Dillon, a school designer and consultant with STS Education. He's here to talk about the importance of student wellness during the learning day, from the time students arrive at the bus stop to the final bell.
New Construction
The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) recently announced that it is partnering with construction company McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and architecture firm DLR Group to build a new elementary school in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco.
IT Management
Technology can streamline university services and processes and ultimately help advance the institutional mission—when leveraged strategically. Higher education leaders share how they optimize operations, pursue digital efficiencies and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
New Construction
Michigan State University in Lansing, Mich., recently broke ground on a new student activities center.
New Construction
Mayor Don McLaughlin announced during a Uvalde Council meeting on Tuesday, June 21, that Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, will be demolished in the wake of the shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers, according to national news.
Campus Safety
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) recently released a report titled “Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2021” indicating a significant rise in both school shootings and cyberbullying activity during the last decade.
Campus Transportation
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) recently announced that it has awarded a $400-million transportation contract with student transportation company Zum.
Campus Amenities
Birchwood Lighting recently announced the launch of a new set of acoustic luminaries and panels designed for large, open spaces. The BWA250 luminaries and panels are intended to provide both seamless illumination and sound dampening capabilities in environments like open office spaces, common areas and education spaces.
New Construction
Private Christian university Columbia International University, located in Columbia, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking and dedication for a new Health Science Lab facility. The 2,200-square-foot space will contain biology and chemistry lab classrooms and is scheduled to open in time for the fall 2022 semester, according to a news release.
Campus Funding
University of Kentucky HealthCare (U.K. HealthCare) in Lexington, Ky., recently announced that it has received a $10 million gift from Central Bank to go toward expanding patient care at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center.
New Construction
One of the largest public charter schools in the U.S., Granada Hills Charter near Los Angeles, recently announced the completion of a $41-million campus expansion project.
Campus Technology
An independent, Texas-based school district comprised of 33 educational institutions including elementary, middle, and high schools needed to resolve its cellular reception problems. Staff and students must be able to make 9-1-1 calls on a mobile phone from anywhere within a school campus in the event of an emergency for location accuracy, according to guidelines set by the Safer Buildings Coalition.
Podcast
This episode's guests are Mike Mans, Senior Product Marketing Manager, and Tiffany Renz, Sales Director - North America, both from HID Global. We'll talk about how schools can get the best bang for their buck with ID card and badge issuance technology.
Healthy Schools
CloroxPro recently announced that it has launched an online learning platform to help educate and train commercial cleaning professionals. CloroxPro HealthyClean is intended to help boost the knowledge and skills of cleaning and maintenance staff as these workers’ responsibilities have skyrocketed during the last two years.
Campus Security
Hanwha Techwin America is getting ready for ISC West 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The IP and analog video surveillance solutions provider will be showcasing its new line of “AI-powered dual channel multi-sensor cameras featuring powerful Deep-Learning based object detection and classification, and license-free video and audio analytics,” according to a news release.
New Construction
The Board of Trustees at Indiana University recently approved the design of a new Medical Education Building for the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. The new facility will stand 11 stories tall, measure in at roughly 326,200 square feet and provide much-needed additional space for the instructional and research needs of various programs.
Campus Amenities
While most teachers and educators are aware of the eSports phenomenon and its ever-expanding popularity, many remain unfamiliar with all the benefits an eSports program can offer to both students and schools themselves. Moreover, some educators looking to introduce eSports programs feel overwhelmed and in the dark about how to get started.
New Construction
The Lafayette Parish School System in Lafayette, La., announced this week that it has selected construction companies for three rebuilding projects within its district.
Education Conference
The TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) Convention & Exposition took place last week from Monday, Feb. 7, to Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. I had the opportunity to drop in on the convention for a day, and the following are some loosely organized thoughts about my experience there.
New Construction
College of the Redwoods, a community college in Eureka, Calif., recently broke ground on a new creative arts building. The new facility will measure in at 29,888 square feet and will replace the former creative arts building, which was built in 1974.
New Construction
The University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., recently completed an $81-million, seven-year construction project called the Student Success District. The project’s goal was to centralize and upgrade a variety of crucial student resources including library services, tutoring and advising, mentoring and career services, and health programs within a single area of campus.
Healthy Schools
Robotics company OhmniLabs recently debuted an autonomous cleaning robot that uses UV-C light to disinfect spaces. OhmniClean is capable of disinfecting a 3,000-square-foot space in less than 15 minutes and was designed for use in schools, hospitals, hotels and other spaces that require deep cleaning of high-touch surfaces.
HVAC
For the first time ever, the main gymnasium and cafeteria at Fort Dodge Senior High School in Fort Dodge, Iowa, will have air conditioning when the next school year begins this fall.
New Construction
Braintree Public Schools in Braintree, Mass., recently announced that construction has begun on a new school facility for the district. The structure will serve as a new home for the existing South Middle School, and it will also be the town’s first new school construction in more than 50 years.
Campus Design
Design firm LPA Design Studios recently announced that it has promoted Kate Mraw to the position of Director of K–12. In this new role, Mraw will spearhead the development of the firm’s national education design practice, according to a press release.
Campus Renovations
Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that the renovation and expansion project for Swartz Hall has been completed. According to a news release, the 60,000-square-foot renovation and 13,000-square-foot expansion began in May 2019.
School Signage
From students to faculty, any school’s first priority should be the safety of people on campus. By now, you’ve probably learned that safety signage plays a vital role in keeping people safe at your school. From the parking lot to the playground, having the proper school safety signs not only keeps your students and faculty safe but also helps you avoid costly lawsuits or OSHA fines.
Campus Sustainability
Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Ga., recently partnered with facility energy solutions provider ABM Industries to upgrade campus STEM labs—and save about $11.7 million across ten years in the process.
New Construction
Officials from the Nye Country School District recently approved the construction of a new, $15.2-million elementary school in Tonopah, Nev.
Campus Renovations
The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) in Marlborough, Mass., recently selected Boston-based Finegold Alexander Architects to provide the design for an upcoming series of renovation and addition projects.
Campus Security
A 16-year-old student is facing charges after an active shooter incident put Seminole High School in Sanford, Fla., on lockdown for several hours on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
Liberty Defense Holdings Ltd. recently announced that it has signed an agreement with the University of Wisconsin Police Department (UWPD) to test a new security detection walkthrough portal on campus.
A Texas school district recently entered a partnership with cybersecurity solutions provider IronNet, Inc. to help combat an increasing number of cyber attacks against the district’s networks.
Several North Texas school districts cancelled school on both ends of the long Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, citing staff shortages and a surge in COVID-19 cases.