Funding
School districts throughout the U.S. are on the verge of letting large construction projects with new funding from citizen-supported bond elections. Some school districts already have secured their funding, and others will ask voters to approve bond packages in November and December.
Campus Amenities
Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions recently introduced its Tectum Create! Direct-Attach line of ceiling and wall panels. The textured panels come in a variety of standard and custom designs to add flair and aesthetics to any space.
New Construction
The Texas Legislature recently approved $100 million for the construction of a health sciences building on the campus of Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas.
Campus Renovations
The University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., broke ground this week on a project involving renovations to its 85-year-old chemistry building and the new construction of a collaborative learning facility.
New Construction
HPM announced recently that it has been chosen as the Program Manager for capital and facility-based projects for the Manor Independent School District (Manor ISD) near Austin, Texas.
Campus Amenities
Furniture solutions provider Kimball recently launched a modular workplace platform that adds flexibility to any environment.
Campus Sustainability
Schneider Electric recently announced that it is partnering with the Richland County School District One (Richland One) in Columbia, S.C., to help the district meet its goal of Net Zero energy consumption.
ASSA ABLOY recently launched a 360° virtual online tour demonstrating access control and security and solutions to help higher education administrators address common challenges.
A 2013 study from the Department of Homeland Security suggests that only 15% of active assailant events in schools occur outside of the school building. That figure, then, means that 85% of active shooter events in schools occur within the building, once the assailant has made it past external security. In addition to preventing active shooter situations from occurring, it’s just as important to focus on how to manage them and minimize the damage once they’ve already begun.
A school safety officer in Long Beach, Calif., has been fired following an incident that left an 18-year-old mother brain-dead, and the Long Beach Police Department has opened a homicide investigation.
A 16-year-old student at Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyo., was arrested and led away from her school in handcuffs on Thursday, Oct. 7. Junior Grace Smith said in an interview that she was arrested for trespassing after receiving a suspension for refusing to follow the school’s mask mandate and then refusing to leave school grounds.
Campus Sustainability
Ontario-based Cambrian College is moving into the next phase of a long-term agreement with Honeywell and Honeywell Building Technologies to replace aging equipment and update lighting in pursuit of energy savings. The improvements are expected to save the college at least $480,000 within the first year.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 10/13/21
Healthy Schools
A $1.4 million HVAC upgrade at Missouri's East Central College, paid for by federal COVID-relief funds, is expected to mitigate the transmission of viruses in several campus buildings. The work was performed by Johnson Controls as part of its "OpenBlue" healthy buildings program.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 10/13/21
University Renovations
St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, announced a renovation project recently that will transform the 105-year-old LeClaire Hall (the second-oldest building on campus) into the Higgins Hall for Innovation and Human-Centered Design.
Campus Renovations
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) in Davis, Calif., recently debuted a nearly total renovation of the 85-year-old Walker Hall. The two-story, north side of the facility will now serve as the campus’ Graduate Center.
Healthy Schools
The North Bend School District in North Bend, Ore., recently announced that it has chosen Alen as its provider of indoor air quality solutions.
Healthy Schools
The Meriwether County School District in Greenville, Ga., announced this week that its school board has voted to install disinfection devices on buses.
New Construction
Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on a new, $61.5-million Language Arts and Social Science Building. The college partnered with C.W. Driver Companies on the facility, which measures in at three stories and 107,760 square feet.
Podcast
Today's guest is Sue Ann Highland. Currently, she's the National Education Strategist for School Specialty, but previously, she served as an educator for more than 25 years as a school and district administrator, a curriculum director, teacher, and more. She's here to talk about how dynamic learning environments can help keep students active and engaged. We'll talk about the six instructional elements that support dynamic learning, the positive and negative impacts of the pandemic, the increased reliance of both students and teachers on the digital landscape, and the general impact of learning environments on a student's educational journey. This episode is sponsored by School Specialty.
Campus Expansion
Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, recently broke ground on a 44,000-square-foot expansion to its Aeronautics and Engineering Building. The new space will contain amenities like collaborative spaces, teaching and research labs and administrative space.
Campus Modernization
Fremont High School, part of the Oakland Unified School District in Oakland, Calif., recently debuted a series of new and modernized facilities to faculty, staff and students.