New Construction
Bowling Green Independent Schools in Bowling Green, Ky., recently celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new elementary facility, Rich Pond Elementary School.
New Construction
The Board of Trustees for the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn., recently approved the construction of a new residence hall in south campus.
New Construction
The grand opening of a new elementary school for Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Ky., has been postponed after the facility failed to pass a Louisville Metro government inspection last week, according to a district press release.
Campus Lighting
Video lighting systems solutions provider Brightline recently announced the debut of a retrofit package that lets users upgrade Brightline S1.2 or S1.4 fluorescent studio fixtures to LED fixtures.
A/V Technology
Mark Hess, principal at Mary Helen Guest Elementary School in the Walled Lake Consolidated School District in Walled Lake, Mich., recently led the school through a new remodel that included transforming classrooms into active learning environments.
Staffing
Furniture solutions company VS America recently announced that it has named Jill Ackers as its new Education Director, responsible for the company’s educational planning and professional development.
A/V Technology
Imagine being transported to the deepest regions of space, or the nucleus of a cell, or the interior of a human heart. Imagine visiting the Great Wall of China, or Victorian-era London, or the Wright Brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903. Reading about them is one thing; seeing them all around you is something else entirely. One educational virtual reality solution from Avantis Systems aims to provide students with experiences that they—or anyone—would never be able to see in real life.
Transportation
Amid economic concerns like rising gas prices and inflation impacting American communities and resources, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is bringing a bright spot to school districts across the country. The agency recently announced a new $5 billion fund, available immediately, to purchase clean school bus fleets and lessen reliance on diesel fuel.
Building Blueprints
Many comprehensive high schools around the country integrate career and technical education programs into their curriculum. Advanced manufacturing differs from traditional career and technical education programs in that it focuses specifically on technology and innovation to improve products and processes. Traditionally in school planning, career and technical spaces have been located far away from core academic classes.
- By Aimee Eckmann, Steven Turckes
- 08/01/22
Project-Based Learning
Before being selected as the new superintendent, I was intrigued by their PRIME initiative, which stands for Partnership for Rural Innovative Models of Education. The more I learned, the more I wanted to be part of it. PRIME is the name that was given to an innovative PK–16 approach to education to consolidate our smaller rural schools into a larger PreK–12 school on the Kent State University – Geauga campus. The idea was to create more opportunities for our students while creating a more robust feeder system into the Kent State University system, the Auburn Career Center for technical skills, and University Hospitals for a new healthcare track for high-school students.
Facility Focus
The University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Conn., engaged JCJ Architecture to renovate and expand the school’s existing O’Connell Athletic Center into a flexible, multi-sport arena and venue to accommodate existing and new university programs.
Evidence-Based Design
In 2021, the Thacher School, located in Ojai, Calif., opened the doors to its project-based learning hub. The space was designed to support a multidisciplinary learning environment with collaborative common areas and classrooms that provide greater flexibility in their use.
Campus Technology
At Pennsylvania's Northampton Community College, students are engaging with cutting-edge technologies in a basement "apartment" designed to boost digital literacy and job skills.
Editor's Note
It’s the dog days of summer, and there’s not a lot going on in the world of education—on the surface.
Campus Safety
What can be done to keep kids safe and make them feel safe while at school? As an administrator, this is the most important question you will ever need to answer. That’s because if the next Uvalde or Parkland or Sandy Hook happens on your watch, you will have to face many more uncomfortable questions, and you may be haunted by excruciating regrets. It all hinges on what you do now.
- By Dennis Truxler
- 08/01/22
Project-Based Learning
The expanding importance of STEM education and project-based learning requires a rethinking of the traditional school planning and design process. A practical way to start is to adopt a broader, non-traditional mindset, especially during a school project’s conceptual phases.
- By Bobby Williams
- 08/01/22
Healthy Schools
HVAC industry solutions provider Modine Manufacturing Company recently announced a new resource to help K–12 facilities managers monitor their school’s IAQ (indoor air quality) needs.
Theaters/Performing Arts
Given the history of performing arts excellence in Mapleton, the district has committed to investing even more heavily in these programs by planting a legacy performing arts center to serve as a district-wide icon. Named The Mapleton Arts Center (The MAC), the building supports nearly 1,000 students across the district involved in Mapleton’s performing arts programs.
- By Abby Collins, Seth Clark
- 08/01/22
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
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
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
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.
New Construction
Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., recently announced that it will build four apartment-style residence halls over the next two years.
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.
Campus Furnishings
Children’s furniture solutions company Whitney Brothers recently introduced a new product that combines a play house cube and a light table.
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.
Construction Research
Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, recently received a $3.74-million grant to research and develop the ability to 3D-print buildings using concrete made from hemp—or “hempcrete.”
Podcast
Today's guests are Kim Montague, Executive Director - research and insights, and Kaelynn Reid, design futurist, both with Kimball International. They're here to talk about the design elements of multi-sensory environments that research and experience have shown to maximize student wellness.
Campus Renovations
Fort Worth Country Day, a college preparatory school in Fort Worth, Texas, recently announced that ground has been broken on a $3.5-million athletics improvement project.
Campus Security
Local news reports that Minnesota K–12 school districts are reviewing products from SafeWood Designs, which manufactures bullet-resistant products for schools, including doors, wall panels, hardware systems, furniture, and even whiteboards.
Campus Security
Security shutter and storm protection solutions provider QMI Security Solutions, working with Management and Prospect Partners, recently closed on an investment of Riot Glass, Inc. and Campbell Corporation.
New Construction
Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich., recently announced that it has finalized a plan to invest $200 million in a series of on-campus housing projects.
New Construction
The University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., recently announced that construction has begun on a new men’s residence hall to be named the East Quad Men’s Residence Hall.
New Construction
The University of Wisconsin-River Falls, located in River Falls, Wis., is in the final phases of planning construction on a new, $117-million STEM facility.
Campus Renovations
Preparations are underway for significant renovations to Westwood Junior High School in Palestine, Texas.
New Construction
Officials gathered on Friday, June 17, to celebrate a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Rogers High School in Newport, R.I. The school’s existing facility opened in 1957 and was “in the worst shape” in comparison to more than 300 schools around the state, according to local news.