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New Construction

University of British Columbia Starts Construction on Gateway Building

The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, recently began construction on a new Gateway Building for the campus, according to local news.

New Construction

USC Selects Developer for $300M Health Sciences Campus

The University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., recently announced that it has selected a developer for its new health sciences campus in downtown Columbia.

ESSER Funds HVAC Upgrades

Healthy Schools

How ESSER Funds Can Help with HVAC Upgrades

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 Breaks Ground on Pre-K Academy

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

STEAM Center Construction at University of St. Thomas Underway

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

Penn State Approves Plans for New Liberal Arts Facility

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 District to Open 5 New Schools

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.

Harlem Academy interior

Campus Renovations

Construction Firm Completes Two Projects for Manhattan Private Schools

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.

Zumbro Education District Special Education Center

New Construction

Minnesota District to Open New Special Education Facility

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

Virginia Commonwealth University to Build New Honors Dorms

Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., recently moved forward with plans to build a new residence hall for honors students.



Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Podcast

Schools In Focus: Managing Schools and Classrooms to Promote Student Wellness

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

San Francisco Unified School District to Build New Elementary School

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.

man working on laptop

IT Management

Education Leaders Discuss Enabling the Digital-First Campus

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

MSU Breaks Ground on Student Activities Center

Michigan State University in Lansing, Mich., recently broke ground on a new student activities center.

New Construction

Uvalde Mayor Says Robb Elementary School to Be Demolished

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

NCES Data Report Increases in K–12 School Shootings, Cyberbullying

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

Los Angeles District Awards $400M Student Transportation Contract

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) recently announced that it has awarded a $400-million transportation contract with student transportation company Zum.

HVAC

Iowa High School to Upgrade HVAC System

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

Massachusetts District Begins Work on $66.7M Middle School

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.

Kate Mraw LPA Design Studios

Campus Design

LPA Design Studios Names New Director of K–12 Practice

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.

Harvard Divinity School Swartz Hall

Campus Renovations

Harvard Divinity School Completes Renovation of Swartz Hall

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.

Exit sign

School Signage

Safety Resolutions: 7 Reasons to Update Your School’s Safety Signs in 2022

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.

Georgia Tech Energy Infrastructure Upgrade

Campus Sustainability

Energy Infrastructure Upgrade to Save Georgia Tech $11.7M

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

Nevada District Approves New Elementary School 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

Massachusetts Charter School Selects Architect for Renovation Project

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

Teen Faces Charges in Shooting at Florida High School

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.

University of Wisconsin to Test AI-Powered Security System

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.

Texas District Adopts New Cybersecurity Solution

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.

North Texas Districts Extend Long Weekend Amid COVID, Staff Shortages

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.

New Construction

University of Pittsburgh to Build New Recreation Center

Construction on a new Campus Recreation and Wellness Center at the University of Pittsburgh is underway. The project is part of a wider Campus Master Plan that was finalized in 2019 and will provide amenities like a recreational pool, jogging track, basketball courts, weightlifting equipment and more.

Campus Renovations

Butler to Remodel Residence Hall Community

Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind., has announced that it will soon be renovating its Residential College. The residence hall was built in 1988 and serves mainly first-year students. The project is slated to last about two years and cost more than $20 million.

UMN Pioneer Hall

Student Housing

Gen Z Students Look for "Alone-Together" Space in College Housing

Those students born between 1997 and 2012, otherwise known as Generation Z or Gen Zers, are redefining expectations for college housing and services, according to an architectural firm that specializes in working with colleges and universities.

Architecture & Design

Plunkett Raysich Architects Names Two New Partners

Plunkett Raysich Architects in Milwaukee, Wis., recently announced that it has named two new partners to join the firm’s ownership.

New Construction

North Dakota District Prepares for New High School

The planning process for a second high school for Minot Public Schools in Minot, N.D., is underway after voters passed a $109-million bond in December 2021.

Transportation

GreenPower Unveils Plan to Manufacture All Electric School Buses in West Virginia

Electric vehicle manufacturer GreenPower Motor Company signed an agreement last week with the state of West Virginia to begin producing zero-emission, all-electric school buses in a new manufacturing facility,

Willow Wood Elementary School exterior

Building Blueprints

Texas Elementary School Blends Rustic, Modern Elements

Architecture firm Perkins&Will recently saw the completion of its third elementary school for the Melissa Independent School District in the northeast part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Outdoor spaces promote mental health and wellness

Healthy Schools

Outdoor Spaces Help Promote Mental Health and Wellness on Campus

Today, college students are experiencing tremendous pressure and stress caused by an ever-broadening range of influences and factors, negatively impacting many aspects of social development, learning, and overall well-being.

Penn State nuclear reactor facility

Campus Amenities

Penn State Expanding On-Campus Nuclear Reactor

Penn State is expanding its on-campus nuclear reactor and the facility that houses it. The university broke ground on the $9.5-million project, which is intended to accommodate an upcoming equipment donation, facilitate neutron beam research and help grow the nuclear engineering program at the institution.

Virginia Military Institute Aquatic Center

New Construction

Virginia Military Institute Pushing Off with New Aquatic Center

A military college has begun construction on a new aquatic center. The $44.2 million project underway at the Virginia Military Institute is scheduled for completion in November 2022.

Construction Education

Colorado College Uses Grants to Add Construction Program

A public technical college in Colorado will be launching a new construction trades certification program that will give students experience in building affordable housing.

Campus Amenities

Ecore, Spartan Surfaces Relaunch Popular Flooring Line

Ecore, a company that converts reclaimed materials into a variety of performances surfaces, announced this week that it is partnering with flooring sales and marketing company Spartan Surfaces to relaunch its popular ECOsurfaces product line.

New Construction

Texas Debuts New Elementary School

The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Lamar CISD) in Fort Bend County, Texas, about 40 miles west of Houston, celebrated the start of 2022 with the opening of a new elementary school.

School Staffing

Two U.S. Executive Departments Partner to Address School Bus Driver Shortage

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced that it is coordinating with the U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to address a labor shortage of school bus drivers.

Campus Amenities

Toronto Junior Middle School Installs New Acoustic Panels

Islington Junior Middle School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which serves students in grades PreK–8, recently announced that it has installed new acoustic ceiling and wall tiles in four of its classrooms.

Campus Renovation

Fresno, Calif., Aims to Convert Motel to Affordable Student Housing

The city of Fresno, Calif., recently proposed the conversion of a local motel into a housing facility for students at Fresno City College. Construction could be complete as soon as fall 2022, providing 69 apartments with subsidized rent that could provide space for about 300 students.

New Construction

Princeton Breaks Ground on Campus Expansion

Last month, officials at Princeton University gathered to break ground on the Lake Campus Development in West Windsor, N.J.

Ron Nyce

Staffing

Riot Glass, Inc., Names New Vice President of Operations

Retrofit security glass and door systems solutions company Riot Glass, Inc., recently named its new Vice President of Operations.

Campus Technology

Boston University to Debut Digital Learning, Innovation Center

Boston University is on track to open its new Shipley Center for Digital Learning & Innovation to students in early 2022.

UK Markey Cancer Center

New Construction

U Kentucky Trustees Approve Land Purchase for Cancer Outpatient Center

This week, the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approved a purchase agreement of $6.9 million for parcels of land near the university’s Albert B. Chandler Hospital in Lexington, Ky., to construct a new outpatient cancer treatment center.

Campus Amenities

U Alabama Trying Out Solar-Powered Pods

Shortly, the campus of the University of Alabama will sport a set of small, greenhouse-like structures where students can have private, socially-distanced space for their studies or relaxation.