New Construction
A private for-profit university in northern California has received city approval to build a new on-campus dormitory for its medical students.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 09/29/20
New Construction
St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX is nearing completion of new drone lab, which is on target to be done in October.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 09/29/20
Cleaning
Imagine a Roomba with a plastic pillar on top, roaming through a room dispensing disinfectant onto chairs, table-tops and other surfaces.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 09/28/20
HVAC
A building’s HVAC technology can help decrease the transmission rate or mitigate the risk of exposure. Thus, schools must consider their HVAC system as part of their overall COVID-19 mitigation strategy, in addition to social distancing, cleaning, screening, signage and operational practices.
Learning Spaces
A Colorado non-profit will launch a mobile preschool experience in October for families with children ages 3 to 5 years old who do not attend a traditional preschool program.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 09/28/20
New Construction
The three-story, 75,000 square-foot expansion and renovation of the campus provides added capacity to a rapidly growing population in the Northwest Independent School District. The project was headed by Perkins & Will.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 09/23/20
Contest
The eight-month campaign recognizes the work of K-12 custodians across the country and honors them and their school with a $15,000 prize package.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 09/22/20
As part of a phased ramp-up in its return to full operations, Northwestern University Athletics and Recreation has installed filtration systems in the locker and weight rooms and other high-traffic spaces in its athletic facilities.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 09/21/20
Media Centers
If the global pandemic sidelined your plans for creating a very inviting, collaborative, nurturing media center space, get your vision back on track with these five success tips.
- By Christina Counts
- 09/21/20
Classrooms
Middle school students began classes on Monday at the newly constructed building at Roberts Academy, a private school for students with dyslexia.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 09/14/20
Software
SchoolStatus, which produces a mass notification and communication software-as-a-service platform for schools, has added functionality to enable contact tracing reporting and tracking.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 09/14/20
Reopening
Residence hall staff and graduate students at the University of Michigan are on strike due to lack of coronavirus health protections on campus. The grad students and residence hall staff began separate strikes on the same day, Sept. 8.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 09/10/20
Reopening
Bradley University is requiring the entire student body to quarantine for two weeks because of a spike in COVID-19 on campus, officials announced this week. The temporary quarantine is in effect until Sept. 23.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 09/10/20
Planning
At the onset of a project, the design team and the district must unite to develop the appropriate “Visioning Process” to gain input from teachers, administrators, parents, students, and members of the public. This typically takes the form of in-person workshops or on virtual platforms as we encountered this past spring. The architect can then use that feedback to develop a customized school design that meets the district’s goals and expectations.
- By Regan Shields Ives
- 09/09/20
Podcast
In this episode of Schools In Focus podcast, I speak to Belinda Oakley, CEO of Chartwells K12 and Seth Ferriell, CEO of SSC Services for Education, about school food service during a pandemic.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 09/08/20
Acoustics
If there is not enough sound absorption in spaces for learning, they are overly loud, reverberant and stressful; not an environment conducive for effective education. Up to one of every four words cannot be understood by students in many classrooms, according to guidelines by the Acoustical Society of America.
Sustainability
Gen Z is advocating for immediate action to secure their future. However, limited by their age, Gen Z is looking to older generations to support them through social and legislative change and conscientious transformations — socially, educationally, and within the built-environment.
- By Beth Pearcy and Erin Flaherty
- 09/01/20
The complex itself, an impressive structure wrapped in glass, aluminum, and limestone on the northeast corner of the Northwestern campus, right on Lake Michigan—an enviable site not only for the dazzling lake view, but also for its proximity to the campus’ student residences, classrooms and other facilities.
Reopening
New York City public schools are set to reopen on Sept. 10. However, the city’s teachers, principals, and staff say schools are unprepared to reopen and are pressuring Mayor Bill de Blasio to delay the start of in-person instruction by several weeks.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 08/19/20
HVAC
AI can change its instructions to your HVAC equipment based on the number of students in a room, the time of day, changes in weather throughout the day, and more, all while ensuring a comfortable environment for your building occupants.
Products
A company that produces technology for the food industry has developed a "welcome center" that schools can use to automate student and staff check-in.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 08/18/20
Cleaning & Sanitizing
Will a more methodical, well-thought-out approach be implemented for disinfectant use or, will they be once again randomly applied, essentially using a “hope for the best” mentality? Let’s hope application is not random, and here is why. In the U.S., disinfectants are considered “pesticides” by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and rightly so.
HVAC
A Florida company with an office in Purdue Research Park has introduced a technology it said would help schools reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 08/12/20
Episode 5
Stu Rothenberger, Principal at DLR Group, discusses flexibility on a campus scale, the need for long-term resiliency plans, tackling equity issues, and creating smaller interaction spaces in a post-COVID19 learning environment.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 08/12/20
Safety and Security
Many of the CDC’s guidelines can be met through the use of technology, and schools should be investing in and implementing technology solutions that not only helps them adhere to CDC guidelines this fall, but bolsters their overall school safety now and in the future.
Access Control
A company that produces physical security products is repositioning its products to address the needs of facilities under new restrictions. The offerings from LenelS2 cover touchless access, occupancy management, enforced access control and screening solutions.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 08/03/20
Healthy Schools
An education technology company that produces training has compiled a set of videos to help districts prepare for school reopenings.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/28/20
Facilities
Emphasis on single sleeping unit spaces will probably dominate in residence hall design in coming months and years, along with common areas that encourage physical distancing, wider entrances and kitchens that allow for one-way traffic patterns. Those are the predictions of student housing design experts at KWK Architects.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/28/20
Technology
What does it mean for a learning space to support the use of technology? It means the space has been intentionally designed to make it easy for teachers and students to seamlessly use any technology they might need, without having to disrupt a lesson or cut into valuable learning time.
- By Cindy Eggebrecht-Weinschreider
- 07/27/20
Safely Reopening
Chicago Public Schools is conducting several virtual meetings this week to gather feedback on the district’s reopening plans for the fall. The first one was held Monday morning
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 07/27/20
Planning
Here are five ways that K-12 school districts can keep their learning space design projects on track in a world where social distancing rules and shutdowns interfere with normal operations.
- By Manuel Cordero and Dr. Christina Counts
- 07/22/20
Sustainability
The Los Angeles Community College District has vowed to eliminate its carbon footprint entirely over the next two decades.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/22/20
Maintenance and Operations
As universities begin to welcome students back, directors of college recreational centers will need to develop plans, policies and protocols to maintain a safe and healthy environment. The many “moving parts” that make up college recreational center operations present some unique challenges for maintaining a safe and clean facility.
Dr. Brian Benson, a family physician and his wife, Kaley Benson developed a symptom-screening software for schools called Cleared4School.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 07/21/20
"ViralBarrier" from Precise Tooling Solutions is intended specifically for K-12 and higher education use.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/20/20
School districts should conduct comprehensive threat vulnerability assessments that not only focus on existing measures already in place, but also encapsulate a thorough review of operational safety and security focused policies and procedures.
Several colleges and universities are pursuing solar solutions for two major reasons: to save money on energy costs and/or to meet sustainability goals through renewable energy projects. Whether you’re already pursuing a solar solution or just starting to consider your options, there are some important considerations to keep in mind, as well as certain factors that go into the most successful solar projects.
Furniture and Equipment
U.S.-based Hy-Lite said its new panels are made of architectural-grade acrylic blocks that allow light through while protecting privacy.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/14/20
Reopening Schools
Rural school districts in Wisconsin have asked the state to begin school earlier than usual citing concerns that the pandemic has interfered with student progress.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 07/14/20
Los Angeles Unified School District and San Diego Unified School District announced they will not reopen for in-person classes next month due to increasing COVID-19 cases.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 07/13/20
Life Safety
The inclusion of storm shelters, safe rooms and best available refuge areas are steadily increasing, especially due to recent code changes in the heart of the United States. By specifying commercial rolling doors and shutters that meet strict wind load and flying projectile requirements, classroom pods, cafeterias and gymnasiums can maintain a welcoming appeal while able to transform into a safe space within seconds.
- By Heather Bender
- 07/13/20
Reopening
School districts must offer daily on-campus instruction for all students who wishes to attend, but any parent may request for their child to receive virtual instruction from any school that offers such instruction.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 07/08/20
Reopening Schools
Overall, signage provides a cost-effective and direct solution to the question, “How does the coronavirus change our schools?” Signage plays a role in helping people feel comfortable in their environments and understanding what is expected of them in certain spaces.
Health Sciences Facilities
The University of North Florida has received $6 million in the latest state budget to build what the university has named the UNF MedNexus. The intent is to create an operation that connects regional healthcare providers with university students, faculty and researchers.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/08/20
Construction has begun on a new facility that will be leased by a Pennsylvania college. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is expecting to move into the new building by June 1, 2021.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/08/20
Reopening
Texas A&M said it would convert non-traditional spaces into classrooms for the fall semester, which starts on Aug. 19.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/08/20
Sports Facilities
A North Carolina institution is almost finished with a million-dollar project in its stadium. The Western Carolina University project included the removal, demolition and replacement of the existing synthetic turf field and the addition of a new synthetic turf practice area.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/08/20
Construction
Michigan State University has put the brakes on a number of campus construction projects to address a funding gap posed by the impact of the pandemic.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/08/20
Health Sciences Facilities
Finlandia University's College of Health Sciences will be ready to receive students in fall 2020 in its new location, in spite of project delays due to a COVID-19 outbreak, according to the institution.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 07/08/20
Contest
The inaugural “Custodians Are Key” contest launched in September and recognizes the work of K-12 custodians around the country. Kris Kantor of Hayes Elementary in Lakewood, Ohio is the grand prize winner and will receive a prize valued $5,000, while his school receives $10,000.
- By Yvonne Marquez
- 07/06/20