Technology can be used to promote deliberate, repeated and hurtful behavior with the intent to harm others.
Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) has 14 million sq. ft., 5,000 classrooms, 187 structures, and 75,000 students. With rising energy costs and aging equipment, how were district administrators to save money on energy costs? With a little help from thei
To reduce cyber bullying, multiple strategies must be employed. The collective efforts of staff, students, and parents are needed to protect all children. In addition, educators and parents need to teach students the pro-social behaviors they will need th
As Web 2.0 tools grow in popularity among school-age children, the inevitable step for schools is to incorporate the collaborative technology into the learning environment. A study conducted by the Consortium for School School Networking (CoSN), released
For a wide portion of the country, hail presents an additional weather challenge, one that can be extremely costly. Hail damage to roof assemblies within the United States and worldwide results in millions of dollars of economic loss each year.
Tests show how certain roofs hold up to hail storms.
Many of our schools were better prepared for this possible pandemic, their emergency plans having been dusted off after the threat of the avian (bird) flu and SARS a few years back. . Given the human tendency to look on the bright side, my guess is that m
School facilities managers and maintenance staff have the difficult task of balancing the relationship of use, maintenance, quality, and budget. Safety concerns, vandalism, age of the development, user complaints, poor visual appearance, and lack of maint
Despite numerous federal, state, and local codes requiring routine testing and documentation NFPA 101, International Fire Code, and International Building Code to name a few mandated testing of emergency lighting units remains a "hit or
Since children spend most of their time in schools, daycare facilities, or at home, it is important to reduce their exposure to environmental pollutants as much as possible. Statistics show children receive the majority of their chemical exposure indoors
With the green movement gaining momentum, it is still a surprise to some at just how few districts have stepped up and committed to green resolutions for their schools. In Orange County (CA), slices of green can be found within several districts. At Brea
Building Green and educational environments for special-needs students.
A survey published in a recent issue of USA Today asked average Americans how likely they were to shop for environmentally responsible products during the economic downturn. The answer surprised me. Thirty-four percent were more likely to, and only eight
The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) recently released Learning Teams: Creating What's Next, a report detailing an impending wave of teacher retirements and new solutions to address the supply of teachers in our natio
Why should school districts worry about today's down economy? After all, the vast majority of their income comes from state legislatures and local property taxes, with some additional funding from the federal government.
School business officials sh
To better understand the current rage for "green" buildings, it is important to refer to fundamental principles of sustainable design. Of these, the most basic ideas can be found in passive solar strategies that incorporate many traditions of in
Imagine a place where rainwater and ecology are part of a child's curriculum, where the amenities around the school are developed upon a framework of design principles that reintegrate students into the environment.
Total Project Management (TPM) is an exclusive process that provides a single source of responsibility for all planning, architecture, and construction needs. This process increases accountability, eliminates the blame game, streamlines the scope of work,
School district decision-makers face a multitude of challenges, but possibly one of the biggest responsibilities they are charged with is creating schools that offer productive learning environments while being fiscally responsible to tax payers. They wan
With the recent passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, school districts nationwide have an unprecedented opportunity to construct new high-performance schools and modernize existing facilities to significantly decrease energy consumption a