Immersive learning company zSpace has debuted the zSpace Imagine Learning Solution, a headset-free AR/VR laptop system designed for elementary education. The all-in-one platform integrates hardware, software, and hands-on lessons to create dynamic learning experiences for young students.
Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently released an updated line of its Elkay Filtered Bottle Filling Stations, according to a news release. The new line features a sleeker design and functional upgrades to help simplify filter maintenance and reduce long-term labor costs.
Now is an excellent time for K-12 “yellow” school buses, college campus transportation, and public transit systems to transition to zero-emission electric buses instead of traditional gas or diesel-powered models.
White Bear Lake Area Schools in White Bear Lake, Minn., recently announced that it has completed the renovation and expansion of White Bear Lake Area High School, according to a news release. The school’s final addition, a new 845-seat Performing Arts Center, was finished in November.
Spaces4Learning, the publication impacting K–12 & higher-education environments, a part of Converge360, a division of 1105 Media, is pleased to announce the redesign of its website, spaces4learning.com.
SROs are now integral components of nearly every educational system in the country. But instead of being a more passive entity in schools, they have gradually become mentors to students, adding to their support network of teachers, parents, coaches, and other caring adults.
OpenStax, which expands access of K–12 and higher-education resources and research-informed educational tools, is celebrating its 25th anniversary as 2024 comes to a close, according to a news release. The educational initiative from Rice University has served almost 37 million students in 153 countries and saved students nearly $3 billion in educational costs since its launch in 1999.
The Boerne Independent School District (Boerne ISD) near San Antonio, Texas, recently opened a new elementary school that serves almost 500 students, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects to build the 97,151-square-foot Viola Wilson Elementary School, which opened in August.
Middlesex School, which serves boarding and day students in grades 9–12, recently moved forward with plans to build a new athletics facility for its campus in Concord, Mass., according to a news release. MassDevelopment recently issued a $43.7-million tax-exempt bond to fund the project.
One of the most fundamental human requirements, as outlined in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, is the provision of basic needs: food, shelter, and clothing. In school, this hierarchy of needs shifts to include the need for physical, mental, and emotional safety. The student mind is not biologically wired to deal with the negative impacts of unsafe environments, which implies that security has a major impact on student well-being.
Plainfield High School in Plainfield, N.J., recently completed a series of construction projects including an auditorium renovation, a new eSports gaming arena, and a black-box theater, according to a news release. The school partnered with PureTek Group to install the Pliant Technologies CrewCom professional wireless intercom system.
St. Lucie Public Schools in St. Lucie, Fla., recently announced that it has selected Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., to design its new Western Grove K–8 prototype campus, according to a news release. Construction on the 217,500-square-foot facility will begin in February 2025 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026.
HVAC and indoor-air-quality solutions provider RenewAire recently launched the new HE+DX Coil, a duct-mounted system for the company’s existing HE07 and HE10 energy recovery ventilators (ERVs).
Recently, several school visits early in the academic year highlighted how many first-year teachers struggle to set up their classrooms effectively. It's evident that more can be done to better support them from the start, particularly in the area of classroom design.
Case Systems recently announced the launch of SALTO, a line of classroom fixtures and installations for K–12 learning spaces like STEM labs, art rooms, and makerspaces, according to a news release. The product line is designed to provide teachers with flexibility and adaptability, enabling them to shift between collaborative and individual learning environments.
The Chino Valley Unified School District in Chino, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on the new Legacy Academy K–8 School, according to a news release. The $51-million, 73,000-square-foot facility has the capacity for about 1,250 students.
The K–12 and higher education facilities landscapes are always evolving. Schools are constantly adapting to technology advances, pedagogy changes, sustainability initiatives, and more.
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) recently announced its partnership with Avantis Education to bring educational virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) solution ClassVR to its students. A news release reports that the district has already deployed more than 16,000 ClassVR headsets as part of the Los Angeles Unified Instructional Technology Initiative.
Surface solutions provider All Surfaces recently announced that it has hired a new Director of Commercial Business Development in Torie Bonafede. Bonafede will work to build the company’s market presence in various categories and drive strategic initiatives to expand its commercial sales portfolio.
In school districts across America, the start of a new school year is met with optimism and new beginnings. But as the back-to-school excitement wears off, it recedes to the reality that many school facilities are in the same state of infrastructural decline that they’ve faced for years, if not decades, as these facilities deteriorate.