CEFPI Rebranded as the Association for Learning Environments

The Board of Directors of the Association for Learning Environments (formerly CEFPI) proudly unveiled the organization's new name and brand this morning at the LearningSCAPES 2015 Conference in San Diego. “It's been a tremendous effort by a huge team of people who have engaged in analysis and discussion about our organization and what is it that people respond to,” said Association Chair Dan Mader. “We’ve looked at how we relate to our members and what’s important to them. These conversations framed our rebranding effort.”

The new brand, which includes the new name, a new logo, a new website URL (www.A4LE.org) and a promotional video (featured above), was developed over the past two years. Central to the exercise was an in-depth review of how the association supports its members. "Schools are designed, planned, and built at the local level,” said CEO John Ramsey. “Our regions and chapters are what make this organization function so well. Through this rebranding exercise we’ve moved from a top-down focus to a grassroots-up approach that ensures we provide our members the resources and tools they need to be successful.”

Earlier this year, the Board of Directors also approved a more flexible membership pricing structure, giving members and potential members better options for renewing their membership or for joining the association for the first time. The organization's governance structure was also overhauled. “It's an exciting time for us,” added Association Chair Elect David Schrader. “This organization is moving ahead quickly and is being recognized globally, which is important to us.”

The Board of Directors would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support. With this new branding we look forward to delivering value to our members and to growing our community of passionate professionals committed to creating better learning environments everywhere.

Featured

  • Minnesota District Starts Construction on Early Childhood Learning Center

    Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools in Sauk Rapids, Minn., recently announced that construction has begun on a new early childhood learning center and a new outdoor activities complex, according to a news release.

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • URI Cuts Underwater Ribbon on New Ocean Robotics Laboratory

    The University of Rhode Island recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Ocean Robotics Laboratory at its Narragansett Bay Campus, according to a news release. Two students used a remotely operated vehicle to cut an underwater ribbon in a 30-by-20-foot test tank.

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.