Another BIG Change

I’ve written hundreds of columns, but this one was by far the hardest to write. My first article for School Planning & Management was written in January 1997 while I was still the director of Operations for the Council of Educational Facility Planners International. Today, some 20 years later, I am writing my last. I have loved my job with the magazines, our talented team, and the dedicated people who make up the industry that I have been fortunate enough to work in. Together we have turned SP&M/CP&M into valuable resources providing information on how we can improve the learning environment and how facilities can be a catalyst for change.

Leaving is never easy and the idea of retiring is bittersweet, but we have built a strong team that will carry on the work that we have started. Effective June 1, Karen Cavallo will take over as publisher for the magazines. Jerry Enderle, my partner in crime here for the last 18 years, will expand his role. For those of you who may be curious about what I am doing next, well for starters… I’m taking my grandkids to Disneyland! Thanks to all of you for joining me on this wild and wonderful ride!


I am Jerry Enderle. I have been the person behind the scenes with this magazine for 18 years. My title has changed a number of times. Currently, the one on my metaphorical door is editor-in-chief. I will be writing this column in future issues.

Like Deb, this column is difficult for me to write. Not because it is my first for this magazine, but because it is an official goodbye to a person with whom I have worked closely for many years. She has been more than my boss and coworker. She has been, and will continue to be, a good friend and mentor.

Her retirement will not only be felt by the staff and her coworkers, but throughout the industry. By sharing her wisdom and insight concerning the importance of well-designed, well-maintained and properly administered and secured educational facilities, and emphasizing their affect on the students, teachers, staff and entire community, she has played an important role in improving our schools.

With Deb no longer serving in that very important role, it is the responsibility of those of us who remain to step up and continue that mission. The staff and I assure you that we will do our best to continue to provide quality, informative content in our print and digital publications.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.