Christa McAuliffe Elementary School Enjoys Multiple Benefits of Premium Rubber Flooring

Christa McAuliffe Elementary SchoolChrista McAuliffe Elementary School in Concord, New Hampshire, is one of three new, futuristic elementary schools designed to meet the changing needs of 21st-century learning. The school understands the evolution of the library and incorporates a variety of mediums and methods of consuming information. Throughout the facility, norament® grano premium rubber flooring supports open, collaborative, flexible and technology-integrated multi-use learning spaces.

“The facility is not only an elementary school but also a community building that’s heavily used before and after school for several town programs, such as the Boys & Girls Club,” says Matt Cashman, director of facilities & planning. “The durability and increased stain resistance – without the use of chemical cleaners or coatings – is a huge benefit realized by our district when compared to our previous dealings with VCT.”

elementary school rubber flooringThe selection of nora® flooring also helped the district meet Northeast-CHPS standards of sustainability. “The elimination of coatings and chemicals has been a breath of fresh air, literally,” says Rusty Bonner, head custodian. The absence of fumes often associated with these substances has positively impacted the well-being of the maintenance staff, as well as students and teachers.

“Just a few regular washes with little more than water erases any staining, allowing the floors to easily maintain their new appearance,” says Bonner. This is especially beneficial in spill-prone areas, including the cafeteria and art rooms.

“It’s an easy-maintenance flooring,” Bonner continues. “As a result, we can devote more time to cleaning alternate surfaces, such as glass.”

The rubber flooring also enhances acoustics. Open project areas throughout the school, including an amphitheater, circular story room, reading nooks and spaces for collaboration, benefit from the floor’s ability to attenuate unwanted ambient noise, allowing students and staff to better focus on listening and learning.

Sponsored by: nora systems, Inc.

Featured

  • Secret to Efficient, On-Time School Infrastructure & Modernization Projects is All in the Preparation

    Warmer weather and longer days make summer the ideal time for construction and modernization projects at educational facilities. School boards and construction firms must coordinate effectively to ensure that these projects do not extend even a single day into the school year and impede classroom operation.

  • Building Beyond Simulation: Creating Immersive Ecosystems for Healthcare Education

    Health sciences education is one of the fastest-growing facility types in colleges and universities. The demand for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals is driving the creation and renovation of medical simulation training facilities that provide students with real-world experience through advanced simulation-based learning.

  • Spaces4Learning Announces 2026 Product Award Winners

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2026 Product Awards! The award program spotlights outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to enhance K–12 and higher-education learning environments.

  • Houston-Area High School Receives Best Project Award from ENR

    Tomball West High School near Houston, Texas, recently received a K–12 Education Best Project Award in Engineering News-Record’s 2026 Texas & Southeast Best Projects Awards, according to a press release. The new facility was completed in May and opened its doors to students for the fall 2026 semester.