The Built-Environment Is The "Third Teacher" with nora
Community Consolidated School District, in Chicago, has made nora rubber flooring standard for all of its facilities, including classrooms, corridors, and entry ways.
Officials at Community Consolidated School District 59 (CCSD59), located just outside Chicago, have a vision of 21st-century education. They believe the built-environment can support educational outcomes in a big way by functioning as a “third teacher”— all with smart boards, connectivity, collaborative open areas, and dynamic, multi-use experiential spaces that feature an abundance of light. But it all starts with the floors, according to Tony Rossi, executive director for Facilities and Operations.
One of the most modern school systems in the country, the district serves nearly 73,000 residents within 24 square miles. And it has made nora premium rubber flooring standard for all of its facilities, including classrooms, corridors, and entry areas across 11 elementary schools, an early learning center, and three junior high schools.
“The floor has remained looking new without an intrusive maintenance process that could otherwise affect our student and staff use of spaces,” Rossi says. He adds that the district has a million square feet of total area to maintain.
Enhanced acoustics and slip resistance are also important to the district, which uses state-of-the-art building materials and interior finishes, paying close attention to their chemical composition, environmental impact, and cost over time.
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This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management January/February 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.