Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

MI Districts Add Vinyl to Windows for Security and Cooling

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 07/17/19

Two school systems in Michigan are turning to window-sized graphics for safety, security and environmental benefit. Addison Community Schools and Hudson Area Schools have both turned to sign company Insignia Graphics to design, produce and install perforated vinyl on windows in their buildings.

According to local reporting, the window coverings help to keep rooms cooler on warm days by limiting the amount of sunlight that comes in while also providing a level of security. As Hudson Superintendent Michael Osborne told a reporter, the vinyl "enables staff and students to see outside but not people from the outside to be able to see in the classrooms." He added that the vinyl also adds strength to the glass.

The Hudson installation was part of a $141,000 safety grant the district received from the state through the Competitive School Safety Grant Program.

The funding has enabled the districts to customize the vinyl with school colors and logos. The Hudson grant was also expected to cover upgrades to entrances for the district's three buildings, including protective screens on all exterior doors, creation of a breezeway at the elementary entrance and bulletproof glass for the receptionist at both the elementary and middle school/high school main entrances.

The complete list of recipients is available on the Michigan State Police website.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Chicago District Completes Construction on New Elementary School

    North Chicago School District 187 in North Chicago, Ill., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Forrestal Elementary School, according to a news release. The new school marks a major investment in military-connected students and families at Naval Station Great Lakes.

  • Arizona District Breaks Ground on Community Training, Learning Center

    The Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) in Tolleson, Ariz., recently broke ground on a new Training & Learning Center (TLC) for both district professionals and the community at large, according to a news release. The 90,000-square-foot facility has an estimated completion date of spring 2027.

  • abstract illustration of school gym

    How the Gymnasium Can Serve as a Model for Learning Space Design

    Multipurpose gyms work because flexibility was built into the brief from the start, not retrofitted later. The same logic applies to academic spaces.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.