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

  • Missouri K–12 District Cuts Ribbons on Two New Middle Schools

    Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, Mo., recently celebrated the completion of two new middle school facilities with ribbon-cutting ceremonies, according to a district news release. The district officially opened the new Pipkin Middle School and Reed Academy on Sept. 3, both of which were funded through the $220-million Proposition S bond program approved by voters in 2023.

  • University of Rochester to Break Ground on New Student Life Center

    The University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., recently began construction on a new Student Life building, according to a news release. The first floor will contain campus-wide gathering, program, and rehearsal space; the second floor will play home to the Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life.

  • TCU Marks Campus Expansion Milestone

    Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a topping-out ceremony to mark progress on a major campus expansion effort including four new residential facilities and a five-story parking garage, according to a news release.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.