Pennsylvania SD Adds Bullet-Resistant Glass to New School Plans

The Wilkes-Barre Area School District approved an upgrade to safety measures for a new high school still under construction. The school board voted to add bullet-resistant glass along the building’s perimeter and in the school’s entryway. The glass adds a $460,000 cost to the project and will be installed by Sterling Glass.

"Unfortunately, this — school shootings, and active shootings, shooters — [is] something we have to contend with and deal with, and this is a measure we can take to try to make those kids as safe as possible," Shawn Walker, vice president of the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board, told a local news reporter.

The total budget for the project is $121 million and includes $7 million for contingent expenses. The new school will combine the district’s three high schools into one.

Construction for the new high school began earlier this year and is expected to be completed in 2021.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.

  • 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.

  • Arlington High School

    Arlington High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Arlington High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

  • Amazon Expands Lockers to More Than 500 College, University Campuses

    Amazon recently announced that its Locker Network now totals more than 750 locations at more than 500 college and university campuses around the United States, according to a company news release.