Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Schools In Focus: Expert Advice on COVID-19 Cleaning

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 04/15/20

Schools In Focus is a Spaces4Learning podcast dedicated to K-12 school design, planning, and management. Each episode will feature a conversation with industry experts, facility managers, architects, and thought leaders on topics related to school facilities. Catch up on previous episodes here.

Today's episode is about cleaning and disinfecting school facilities.

Schools In Focus, Episode 3: Expert Advice on COVID-19 Cleaning

Schools In Focus podcast logo and Dr. Greg Whiteley

The world looks very different now since the last episode. Schools across the country are closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. At the time of publication, 24 states have decided to keep schools closed for the remainder of the school year. According to the New York Times database, at least 606,800 people in the United States have tested positive for the virus and at least 25,922 have died from it.

In this episode, we talk about the short-term and long-term goals of keeping school facilities clean amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. I spoke to Dr. Greg Whiteley, a specialist in cleaning science, hygiene and disinfection. He’s the chairman of the Whiteley Corporation, a medical and industrial cleaning company based in Australia. He’s also an adjunct research fellow in the School of Medicine at Western Sydney University and a board member of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute.

Dr. Whiteley describes how the virus works, how it affects children, outlines cleaning goals for schools within the next year, and provides practical advice for custodial workers. 

Where to Listen

Schools In Focus is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher. Subscribe today, or listen below! Stay tuned for more episodes!

About the Author

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

Featured

  • 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.

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.

  • Photo credit: Elkus Manfredi Architects

    University of Virginia Selects Design-Build Team for New Residential Complex

    The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., recently announced that it has selected a design-build team for a new upper-class residential development on campus, according to a news release. Capstone Development Partners—in partnership with Elkus Manfredi Architects and the Hoar Construction/Hourigan construction team—will move forward with the three-building, 310,000-square-foot housing facility.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.