Maintenance & Operations


Ala. School Board Plans $98M in Capital Projects

Members of the Hoover school board in Hoover, Ala., met this week to discuss a series of upcoming capital projects totaling $98 million.

CU Denver South facility

University of Colorado Puts South Denver Facility on the Market

The University of Colorado announced that it is partnering with commercial real estate firm JLL for the sale of the CU South Denver facility in Lone Tree, Colorado.

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus: Best Practices for ID Card Issuance

K–12 schools and colleges issue ID cards to students, faculty, staff, and sometimes even visitors to campus. The logistics of creating and printing these cards—especially Smart Cards with technical capabilities—are more complicated than you might think. Sponsored by HID Global.

Many Students Stay Home Despite Availability of In-Person Instruction

K-12 instruction is being delivered in many different permutations right now, and so families are making various choices for the education of their students. By mid-March 2021 more than three-quarters of fourth- and eighth-grade students (76%) were being offered the chance to attend public schools open at least some of the time for face-to-face lessons. But just a fraction of those students attended in-person instruction. The remaining 24% of grade 4 and grade 8 students were in schools that were only online.

School bus

Iowa School District Moves Forward on Long-Awaited Bus Barn

In the Spirit Lake Community School District in Spirit Lake, Iowa, the school board has awarded a construction bid for a project that Superintendent Dr. David Smith says has been in the pipeline for quite some time—a “bus barn” to house the district’s school buses.

Becker College to Close at End of Academic Year

Becker College, a small private college with campuses in Worcester and Leicester, Mass., announced on Monday that it will shut down at the end of the academic year. The college’s permanent closure is due to financial difficulties exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Illinois School Districts Purchase V2G-Capable School Buses

Two Illinois public school districts recently purchased electric school buses from Georgia-based bus manufacturer Blue Bird Corporation. These buses are both the first operational electric school buses in the state, as well as the first commercial application of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology in the country.

Winter storm

Austin ISD Surveys Damage After Winter Storm

Austin Independent School District (AISD) officials in Austin, Texas, spent last week walking through schools and surveying the aftermath of the recent wave of winter storms. The verdict: Ninety of the district’s 130 schools were affected, and the total damage is estimated at about $15 million.

School Bus Miles Dropped by 40% in 2020

Remote learning has had a dramatic impact on the number of miles school buses drove in the past year. According to Synovia Solutions, school buses reduced their miles by 40% in 2020, a total of two billion fewer school bus miles during the year.

Pathogen Reduction Technology Now Available for Schools

MeTEOR Education, a company that offers turn-key services for space design, announced it is making medical and industrial-grade Continuous Air & Surface Pathogen Reduction (CASPR) technology available for schools. The technology has been used in hospitals and medical centers for some time but it is now available to schools.

Georgetown U Buys Into Local Solar

Georgetown University has taken the next step in its commitment to sustainability by committing to obtaining two-thirds of its total electricity consumption directly from "local" solar farms in Maryland and New Jersey.

Someone with blue rubber gloves wiping down a desk.

Does Your School Maintenance Plan Pass the Test?

Although you set your initial school maintenance plan during the late summer months, now is a good time to evaluate its effectiveness, find opportunities to refine your processes, and make sure you and your teams are doing all you can to safeguard students and staff if and when they enter your doors in person.

3M Announces New Floor Care System

3M’s Commercial Solutions Division launched a new line of products that reduces the labor and product costs associated with routine floor maintenance, according to the company.

Social distancing markers on school hallway.

Studying Up: Preparing for Flu Season

This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses like the flu is more important than ever.

Building Solutions Announces Social Justice Campaign for Dallas-Fort Worth Schools

Building Solutions, a real estate and facility assessment advisor, announced their “Building Solutions for Brighter Futures” campaign, an initiative that helps make improvements in underserved Dallas-Fort Worth area schools with the hope it will help achieve better outcomes for K-12 students.

CIRI Webinar Series Graphic

CIRI To Host Webinar Series Focused on Cleaning and Indoor Virus Transmission

The Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI) will host a three-part webinar series called “COVID-19: The Second Wave,” beginning Thursday, Nov. 12.

Student washing hands with touchless faucet.

How to Improve Infection Control and Handwashing in School Restrooms

How do you create a hygienic and safe environment equipped to handle everyday usage and increased handwashing activity by students, faculty, administration and staff? And, how do you improve the restroom experience to make it more appealing to its users?

Custodial worker using an autovac. Courtesy of Kaivac.

Proper Mop Care and Other Floor-Cleaning Systems Amid COVID-19

Floors are too often overlooked when it comes to fighting the spread of infection. For many years, many hospital administrators did not even believe it was necessary to disinfect floors. Now we know better. Floors, as well as the tools used to clean floors, deserve close attention when it comes to minimizing the spread of coronavirus.  

As it moves throughout the room, the cbot sprays a cleaning agent that, according to the company, is effective against SARS CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that generates COVID-19, as well as other pathogens.

Cleaning Robot Pitched for Classrooms

Imagine a Roomba with a plastic pillar on top, roaming through a room dispensing disinfectant onto chairs, table-tops and other surfaces.

Maintenance of a building

4 Ways Schools Can Improve Indoor Air Quality to Reduce COVID-19 Transmission

A building’s HVAC technology can help decrease the transmission rate or mitigate the risk of exposure. Thus, schools must consider their HVAC system as part of their overall COVID-19 mitigation strategy, in addition to social distancing, cleaning, screening, signage and operational practices.

Second Annual 'Custodians Are Key' Contest Seeks Nominations

The eight-month campaign recognizes the work of K-12 custodians across the country and honors them and their school with a $15,000 prize package.

Schools In Focus podcast logo and Belinda Oakley, CEO of Chartwells K12, and Seth Ferriell, CEO of SSC Services for Education.

Schools In Focus: Food Service During a Pandemic

In this episode of Schools In Focus podcast, I speak to Belinda Oakley, CEO of Chartwells K12 and Seth Ferriell, CEO of SSC Services for Education, about school food service during a pandemic.

Teacher disinfecting classroom desks.

Are We Disinfecting Too Much?

Will a more methodical, well-thought-out approach be implemented for disinfectant use or, will they be once again randomly applied, essentially using a “hope for the best” mentality? Let’s hope application is not random, and here is why. In the U.S., disinfectants are considered “pesticides” by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and rightly so.

A row of fitness equipment.

Keeping Campus Rec Areas and Equipment Clean During a Pandemic

As universities begin to welcome students back, directors of college recreational centers will need to develop plans, policies and protocols to maintain a safe and healthy environment. The many “moving parts” that make up college recreational center operations present some unique challenges for maintaining a safe and clean facility.

Tennant Company Awards Grand Prize in "Custodians Are Key" Contest

The inaugural “Custodians Are Key” contest launched in September and recognizes the work of K-12 custodians around the country. Kris Kantor of Hayes Elementary in Lakewood, Ohio is the grand prize winner and will receive a prize valued $5,000, while his school receives $10,000.

Wisconsin’s Education Agency Issues Guidance for Reopening Schools

The Department of Public Instruction recommends smaller class sizes, alternating school-day schedules, and providing mental health support for students and staff.

A woman student wearing a face mask looks at her phone while a few feet away a male student wearing a face mask looks at a book.

Q&A with a Facility Services Expert: Protocols for Reopening Colleges and Universities

As colleges and universities make plans to reopen facilities in the fall, higher ed decision makers must consider a variety of issues while COVID-19 continues to spread in communities across the country. A facility services expert shares strategies and protocols used to ensure a healthy environment for students, faculty and staff.