PreK-12 Ed


School Maintenance and Operations Report

Anyone who does it knows that keeping a school in running condition is not an easy task. Multiply that by the number of schools in a district, and the job is that much more difficult. Here is a look at some districts' custodial and maintenance standa

Building Blueprints -- Administrative/Office Space

Administrative and office space can inspire, calm and communicate a variety of qualities. However, it sometimes doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Life Cycle Cost Analysis

Public and private school districts spend $6B each year on energy to power their facilities, according to The Consortium for Energy Efficiency figures. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems comprise approximately 45 percent of that ene

Approaching the Issue of School Bureaucracy

As we look forward to a new administration in the White House and the possibility of a new look at school reform and No Child Left Behind, one of the inevitable topics of discussion is bureaucracy in our public school system. Bureaucracy developed out of

Projecting Student Enrollment in Tough Economic Times

National economic problems are impacting local school districts as states cut back on aid and taxpayers resist increases. On top of the summer's spike in fuel costs, these problems are forcing school districts to make difficult spending decisions. Bu

Digital Bulletin Boards

New LCD and plasma display systems promote athletic schedules, social events, students' work, emergency communications, and more.Systems can be set up with screens doing different jobs depending on location. Lobby screens can welcome visitors. Classr

Tough Economic Times

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that there will be a 22 percent increase in the number of jobs requiring postsecondary education by 2020, and we can expect a deficit of 12 million skilled workers unless access to higher education is improved. Yet coll

Caught on Camera

Four years ago, Robert Spitz started lobbying the Taos school board for surveillance cameras at the district schools. He was especially concerned about security at the high school. Not only were they trying to avert the usual mischief that high school tee

Dining Areas and Student Commons

The Dalton School, a school with grades K-12, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side, recently completed a complete renovation of its central dining and student commons. To better serve over 1,200 student and faculty lunches, the design needed to sol

Breaking the 'Sound Barrier' for Enhanced Classroom Learning

The ability to hear properly, especially in pre-school and elementary school classrooms, is one of the most important factors in a child's ability to process and learn new information. According to the Institute for Enhanced Classroom Learning, child

Environmental Considerations for Learning Styles

According to the theory of multiple learning styles, students have a multitude of distinct ways in which they optimally absorb and retain information. The combination of several individual attributes is unique for each child, but there are prevailing them

A Man of Vision, Integrity, and Passion

Paul Abramson, president of Stanton Leggett & Associates and Education Industry Analyst for School Planning & Management and College Planning & Management magazines, was selected as the 2008 Planner of the Year by the Council of Educational Fa

Top Five Tips for Bird Control

There are ways to eliminate pest birds without harming them. Following are the five steps you should follow when addressing this problem.

'Must-Have' Technologies

Classroom technologies have often also been a double edged sword. They've enhanced learning in some ways, but by connecting teacher and students to a machine instead of directly to each other, they run the risk of diminishing the direct personal interacti

A Look at the Higher Education Platforms of Barack Obama and John McCain

With the 2008 presidential election coming to a close in a few days, both candidates have spent some time solidifying and explaining their education platforms. This month, we'll take a closer look at what the presidential candidates have set forward as th

Online Learning and Technology in the K-12 Classroom

One of the fastest changing aspects of teaching is the technology used to do it. Teachers have moved from using chalk and blackboards to offering online course material and interactive whiteboards. This month, we spoke with Dan Badea, EETT administrator w

Prepared for the Worst

From severe weather to acts of violence, schools across the nation are forced to deal with a variety of emergencies each year. One basic element of an emergency plan is communication, knowing how to get the right information to the right people at the rig

As the Baby Boomers Retire: Preparing to Fill the Open Positions

According to the U.S. Dept. of Labor, in the 2006-16 decade, "total employment is projected to increase by 15.6 million jobs, or 10 percent, slightly less than the 15.9 million jobs, or 12 percent, during the 1996-2006 decade. This slowdown in the gr

Mature Citizens Can Make or Break the Best of Plans

Every now and then, a public project runs into an environmental issue or two when it comes to planning. And the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) folks are ever-present, but very often can be appeased if not satisfied with compromise and assurances that address

Electronic Access Control for Modern-Day Schools

Access control was once a big-city concern, but today, even areas with few foreseeable problems are taking the initiative ahead of time. Prevention and deterrence are the keys to protecting our most valuable asset — our children and young people.

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