Breaking a large high school into smaller ones is not easy. It must be done deliberately, with a philosophy and a long-range plan, and with the support of the faculty. If that is not done, there is a good chance that what is created will fall back into a
In NCLB's wake, much of the debate has focused on the instructional practices that will enable all students to meet the proficiency requirements by 2014. However, if this goal is to be realized, school districts must focus on how to ensure that appro
Integrated Cleaning and Measurement is a systematic approach to cleaning that entails using best practices to clean facilities and to measure the effectiveness of the cleaning program using a 21st century version of "the white glove" approach. I
Administrators, teachers, and students can spend an inordinate amount of time and frustration on getting updates for programs which were cutting edge yesterday and obsolete today; dealing with a bunch of different passwords and log-ins; trying to coordina
Technology can be used to promote deliberate, repeated and hurtful behavior with the intent to harm others.
Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) has 14 million sq. ft., 5,000 classrooms, 187 structures, and 75,000 students. With rising energy costs and aging equipment, how were district administrators to save money on energy costs? With a little help from thei
To reduce cyber bullying, multiple strategies must be employed. The collective efforts of staff, students, and parents are needed to protect all children. In addition, educators and parents need to teach students the pro-social behaviors they will need th
As Web 2.0 tools grow in popularity among school-age children, the inevitable step for schools is to incorporate the collaborative technology into the learning environment. A study conducted by the Consortium for School School Networking (CoSN), released
For a wide portion of the country, hail presents an additional weather challenge, one that can be extremely costly. Hail damage to roof assemblies within the United States and worldwide results in millions of dollars of economic loss each year.
Tests show how certain roofs hold up to hail storms.
Many of our schools were better prepared for this possible pandemic, their emergency plans having been dusted off after the threat of the avian (bird) flu and SARS a few years back. . Given the human tendency to look on the bright side, my guess is that m
School facilities managers and maintenance staff have the difficult task of balancing the relationship of use, maintenance, quality, and budget. Safety concerns, vandalism, age of the development, user complaints, poor visual appearance, and lack of maint
Despite numerous federal, state, and local codes requiring routine testing and documentation NFPA 101, International Fire Code, and International Building Code to name a few mandated testing of emergency lighting units remains a "hit or
Since children spend most of their time in schools, daycare facilities, or at home, it is important to reduce their exposure to environmental pollutants as much as possible. Statistics show children receive the majority of their chemical exposure indoors
With the green movement gaining momentum, it is still a surprise to some at just how few districts have stepped up and committed to green resolutions for their schools. In Orange County (CA), slices of green can be found within several districts. At Brea
Building Green and educational environments for special-needs students.
A survey published in a recent issue of USA Today asked average Americans how likely they were to shop for environmentally responsible products during the economic downturn. The answer surprised me. Thirty-four percent were more likely to, and only eight
The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) recently released Learning Teams: Creating What's Next, a report detailing an impending wave of teacher retirements and new solutions to address the supply of teachers in our natio
Educators are typically not experts in security and law enforcement and sometimes question which type of approach is best for providing security and/or law enforcement staffing for schools and special events. There are numerous approaches, ranging from un
Schools also need to do their homework on all of the elements of building or renovating green sustainable sites, water and energy efficiency, protection of natural resources, use of recycled and re-used materials, and the protection of indoor envir