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News
NCEF News summarizes and provides links to news stories about educational facilities nationwide. Links to older articles may no longer be active.
Portland, Oregon schools quietly build bond support
Jennifer Anderson,
Portland Tribune
May 31, 2012 OREGON: Portland Public Schools' $548 million construction bond measure failed last May by 578 votes. Stuart Emmons was part of that dissent, but he says this time around -- if and when the school board refers a capital bond measure to the November ballot -- he's a yes vote. "I think there's been a lot more transparency and community outreach this time," says Emmons, an architect and parent of a senior at Lincoln. "It's going to be more from the community -- it's our problem, not just PPS' problem. These are our schools. The community needs to own this challenge." After last year's narrow defeat, Emmons was one of 31 activist parents, teachers and students; elected and business leaders; and construction and design experts who volunteered to serve on the district's Bond Development Committee. The committee will recommend to the school board one of four possible bond options, which the public has previewed in recent weeks. All are cheaper than last year's big request that would have cost $2 per $1,000 of assessed property value. That bond would have increased a homeowner's property tax by about $300 a year for a home assessed at $143,000. Three of the proposed packages now on the table would cost half as much, and one would cost $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The two options that have generated the most support are to capitalize on the help of potential funding partners (rebuilding one high school, two K8s and two elementary schools); and to focus on the high schools (rebuilding three high schools and one K8). Illinois School District Spending $1.1 Million on Energy Upgrades
Dian Schaffhauser,
THE Journal
May 30, 2012 ILLINOIS: A small school district in Illinois has signed a $1.1 million contract to do work on its facilities that will reduce its energy needs. Grayville Community Unit School District #1 has chosen Ameresco to handle structural and environmental improvements after working with the same company to perform an assessment of the work required. The district, which has about 320 students, issued a request for proposal for a guaranteed energy cost savings contract in March 2011 and signed the agreement with Ameresco a year later. In this type of contract energy cost savings are guaranteed to the extent necessary to make payments for the upgrades. Ameresco will handle purchasing, design, construction, commissioning, and project management. California schools rev up bond drives
Diana Lambert,
Sacramento Bee
May 30, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Year after year of state budget cuts have pushed school districts throughout California – and several locally – to ask voters to approve new revenue streams in the form of bond measures for building repairs and new technology. The districts seem to want the same things – roofs that don't leak, efficient heating and air conditioning systems and infrastructure that supports computers in classrooms, among other things. Statewide, school districts are asking voters to approve $2.67 billion in bonds in the June 5 election, said David Kline of the California Taxpayers Association. Locally, only a $9 million bond in the Pollock Pines Elementary School District will be on the June ballot, but other districts throughout the Sacramento region are lining up to secure voter approval for bond measures in November. San Juan Unified is considering a $350 million general obligation bond. Washington Unified in West Sacramento may go for a $30 million bond, while Folsom Cordova Unified is looking at a bond of about $60 million. "The bond is important to our ability to prepare students for the future by providing safe learning environments," said Cathy Allen, San Juan's senior director of facilities and planning. But districts that choose to go for a bond in the fall may be facing an uphill battle. Not only will they be in competition with two statewide tax initiatives to fund education, but residents in the city of Sacramento also may be voting on a sales tax hike. School bond measures have shown varying degrees of success at the ballot box in recent years. Statewide, about 26 percent of 95 school bond measures introduced between 2009 and 2011 failed, a website run by municipal finance expert Michael Coleman shows. Sacramento-area voters rejected six of the last 10 bonds on election ballots. The districts must convince voters of the merits of the bonds, which are paid for by adding fees on property taxes. The maximum allowed per bond is $60 per $100,000 of equity for unified school districts, and $30 for elementary or high school districts. Virginia Tech working toward camera-covered campus
Tonio Moxley,
Washington Post
May 29, 2012 VIRGINIA: Northern Virginia-based X7 Systems Integration is working under a nearly $1 million contract to install a networked video security system around Virginia Tech campus. Since the April 16, 2007, campus shootings, the university has become a testing ground and even model for campus safety, including an extensive threat assessment program. The project could result in up to 2,500 security cameras being installed around the 2,600-acre campus over the next several years, and add one more layer to Tech’s security efforts. “You never stop trying to make the campus safer,” university spokesman Mark Owczarski said. The contract with X7 Systems, dated April 2011, allows for three phases of the project, including the already completed $221,098 installation of cameras in the Perry Street parking garage that opened last year. Phase two of the project will upgrade the approximately 250 cameras scattered across campus. That work is expected to be completed by December and cost $708,736, Owczarski said. For a decade or more, there have been security cameras on campus, but the technologies and the oversight have been decentralized. They range from cameras on automated teller machines installed and monitored by banks to a camera trained on a piece of the moon kept in the dean of engineering’s suite. While cameras already are part of campus life, “what hasn’t been in place is a policy and a directive to manage them more effectively,” Owczarski said. Police have talked about a centralized security camera system for years, Owczarski said. Now with the X7 contract, that process is under way. The centralized system includes a strict acceptable use policy for the cameras and those who monitor them, and outlines ethical and legal guidelines, as well as regulations for archiving and using footage. The policy also establishes a five-member Surveillance Oversight Committee, including representatives from Tech police, student affairs, facilities, emergency management and university relations to review all requests for cameras. The police department, in cooperation with the information technology division, ensures that best practices are followed for all cameras installed, according to the policy. Baltimore Mayor Calls for Bottle Tax Vote to Pay for School Construction
Adam Bednar,
North Baltimore Patch
May 29, 2012 MARYLAND: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is pressuring members of the City Council’s Taxation and Finance Committee to hold a vote on her proposed increase of the city’s bottle tax. The mayor issued a news release calling on members of the committee to hold the vote, after Hampden Elementary and Middle Schools were closed because of the heat. "The needs of our school buildings—which are the oldest in the state—are great," Rawlings-Blake said in the release. "Every year, thousands of children lose school days because of preventable infrastructure issues. I know that many members of the Council are willing and ready to take concrete action to help improve our schools. A small minority of members continue to stall our efforts to improve the schools with more talk and diversions. I am tired of talking—it is time for us to take action." The mayor, as part of her Better Schools Initiative, has proposed increasing the city’s bottle tax from 2 cents to 5 cents to help leverage bonds to pay for a proposed $300 million in school construction and renovations. Nature play area to nurture all; Inclusive play area will offer outdoor education and fun
Mary Shapiro,
Suburban Journals
May 29, 2012 MISSOURI: A two-acre field behind Keysor Elementary School will soon be gone and replaced by a fully-accessible, all-inclusive outdoor learning and play area. Construction will begin in June on phase one of Project IDEA, which stands for "Imagination, Discovery, Exploration, Adventure." At a student groundbreaking on May 23, Bryan Painter, principal of Keysor, called the planned project a way to champion both the environment and the importance of play. "It will be the first of its kind among metro St. Louis area schools, much more than just an accessible playground," said parent Mike Knopfel, a Project IDEA volunteer. "It will take kids out of the indoor classroom and into a landscape for learning." As part of a garden lab, the school has purchased a greenhouse and science probes and sensors, Painter said. "So students can take real-time data on plants, air temperature and humidity, for instance, and later analyze it," he said. Brandie Martine, a parent who serves as Project IDEA cochair with Painter, said the site will have handicapped-accessible play equipment, trees, berms, rain gardens, a garden lab, a prairie, a small amphitheater that can be used by Keysor classes for classes and small performances, and two IDEA houses. Painter said the houses will be for kids to play and learn in. "We plan to have growing plants on trays on the roof of one house, so students will be able to do data collection," he said. "For the second house, we're working with companies to put solar panels on the roof to potentially power a pump that would take rainwater from a rain barrel to water the roof of the other house." Part of that second house will be underground with a Plexiglas wall so kids can look below the surface of the ground. "The ideas is to plant plants outside the house with different root structures so the kids will be able to watch the root development of the plants underground," Painter said. Project IDEA is meant to help kids become better stewards of the environment, and it will be open to all area residents and groups. The first step in taking care of the environment, Painter said, is helping kids appreciate nature by being in it. "For example, through composting, which we'll do at the site, we hope kids will think twice about what they might otherwise throw away and think about whether it might end up in a landfill," Painter said. Planning for Project IDEA started about four years ago. Wellesley College takes on $100 million campus renovation
Mary Moore,
Boston Business Journal
May 29, 2012 MASSACHUSETTS: Wellesley College is undertaking a $100 million renovation of its campus buildings, to be paid for through a total $150 million in bonds the college issued on March 28. The renovation package includes upgrades to the facade of the college's Tower Court residence hall, a 95-year-old structure that was leaching water through its stone and brick exterior. The renovations planned for other campus buildings are wide ranging, and include running new steam lines for heat to some of the campus residences, as well as incorporating sustainable elements – new lighting, for example – in all of the projects. The order in which buildings are prioritized for renovation will depend on the outcome of a planning document, called the 2025 Campus Renewal Plan, now in the works at Wellesley College. The document should be completed in the next three to four months, said Andrew B. Evans, Wellesley's vice president for finance and college treasurer. If, for example, strengthening some of the college's science programs is considered a more urgent concern, science buildings would be among the first to be renovated, Evans said. New Minneapolis school district headquarters shine bright
Steve Brandt,
Star-Tribune
May 28, 2012 MINNESOTA: Its new neighbors hope the new Minneapolis school headquarters will be good for business. But school leaders' most prominent hope is that the twinned buildings will transform how school employees work. The $41.7 million complex, which is nearing completion, marks the first time the Minneapolis district has built a headquarters, decades after St. Paul and Anoka-Hennepin, the other two big metro districts, built theirs. The first employees are scheduled to move in six weeks into space at 1250 W. Broadway that projects a utilitarian image, in contrast with such government palaces as City Hall and the Hennepin County Government Center. But judging by a preview tour Friday, it's light-years ahead of the rambling warren of offices in a former factory the district has occupied since the 1930s, a little more than 2 miles east on Broadway. The current space "kind of sucks the life out of you," architect Tod S. Elkins said. The district sought a flexible, modern headquarters, but also one that wasn't too fancy for the tough economic times, he said. The district reserved the frills for technology, not furnishings. There's no marble or granite, unlike the monuments to city and county government downtown. Floors are mostly finished in carpet squares of varying hues, with slate-like vinyl in some high-traffic areas. The complex's technology reinforces the district's push to go as paperless as possible. Computers will have fewer printers. Desks will have fewer filing drawers. The district digitized and shredded more than 90,000 pounds of paper that it won't have to haul to the new quarters. It's an open design intended to encourage collaboration. Meeting space was at a premium in the old headquarters, and trucks on Broadway or window air-conditioners sometimes drowned out discussion. The new space has dozens of conference spaces, many of them concentrated in a glass-walled link that connects a four-story building on Broadway with a five-story twin set behind it. But cubbyholes for two-person sessions also dot the complex. The district and its contractors are aiming for gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council after setting out to get the silver level. Besides handling all of its stormwater on the site, the design maximizes natural lighting, uses movement-triggered lights that also adjust themselves for outside light, and flushes urinals with just a quart of water. Carbon dioxide monitors will adjust ventilation according to the number of people occupying space. The district will even ban most small portable appliances, such as heaters and refrigerators, from individual cubicles, something it never could have done at the drafty 1914 onetime light-bulb factory it now occupies. The complex will house some 600 workers, coming from four scattered buildings. The district projects it will spend $2 million less annually on administrative space by halving the amount of space those workers use. But with an expected 1,000 people a day using the space, counting adult basic education, employee training and school registration, demand for parking could exceed the supply, according to Mitch Trockman, a district's project team member. The district is reserving spots for carpools, encouraging employees to bus, and providing showers and lockers for bikers. Many district residents visit its headquarters mainly to attend board meetings, and they'll get a boardroom that's plush only in comparison to the homely room now used. It's one-third bigger, with wiring to handle board meetings on the dais and less-formal discussion meetings. Projection screens and speakers will make the discussion more accessible. The building's cafeteria will serve as overflow space with more screens. Yonkers' aging schools see hope. District eyes $1.7B project in public, private pact
Gary Stern,
The Journal News
May 28, 2012 NEW YORK: The aging and overcrowded school buildings of Yonkers are in such disrepair that school officials want to create a public-private partnership that would renovate the city’s schools and potentially transform school construction across the country. That’s if the numbers add up. School officials envision a 15-year, $1.7 billion project that would involve a team of private companies renovating and maintaining city-owned schools in exchange for a set monthly fee paid by the city and state. The idea is that a private team could do large-scale work more efficiently, making reliable profits for itself while offering Yonkers the only affordable way to house its growing student body. Private-public partnerships have been developed elsewhere to build bridges, courthouses and more, but Yonkers would be the first community in the mainland United States to rebuild schools with what is known as a P3. “No one has challenged the way schools are built in New York, but this is exactly what Yonkers is doing,” said Robert Hendriks, a veteran school construction consultant on Long Island. “In Yonkers, they recognize the magnitude of their challenge and they see that they need an approach that changes everything. If this works, it could replace the old model of doing things.” Yonkers Superintendent of Schools Bernard Pierorazio and other officials have spent the past several years studying private-public partnerships and simultaneously preparing state and local educators and politicians for their possibly game-changing plan. “Everybody knows it’s coming,” Pierorazio said. “Everyone is watching, and a lot of people want this to work.” Much will be known about the project’s feasibility by late summer. A team of blue-chip advisers hired by the school district in April is expected to release a report that will evaluate whether such a massive P3 would make economic sense for the city and the state. Green-tech high school surprisingly expensive
Wayne Bryan,
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
May 27, 2012 ARKANSAS: The Arkansas Board of Education has designated the Bismarck School District as “fiscally distressed” because it is spending more than it takes in and is drawing down its reserves. District Superintendent Susan Stewart-Harper said at least some of the district’s money problems come from the change orders required in constructing its $12 million high school that opened in 2010 and the unexpected costs of maintaining and operating the “green” facility that was designed to save water, energy and expenses while improving environmental quality. The high school was built with some of the state-of-the art, high-tech features that meet standards established to promote sustainability and efficiency in operations while creating a better environment for learning. “We’re very proud of our building,” Stewart-Harper told the state education board on May 14 when she appeared before the board in Little Rock to answer questions about the district’s financial problems. “With the new ‘green’ technology, there are so many things that are unexpected. Issues come up that you have never heard of and never dealt with before.” This is far from what Bismarck school officials said they expected from the 875,000-square-foot high school that is not yet 2 years old. In June 2010, Stewart-Harper and Larry Newsom, principal of Bismarck High School, conducted a tour of the new school building before it was opened. “There are energy-saving features all through the high school,” Newsom said at the time. Asked if the Bismarck High School is a lemon for the school district, Stewart-Harper said no. “I really don’t think it is,” she said. “It’s a great building, but there are so many costs associated with a green building that were not anticipated.” When the school was first built, district officials were told that in similar green-technology schools built around the state, energy savings and lower maintenance costs would allow school systems to recover almost the total cost of the building in the first 12 years of operation. “We’re not seeing that yet,” Stewart-Harper said this week. Stewart-Harper reported to the state education board that the school’s waste-management system requires daily monitoring at a cost of $2,000 a month. She also said the nontraditional, forced-air heating and air-conditioning system requires a level of maintenance that must be done by specialized workers instead of school-district maintenance employees. Newsom explained in 2010 that air moving over pipes in which water circulates would come into the classrooms about waist high or lower and that the air would only move up when it hits a student’s body. Stewart-Harper explained during the 2010 tour that as more students entered a room, causing the air temperature to rise, the cooling system would respond to the changes and adjust the temperature. Stewart-Harper said the change orders totaled $331,000. “The changes came from things such as correcting the subgrade for the entrance drive, constructing a handicap accessible sidewalk to the gym, additional electrical wiring, an audiovisual system for student performances, and relocation of the waste water treatment plant due to unstable soil,” she said in a statement.
Echo Pacific Construction Begins Modernization in the Anaheim City School District With Lease-Lease Back Project
Press Release,
Market Watch
May 27, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Echo Pacific Construction, Inc. is pleased to announce the commencement of construction on the Gauer Elementary School campus in Anaheim. As one of the largest elementary school districts in California, Anaheim City School District offers a broad range of programs and learning opportunities, enhanced by strong support from families and the community. We at Echo Pacific Construction share in the District's vision "to work together to create a culture of excellence." The modernization project is part of the District's $163 million bond measure. Measure G was approved by voters in 2010 for new construction and modernization on 24 campuses. This is the first Lease-Lease Back project between the Anaheim City School District and Echo Pacific. "This is a District with strong leadership and a clear vision for its student base and facilities. There is a successful track record here of project delivery using Lease-Lease Back. We are grateful for the opportunity to bring some of our experience to the table to help take the program to the next level of value and execution," said Chris Rowe, Owner and President of Echo Pacific. As part of a district wide plan to create learning environments that will promote a "culture of excellence," the scope of the seven building modernization is to include full scale demolition of all interior and exterior finishes, removal and replacement of outdated infrastructure and the installation of the most up-to-date learning technology. New construction includes restroom upgrades with new fixtures and finishes, new cabinetry, windows, doors, hardware, floor and wall finishes, new ceilings and lighting, as well as modified plumbing and HVAC systems, and a new roof. The replacement of exterior utility lines, new asphalt paving, striping, exterior finishes, landscaping, and replacement of irrigation systems, will tie it all together to give the project the look, feel, and technology of a new campus. Careful attention was paid by the District, its design team, Architect Adolph Ziemba AIA & Associates, and Echo Pacific to insure the latest and most efficient equipment and systems were integrated into the project as well as the very latest cutting edge learning technology. Responsible "Green" building practices, creating value and long range efficiency are being used, not just from a project execution perspective, but perhaps more importantly, from an ongoing operational standpoint. Study: New schools lead to higher test scores in New Haven; researchers contend property values also increase
Jim Shelton,
New Haven Register
May 25, 2012 CONNECTICUT: City school officials are touting a new study that says the massive school building program is reaping both educational and economic benefits. The independent study, conducted by Yale University doctoral students Christopher Neilson and Seth Zimmerman, suggests that new school buildings led to higher reading scores, increased property values and better school enrollment within neighborhoods. “We believe that school construction is a key part of the school and neighborhood revitalization toolkit, and we view New Haven as a leader in this respect,” Neilson and Zimmerman, who both live in New Haven, noted in their conclusion. Schools Chief Operating Officer Will Clark sent a copy of the study to members of the Board of Aldermen earlier this month during debate over spending additional money on city school construction. Since 1995, New Haven has embarked on a wave of school construction and renovation encompassing 40 projects at a price tag of $1.4 billion — with 80 percent of the funding coming from state and federal sources. The main findings of the study included: Within six years of a new building’s occupancy, elementary and middle schools were able to raise Connecticut Mastery Test reading scores to a level comparable with students at “high-performing” charter schools. “If these gains can be maintained through the completion of school construction phase-in, they will reduce the gap between New Haven schools and schools in the rest of the state by 36 percent,” the study said. Yet the study found “little to suggest” that school construction made an impact on math scores. Home prices rose by 11 percent in neighborhoods that saw an “average level” of school construction, compared to home prices in other city neighborhoods. Public school enrollment increased in neighborhoods where new school buildings were constructed. Detroit Public Schools, city officials team up to redevelop empty schools
Jennifer Chambers,
Detroit News
May 25, 2012 MICHIGAN: They range from a two-story English Tudor-style building with a swimming pool, fireplace and two glass conservatories to a sprawling, graffiti-laden structure ravaged by thieves. But almost all of the 84 properties for sale by Detroit Public Schools once stood as thriving school buildings, bustling with children and long established landmarks in Detroit's storied neighborhoods. Today they sit vacant, victims of plummeting enrollment due to Detroit's population slide and the rise of charter schools. More than 100,000 children have left the hallways of DPS schools in the last decade. To address the problem, school and city officials announced Wednesday they are collaborating on a citywide effort to reinvent vacant school buildings and sites into innovative redevelopment projects. At the same time, the Detroit Planning Commission, in order to speed the process of redeveloping school properties, has recommended an ordinance that would add 19 additional uses for buildings originally constructed as schools in residential zones. The ordinance is before the city's law department and is expected to be considered by Detroit City Council in coming weeks. DPS Emergency Manager Roy Roberts said it costs the district from $300,000 to $900,000 to tear down a school. Roberts said he would rather see the buildings and sites repurposed and money from the sale going toward the students in the district, which is under state control and working to shed a multi-year deficit. Since 2009, DPS has made more than $8 million from the sale of vacant school properties. "We have over 100 closed schools," Roberts said at a day-long forum in Detroit dedicated to showcasing the schools and sites. "We want to make sure they don't become eyesores. The sale of these properties will do that." No tax breaks — other than the ones that already exist — are available for the properties, Marcell Todd Jr., director of the City Planning Commission said. Historic tax credits could be available for the school buildings, many of which are eligible for a national tag. With 41,000 vacant seats in its schools, district officials have said more school closings are on the horizon. With 84 schools up for grabs and another 156 pieces of vacant land on its hands, officials reiterated they are ready to work with buyers. "It doesn't benefit any of us to have a vacant building," Deane said. "We are about getting deals done quickly. We want this property in your hands and out of ours." Power Save
Sara Cardine,
Pasadena Weekly
May 24, 2012 CALIFORNIA: From June 2011 to the beginning of 2012, Pasadena Unified School District offset nearly $400,000 in energy spending, thanks partly to the efforts of newly hired energy education specialist Chris Anderson. Anderson, who segued from teaching math at Pasadena High School to take the position last May, is on a mission to save $1 million in a single year through rebates and energy saving efforts at the district’s 29 school sites. In a presentation Tuesday before PUSD’s Facilities Subcommittee, Anderson reported a total of $398,367 worth of costs had been avoided in six months time. Cost avoidance is different from concrete savings, Anderson explained. For example, if last year the district paid $10 for 1 kilowatt of power and used 10 kilowatts, the cost would be $100. And then, say, this year the rate hiked to $11, but with the energy saving efforts in place, the district used only 9 kilowatts — its concrete savings would be only $1, but its cost avoidance would be $11, the difference between what it would have spent for the old usage at the new rate and what it actually had to pay. Anderson earned PUSD an additional $19,513 in low energy rebates for guaranteeing unused school buildings would remain in a low-use state throughout last summer. When the totals from a full, one-year cycle are released this fall, Anderson expects the district will have gained nearly $80,000 in rebates. During the six-month reporting period, Pasadena Unified reduced its energy consumption by an equivalent of 846 metric tons of carbon dioxide, Anderson reported. The impact of that is roughly the same as removing 152 passenger cars from roads for one full year, or the amount of carbon dioxide mitigated by 21,646 trees in a decade. “I like to think of [the reduction] in terms of trees instead of cars, because every time I get on the 110 Freeway, I think 152 of you guys shouldn’t be here,” Anderson joked. Maryland approves last round of school construction projects
Erica L. Green,
Baltimore Sun
May 24, 2012 MARYLAND: State officials approved more than $161 million in school construction funding that will allow school systems in the Baltimore area to undertake renovation projects, tackling problems that include sweltering and overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings and amenities. The Maryland Board of Public Works approved the last round of construction dollars being doled out to schools for fiscal year 2013. The state approved $187.5 million in funding in January, bringing the total amount for school construction projects to nearly $350 million, a more than $85 million increase from fiscal year 2012. The additional money will fund increased demand from schools to target systemic challenges, state officials said. Collectively, districts requested 40 more projects than they did in the previous year. Those projects specifically address factors that affect learning, including heating and air conditioning. "Maryland has placed a great amount of emphasis on education, and having first-rate facilities is very important," said David Lever, who oversees school construction for the state. "Those are very effective investments because they extend the life of the facility, and improve comfort and [student productivity]." $25 million out of the $350 million hasn't yet been allocated, he said, but will be targeted toward energy-efficient projects, a growing trend in Maryland schools. Lever said that the state approved funding for 70 percent of the infrastructure upgrade requests. The basic, but costly, upgrades were a crucial part of Baltimore City's list this year. The system, which has the oldest school facilities, received $16 million more in state construction funds this year, for a total of $42.6 million — among the highest awards in the state. "The money is so plentiful this year that we'll be able to knock out most of our systemic issues in the schools," said Keith Scroggins, chief operating officer for city schools. "It's going to go a long way in improving conditions in the schools. We're going to really be able to make a difference." Teaching with environmental design
Rebecca Randall,
West Linn Tidings
May 24, 2012 OREGON: Uniquely modern, the new Trillium Creek Primary School honors its surroundings while incorporating green technology and design into its building, always considering what the building itself can teach the students who will walk the halls beginning this September. Before the school year begins this fall, teachers will receive training on the story of the school so that they can pass on the knowledge to their students. A book is also being created to tell the history of the site and explain various features of the construction. The 20-acre property was purchased by the West Linn-Wilsonville School District from the Erickson family in the 1980s. The land was formerly an orchard and a dairy farm. In 2008, the school district passed a bond that is funding the construction of Trillium Creek, as well as a nearly identical school, Lowrie Primary in Wilsonville. The design maintains some of the wooded natural setting and aims to achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver award for the 23-classroom building. Construction should be substantially complete on June 15, said Tony Vandenburg, the project manager hired by the school district. Mindful of the school’s namesake, the project carved out a footprint for the building by creating new wetlands for the headwaters of Trillium Creek. Subject to rules set by the Oregon Department of State Lands, a wetland biologist determined the depth of the water table and figured out the volume of wetlands the school district needed to create. Workers moved the former Trillium Creek within the property and increased the wetlands area to one acre. “Students will be able to view the wetlands from their classrooms,” said Vandenburg. Nestled back onto the property, the school is encircled by a 100-year old stand of Douglas Fir trees and other natural plant species. Throughout construction, contractors have been working to remove invasive species and revitalize the area with native plants. Patches of the land were maintained as completely natural spaces, while a finished lawn area closest to the school also provides outdoor space for children. All of this can play a role in students’ education, said Vandenburg. The building contains a plethora of environmentally friendly features. Within the actual building, the architects worked to incorporate a “demonstration of the flow of water,” said Karina Ruiz, an associate principal architect with Dull Olson Weekes-IBI Group Architects, Inc. The water cycle is intentionally visual for the kids. Water catchment drains, a V-shaped roof, plants and a waterfall installation are all features that direct rainwater to three underground tanks to be filtered before either entering the wetlands or being reused to flush toilets in the building. Solar panels will be installed above the walkway at the front of the school, and the property will also have one wind turbine. Architects also incorporated the kids’ ideas into the building. During the design process, they visited schools to ask about what they wanted in a school, said Ruiz. “There was a kid that said, ‘I want to be the captain of my own learning,’ and that kind of stuck in our craw,” said Ruiz. A lot of students said that the only spaces that felt like their spaces were the hallways and the bathrooms. To remedy that the architects created “oriels” or bay window seats into each classroom. Additionally, every five classrooms has a “porch” or common space with built-in seating on steps or other crevices that kids can crawl into. The library, which is the central part of the school, has some of its own special kid-friendly spaces meant for reading, including a bird’s nest that is perched in the columns of the room and is accessible by a walkway from the second floor. A twisty slide also makes an entrance from the second floor down into the library. Each floor has its own kitchen with a dumbwaiter between the two. Designed to fit the district’s model for lunch, there is no cafeteria. Instead, students can take their lunch back to their porches or classrooms. The kindergarten wing includes its own kitchen, bathroom and separate entrance leading to the kindergarten play structure. All of the classrooms have their own water fountain and sink. The school will also have a room for a kiln, two outdoor classrooms and a rock wall in the gym. Use of prototype design will put Baltimore County school on fast track
Jon Meoli,
Baltimore Sun
May 23, 2012 MARYLAND: The Baltimore County Board of Education reviewed a preliminary site plan for the Mays Chapel Elementary School, and also plans to use a "prototype" school design to expedite the construction process. Officials said use of the prototype design — based on the same design used for Vincent Farms Elementary School in White Marsh — will cut down on engineering and allow the building to be completed in May 2014. Using an existing design, instead of creating a new one specifically for the site, "saves anywhere from four to five months from the traditional schedule," said Ken Jones, architect for the project. He said a "compressed and accelerated schedule" would allow for site work to begin in the spring of next year while the team finishes up the design of the building, Jones said. Oregon school districts not taking full advantage of energy efficiency programs
Steve Law,
Portland Tribune
May 22, 2012 OREGON: Oregon school districts are missing out on taking advantage of subsidy programs that could lower their utility bills and save energy, according to a new state audit. Auditors overseen by the Secretary of State’s office pored through 6,859 measures identified in school energy audits from 2002 to 2010, and found school districts often didn’t implement the most cost-saving recommendations. Often school districts could have taken advantage of Energy Trust of Oregon benefits, or similar ones provided elsewhere in the state, that would reduce the costs of the projects Auditors estimated that 111 school districts could have collectively saved $40 million in their utility bills and reduced energy use by 70 percent over the lives of the measures. “I recognize the funding challenges facing districts, and that a school district might choose to replace a boiler so students weren’t faced with cold classrooms, even if that wasn’t the most energy efficient option,” said Secretary of State Kate Brown. “At the end of the day, lower utility bills would mean more money available for the classroom.” Natrona County School District drops last lawsuit against Wyoming School Facilities Commission
Elysia Conner,
Star-Tribune
May 22, 2012 WYOMING: Natrona County School District trustees voted to end its legal battle over school enhancement funding with the state. “The legal slate is clean,” NCSD Superintendent Joel Dvorak said after the meeting. “We have cleared the deck so we can accelerate the design and construction of the high schools in Natrona County.” The school board voted to withdraw a lawsuit that refuted the SFD’s decision to deny the district’s request for state major maintenance funds to fix the Kelly Walsh High School pool and replace artificial turf at Natrona County High School. The board discussed the legal issue in an executive session prior to Monday’s unanimous vote in a public meeting. The SFD identified the pool and turf projects as enhancements, meaning beyond what’s needed to deliver curriculum — and therefore not an appropriate use of the state funds. School districts can use up to 10 percent of their annual allocation for projects considered to be enhancements. So far, NCSD has paid for the two projects out of its board priority funds to complete the projects which were finished in 2011, according to Dvorak. The district had a different interpretation of enhancements but chose to drop the lawsuit and accept the School Facilities Commission’s interpretation. The lawsuit was a barrier to progress on school construction projects because it left questions unanswered about the definition of enhancements that impact the school design process, according to Dvorak. Three projects are planned to renovate NCHS and KWHS and build a new, shared high school that will also house Roosevelt. Los Gatos school leaders end seismic-related construction stall
Corey Johnson,
California Watch
May 22, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Los Gatos school trustees have rescinded a contentious decision to close a mountain community's elementary school and halt plans for a new campus over concerns about seismic safety and cost increases. During a meeting last week, trustees for the Los Gatos Union School District reversed themselves and ordered the district's engineering contractor, Pacific Crest Engineering, to complete the work requested by the California Geological Survey to ensure the seismic safety of a new Lexington Elementary School. Trustees also voted 5-0 to suspend the transfer of students from existing buildings at Lexington to portable buildings at Fisher Middle School – a decision that was met with loud applause and cheers from about 200 parents and community members present. Residents were promised school improvements for Lexington Elementary when they voted for school bonds during the 2001 and 2010 elections. Parents gathered about 2,000 signatures in an online petition to keep Lexington open and have been vocal in their displeasure with an April board vote to shutter the school. "The actions were in the right direction," Los Gatos resident Nancy Moss wrote in an e-mail to California Watch. "But until we get the green light to actual scoop up that first shovel of dirt, it's not over." Last month, school trustees stopped construction at Lexington and approved a plan to close the campus after the state geologist's office found that Pacific Crest didn't adequately account for seismic hazards at the school site. According to a March 27 letter to the district, state geologists found that Pacific Crest's analysis failed to account for ground moisture in its predictions about land stability, despite test results that showed evidence of water-saturated soil. State geologists also concluded that the engineering report underestimated the severity of earthquake forces at the school. Lexington Elementary has been at its Old Santa Cruz Highway location since the 1950s. The property is vulnerable to landslides and is near the San Andreas Fault, one of the most active in the nation. Pacific Crest's report is based on ground shaking during a 7.3-magnitude earthquake. But state geologists said the school should be designed to withstand an 8.0-magnitude quake, which is what seismic experts recommend for that area:
Work to transform Decatur high school buildings under way
Valerie Wells,
Herald-Review
May 22, 2012 ILLINOIS: More than three years have passed since the first meeting of the High School Task Force at Eisenhower High School in February 2009. Its purpose was to decide what to do about Decatur’s aging public high school buildings and included students, parents, staff and the community. On June 7, the first shovelful of dirt will be turned as the renovations begin. Before that, a lot of other work is being and already has been done. “It’s kind of a domino effect right now,” said Mike Sotiroff, director of buildings and grounds. “We have some movement in this office space. The book depository will move to the Professional Development Institute, so we can move storage out of the tech academy into our lower level to free up that space for the band room and the choral room for Stephen Decatur (Middle School).” For everything to go smoothly, he said, it all has to work together in a particular order. Stephen Decatur will move to the former Decatur Area Technical Academy on Eldorado and Jackson streets. Eisenhower will move to Stephen Decatur. Furniture and equipment from Eisenhower will move to the tech academy, too, while Eisenhower will use Stephen Decatur’s furnishings, for the most part. Painting and remodeling are under way at the tech academy to get it ready. The Special Education Alternative Placement program will permanently move to Phoenix Academy, and the middle school Life Skills students will move to Thomas Jefferson Middle School, which also required remodeling and the addition of accessible bathrooms with changing tables. “For the past six weeks or so, we’ve already been working on the remodeling of the second floor of the tech academy, making more classroom space,” Sotiroff said. “Currently, Heartland (Technical Academy) is still occupying the first floor of the tech academy, so I can’t do any work there until school is out.” Most Heartland classes moved to Richland Community College this school year, but some remained downtown and will move to other locations until facilities at Richland are constructed to house them. The child care program will move to the Richland wing of Hope Academy in the fall, for example. The Macon-Piatt Special Education offices will remain where they are. Project manager John Whitlock said he doesn’t expect traffic to be affected along 16th Street during the work on Eisenhower. With school out as of next week, and work confined to the school grounds, the construction shouldn’t cause any inconvenience. “One of the biggest feats we have to pull off is being completely moved out of Eisenhower by the end of June,” Sotiroff said. “We’re trying to minimize the amount of furniture moving if possible.” There is a master plan, he said, and all the affected principals and Superintendent Gloria Davis, along with the buildings and grounds department, have worked together to make that plan as efficient as possible. The entire project, including renovations at MacArthur High School, is expected to be finished by January 2015. Eisenhower students should move back into their completely upgraded building in January 2014, and MacArthur students will move to Stephen Decatur until their building is finished. Eisenhower will be renovated first because it needs the most work, Whitlock said, and in effect, it will be a brand-new school when it’s finished, inside and out. MacArthur will be thoroughly renovated, but more of the existing building will remain because it’s in better shape and needs less work. Contracts were awarded at the May 8 school board meeting. Nicholas and Associates of Mount Prospect is the general contractor, and the various primary contractors for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire protection and technology are all Decatur companies. One issue that arose prior to the awarding of contracts was the question of minority participation goals. The Decatur branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People objected when percentages were not in early drafts of the construction documents. Construction documents all contain standard language and are meant to be edited to suit specific jobs, said Todd Covault, director of business affairs for Decatur schools. The basic documents do not contain language about minority business ownership or minority work force goals because that isn’t always a factor. The documents for the high school renovations have gone through repeated drafts and reviews before being finalized at the end of March for the Eisenhower portion of the project. “All three aspects are in the contract,” Covault said. “We have female business enterprise, minority business enterprise — that’s about (business) ownership. We have the project labor agreement, which is the local union agreement, and we have work force goals in the contract. They’re separate sections of the contract and, each one refers to various exhibits.” The Project Labor Agreement, for example, only creates a relationship between the district and local trades and labor. That portion of the overall document is the district’s agreement to use local union labor and those unions’ agreement to complete the work in a timely fashion with no strikes, stoppages or slowdowns. Once the documents were complete and the goals were spelled out, including goals on specific job categories such as carpenters and plumbers, the NAACP was satisfied. One way the district is ensuring that the highest number of local companies and workers are involved is by splitting the work into smaller chunks and using multiple primary contractors. A single general contractor for the entire almost $80 million project would have to qualify and pay for a bond for that amount, Covault said. That would exclude almost all local contractors. By dividing the work, and thus dividing the bids, more contractors could cover the required bonds. “The board will have contracts with the plumber, the electrician, the mechanical, and with each smaller piece of pie; there’s more potential for locals to be bonded to do the work. So it’s not the general contractor holding the bag, it’s these smaller groups. A lot of thought went into how this was designed.” Racine Unified School District to spend about $42 million on upgrades
Lindsay Fiori,
Journal Times
May 21, 2012 WISCONSIN: Racine Unified officials plan to spend about $42 million on school building energy-efficiency projects and updated science labs. Money for the projects would initially be borrowed but would eventually come from property taxes. The projects would not increase taxes though, instead maintaining tax levels as other expenses — including a previous referendum — fall off tax bills, district officials said. With the money, energy-efficiency projects ranging from more efficient lighting to water conservation efforts would be completed at 25 school buildings. Science labs also would be updated at five Unified middle schools. The projects could begin as soon as this summer with all slated for completion by December 2013, district documents show. Projects were identified based on positive learning impacts — like windows that keep students warmer in winter and science labs that allow for more projects and technology use — and the potential for saving money including by eliminating projects from the district’s maintenance list, according to Hazen and Unified documents. The district has estimated that $39 million of the district‘s $90 million deferred maintenance project list would be eliminated through the proposed projects. That savings plus cheaper energy bills should exceed the projects’ total cost, including any interest, in 20 years, if not sooner, Hazen said. He could not provide an exact savings amount because interest rates and amounts are not yet known. SC colleges defer $1.1 billion in needed maintenance
Adam Bean,
The State
May 21, 2012 SOUTH CAROLINA: South Carolina’s colleges and universities have an estimated $1.1 billion backlog in building maintenance that they have put off, the result of years of state budget cuts and shifting priorities. “It’s been running about that level for some time,” said Gary Glenn, director of finance and facilities for the Commission on Higher Education. “The institutions have been maintaining ... basically the status quo.” But some help — up to $32 million — could be on the way. However — thanks to the increased ticket sales for the Mega Millions jackpot in April — the state lottery announced earlier this month that it has a surplus of $18 million. The state Senate, which resumes debating its version of the state budget Tuesday, proposes to give most of that money to colleges and universities for building maintenance, increasing the total for maintenance to $32 million, including $4.7 million for the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus. Green schools that go beyond basics
Monika Joshi,
USA Today
May 20, 2012 NATIONAL: One Indiana school is not only drilling its students on academics, but it's also drilling holes in its campus to tap geothermal energy. A Vermont college is into burning wood chips as a way to save money. What they share is a passion for environmental sustainability — operating in a way that uses renewable fuels and tries to save money in the process. Interest in sustainability is particularly strong on college campuses. Princeton Review, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, is out this week with its 2012 Guide to 322 Green Colleges and finds in a separate survey that 68% of more than 7,000 college applicants told them that a college's commitment to the environment would play a role in their decision to apply to or attend that school. The guide can be downloaded at princeton-review.com.green-guide or centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide. Further, the number of projects on campuses that have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, a testament to their environmental attributes, has surpassed the total number of colleges. "Universities are spending a good amount of time assessing each of their buildings and determining how they're being utilized and which should be prioritized for an energy-efficient upgrade," says Jaime Van Mourik, director of higher education at the Center for Green Schools at the non-profit Green Building Council, which runs the LEED program. Wake County may reopen former Raleigh schools closed in the 1970s
T. Keung Hui-Khui,
News Observer
May 20, 2012 NORTH CAROLINA: In the 1960s, nearly every neighborhood in central Raleigh had its own elementary school. But the combination of integration, white flight and population shifts to the suburbs shut down many of these old-time Raleigh schools. Now two of them may be pressed back into duty to help educate the new wave of students moving into the heart of the city. Wake County school administrators are looking at the feasibility of reactivating the Thompson School and the Crosby-Garfield School, both in Southeast Raleigh near downtown. Both buildings, owned by the county and used for county offices and by community groups, might be returned to the school system and reopened as schools as soon as fall 2013. “I can’t think of a better use for an old school than what it was originally built for,” said Wake County Manager David Cooke. Newport school officials to decide whether to renovate or replace buildings
Alex Barber,
Bangor Daily News
May 20, 2012 MAINE: Two schools in Newport were selected among six in the state for renovation or replacement. RSU 19 Superintendent William Braun has gotten the ball rolling on what could be a multi-year process, he said. Newport Elementary School and Nokomis Regional High School made the priority list for the Department of Education’s Major Capital Improvement Program. Nokomis is 44 years old while Newport Elementary is near 70 years old, said Braun. “The question comes down to, do you rehab the structure or do you replace the structure? That’s part of the decision that has to be made at this point,” said Braun. The high school has no sprinkler system, no fire code alarm system and has the original heating system. The roof is also 35 years old, he said. It’s also run out of room. “We don’t have room for all the programs. The ROTC program is housed in the garage out back,” said Braun. He mentioned the high school has 23 modular units that have been added on to the building over the years. “When it was built 44 years ago, we didn’t have a need for technology classrooms or special ed. Once those programs became a structure for a part of education, all of a sudden we began to run out of space.” That’s why building a new high school near the current high school would be the best option, he said. “We own 237 acres up there,” Braun said. “We can maintain the fields we already have instead of building all new fields. That does make the most sense.” If a new high school is built, what would happen with the old high school? “Some of the discussions have been having a regional, central middle school for grades six through eight,” he said. “Changing to a six through eighth grade — approximately 600 kids could fit in the basic building structure [of the current high school]. We would strip it out and remodel it. The question is, is that a viable use and expenditure for that building?” Having Somerset Valley and Sebasticook Valley middle schools now in one place next to the high school makes financial sense, said Braun. “It would actually reduce some overhead costs,” he said. The two current middle schools are only 10 years old, he said, so it doesn’t make sense to abandon them. A possibility is moving five elementary schools into the two middle school buildings, thus reducing the number of school buildings in the eight-town district from eight to four. “We plow, literally, acres of driveway and parking lots. We cut some 40 acres of grass weekly and in the summer,” said Braun. “If we could cut 20 acres of grass and plow half of that sidewalk, I could save $100,000 a year.” Dallas Commission wonders whether high school and middle school metal detectors should be removed
Matthew Haag,
Dallas News
May 17, 2012 TEXAs: Dallas Citizens Budget Review Commission, which began last school year while Dallas ISD was trying to navigate deep budget cuts, has released its final recommendations for the 2012-13 school year. Recommendations include urging the district to improve student attendance and that DISD considers boosting budgets for extracurricular activities. But one recommendation stands out: The commission suggests Dallas ISD consider removing metal detectors in middle schools and high schools. The commission’s report says that the move could also save Dallas ISD money, because up to four people in each school have to oversee the metal detectors. The report doesn’t say how much the district could save, but recommends that the district’s police department evaluate the cost of having them. The reports states, “Eliminating this practice will also help students to get to classes more quickly and reduce tardiness. Finally, their removal will make the school appear more welcoming and remove the negative external perception concerns that DISD high schools must use them in order to provide a safe environment.” The commission’s chairman, Todd Williams, explained the reasoning to board members last week. He said that schools have many entrances — and many unlocked doors — that would allow for a determined person to bring a weapon to school. Plus, the commission found that neighboring school districts, such as Richardson, DeSoto and Lancaster, don’t use metal detectors on a regular basis. He told trustees that metal detectors were placed in DISD schools in the 1980s, and the practice was never reviewed later on. The commission is not suggesting that DISD consider removing metal detectors from alternative schools. “No one said let’s re-evaluate what we are doing five to 10 years down the road,” Williams said. Trustee Carla Ranger bristled at the suggestion to remove the metal detectors. She said if Williams and commission members asked school principals about the idea, they would offer a different opinion. Dallas ISD Police Chief Craig Miller declined to offer his opinion about the commission’s recommendation, but said, “The number one goal is the safety and security of the students.” Data from the Texas Education Agency shows that there have been at least 21 incidents in the previous three school years when guns were found in DISD schools. Dallas ISD had at least another 24 incidents of “illegal knives” being confiscated. An illegal knife is defined as a blade longer than 5.5 inches. The data doesn’t indicate whether the weapons were found in secondary schools or with the help of metal detectors. Joplin Poised to Rebuild Tornado-Damaged Schools
Christina A. Samuels ,
Education Week
May 16, 2012 MISSOURI: One year after a tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri, the city is set to rebuild its schools with an eye toward non-traditional design. "Its new schools will feature flexible classroom areas, including spaces where students can work independently or in small groups, called 'think tanks.' And Joplin High School and Franklin Technical High School, once housed in separate buildings, will be brought together in a new facility that will include five 'career academies' where students can follow a college-preparatory academic path as well as take classes that lead directly to the work world." State-of-the-art sustainable school opens in Richmond
D. Fromm,
PR Newswire
May 16, 2012 VIRGINIA: A new state-of-the-art sustainable school, Ford Elementary, will be having its grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 19th. Designed to address the whole child, both body and mind, Ford Elementary creates a strong learning environment from a child's point-of-view. The two-story building, awhirl with bright colors and shapes, was designed by Sally Swanson Architects. Ms. Swanson, founding principal and CEO, explains, "Our goal is to provide a community-based school that is secure, totally green and healthy, and also delightful—relating to the age level of the students and very life-affirming." A highly collaborative bilingual planning and design process has resulted in joint-use spaces, innovative technology and security systems, and a green and energy-saving campus. The new school was built with the support of the citizens of the West Contra Costa Unified School District, and has received strong support by the WCCUSD Board. "The school's layout maximizes flexibility, accommodating a variety of diverse teaching methods and programs," explained Carlos Velilla, SSA's Director of Design. The second floor corridor is transformed into a street with light-filled corridors that double as a collaborative in-between space where learning can take place. The design also merges formal classroom spaces with accessible educational play equipment and outdoor programs. The original school, built in 1949, was an outdated and unsafe learning environment that offered the community few amenities and little sense of ownership. Construction on the new 68,000 square feet school was completed by Alten Construction and overseen by SGI Construction Management. The new school's design references the community culture using an imaginative interpretation of the Mission style with decorative blue and yellow tiles and an outsized arched library window. The cheerful facade signals a school environment that incorporates equal parts fun, creativity and learning. Windows, openings, and building details reduce the large scale to that of a child. The educational program works hand in hand to engage younger minds. The school's design process included a series of well-attended community workshops. Helping offset the dearth of neighborhood open space, the school includes a community garden, a mini-soccer field, as well as a small plaza with places for adults to sit, meet, and feel at home. The elementary school also provides after-hours joint-use spaces with the community, as well as Adult Education. Sustainability has been pursued diligently; the building has received one of the highest point ratings from California's Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). Strategic orientation to create 100% natural light in classroom; maximizing fresh air indoors; green and non-toxic materials; and insulation made from recycled blue jeans are a few of the sustainable highlights. Outdoors, native plants and bioswales add greenery with low water requirements, and are also used as educational components. Redding School of the Arts Scores Worldwide Achievement for Its Green Design
Press Release,
aNewsCafe.com
May 15, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Redding School of the Arts has been awarded LEED® Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized rating system designed to provide owners a path toward “greener” design, building and operations practices. Although there are currently over 12,000 LEED certified projects in 120 countries around the world, Redding School of the Arts is noteworthy for being the first new school campus anywhere to achieve the Platinum rating under the rigorous LEED for Schools 2009 standards. “Redding School of the Arts’ LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and this school serves as a prime example of just how much we can accomplish.” Completed in the Fall of 2011, Redding School of the Arts is a 77,000 square--foot, K--8 public charter school designed by Trilogy Architecture. It was awarded LEED certification for achievements in energy use, lighting applications, water conservation and collection, and building material components, as well as for incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. The school was funded by the McConnell Foundation and constructed by Gifford Construction. Lee Salter, President and CEO of The McConnell Foundation, said, “We’re pleased to see Redding School of the Arts and Trilogy Architecture gain this recognition. The Foundation is proud to have funded this project and worked so closely with so many talented and visionary people to achieve our goal of building a sustainable school.” LEED certification of the school was based on a myriad of green design and construction features that positively impact both the school itself and the broader community. Some of these features include the use of non--toxic paints; the use of more than 25% of building materials with recycled content, and the recycling of almost 85% of construction debris. Water saving devices are expected to save almost 500,000 gallons of water per year. Bicycle and pedestrian walking paths to adjacent neighborhoods, bus service and even electric car recharging stations were all designed to minimize traditional car transportation. With 100 year–old recycled redwood siding, windows into the mechanical spaces and elevator, an exposed steel structure and a building dashboard to show everyone how well the building is actually performing, there is a transparency designed into the school’s inner workings that functions as a story to be absorbed by students, teachers and parents alike. Trilogy Architecture, the Redding--based firm headed by James Theimer, AIA, previously received several national awards for its design of Redding School of the Arts, including an Honor Award from the National Institute of Building Sciences Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) and an Award for Design Excellence from the American Institute of Architects. “The client believes that LEED certification sends a positive message to the students, and to the community, that the environment is an important thing to protect,” remarked Theimer. “With that idea in mind, our mission from the very beginning of the project was to design for the highest standard we could. And Platinum certification tells us we got there.
Critics struggle to end 'pay to play' in school construction bonds
Will Evans,
Bay Citizen
May 15, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Critics of the practice in which financial firms help pass school bonds that they profit from are continuing to push for reforms, but so far have faced resistance and failure. In California, underwriting companies hired by school districts to sell bonds often make campaign contributions to help convince voters to pass the bond measures. A California Watch investigation found that leading underwriters gave $1.8 million over the last five years to successful bond measures, and in almost every case school districts gave underwriting contracts to those same firms. Underwriters are essentially middlemen, buying bonds from districts and selling them to investors at a higher price. Underwriters say they generally only give campaign contributions after getting hired; school districts argue the money has no influence. But critics call it a “pay to play” system that potentially costs taxpayers more than a strictly competitive process would. The California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors has been pushing to end the practice for years. Last year, it sponsored a bill to prohibit financial firms from providing both underwriting and campaign services for bond measures. The bill failed in committee, but its author, Assemblyman Chris Norby, R-Fullerton, vows to bring it back next year and add limits on campaign donations. "It’s a clear conflict of interest. Wall Street brokerage houses are buying local elections," Norby said. "The whole democratic process is being subverted and corrupted." Norby acknowledged his efforts face determined opposition from school districts and some underwriting companies. Similar bills failed in 2010, 2009 and 2008. "You have the public school establishment in an unholy alliance with Wall Street," Norby said. "It’s hard to beat it." School districts are worried that Norby's legislation would freeze underwriter campaign donations, which are needed to successfully pass bonds, said David Walrath, legislative advocate for the Small School Districts' Association. "We believe this bill, if enacted, would make it less likely that we could pass bonds, which would mean we’d be less able to provide adequate facilities for our students," Walrath said. Walrath said the proposal would especially harm small districts in rural areas, which are less able to raise money for bond campaigns from residents. He also takes issue with the bill for singling out financial firms, while architects, builders and unions also routinely give money to bond campaigns. "What is it about the service (underwriters) provide that’s so objectionable that they cannot have political free speech rights to assist in a campaign for something they believe in?" Walrath said. Federal regulators have also expressed concern that restrictions on bond measure contributions wouldn't pass constitutional muster. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld limits on contributions to individual candidates, but not for ballot initiatives. "It does touch on a person's ability to make constitutional speech," said Ernesto Lanza, deputy executive director and chief legal officer of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board. For years, some financial giants have been pushing the self-regulatory agency to adopt restrictions. In 2008, representatives of Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. urged the board to limit bond measure contributions from financial firms because of "the perception that making such a contribution could cause an underwriter to be selected and to help ensure that the playing field is leveled for all underwriters." Other underwriters, however, pushed back. School districts and other government entities “are in need of the public policy and campaign expertise of experienced regional investment banking firms," wrote an executive of George K. Baum & Company. The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board ended up requiring disclosure of campaign contributions and is still considering whether more regulations are necessary, Lanza said. In California, the debate has focused on underwriters that provide election-related services along with their traditional underwriting business. In 2010, for example, Franklin-McKinley School District in San Jose hired George K. Baum to help lay the groundwork for a bond measure campaign and to underwrite the bonds once they passed. The pre-election services included strategic planning, a public information program and a community opinion survey. "George K. Baum & Company offers school districts a turnkey approach to facilities funding," the company advertised in its proposal. "Our school district bond election clients have been overwhelmingly successful." The additional services are supposed to be free. School districts are prohibited from using public funds for bond campaigns. But county treasurers argue that school districts end up paying more under these arrangements. "We feel that these prepackaged campaign and underwriting relationships result in higher fees to the taxpayers," said Jackie Denney, president of the California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors. Neither the district nor George K. Baum responded to requests for comment. But in its proposal to the school district, the company stated, "Our competitors would like you to believe that the District will pay a higher fee for our additional services, but this is patently untrue. The only differences in this regard between our firm and our competitors are our smaller profit margin and our dedication to specialization." Under its contract with the district, George K. Baum stood to make 1.1 percent of the bonds sold. The company gave $8,500 to the campaign for Measure J, a $50 million bond measure on the November 2010 ballot. It also provided $10,000 worth of "Campaign Consulting Services," according to campaign filings. The measure passed with 70 percent of the vote, and George K. Baum has been selling the district's bonds since then. Historic 1922 elementary school receives Gold LEED distinction
Jarreau Freeman,
Montgomery Media
May 14, 2012 PENNSYLVANIA: Myers Elementary in Cheltenham Township received the Gold LEED distinction for the environmentally friendly design and function of the school building that was renovated back in 2009. LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was designed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000 as an internationally known symbol of excellence for buildings who aim to achieve high performance in human and environmental health, sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency and materials selected for indoor environmental quality, according to the U.S. GBC website. Myer’s received its distinction for meeting the LEED requirements with environmentally friendly features such as bike ranks, car pool parking perks, motion censored lighting in every room and bathroom, and eco-friendly roofing that reflects light off the roof and back into the atmosphere. Each restroom has low-flow sinks and toilets at a flow rate of 0.5 gallons per flush compared to the standard rate of 2.5 gallons per flush creating 31 percent water use and disposal reduction, said Lorna Rosenberg Myer’s parent, member of the Cheltenham Township Environmental Advisory Council and co-chair of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council. Rosenberg said the low energy light bulbs are used in each room, eco-friendly materials such as paints and flooring for the gymnasium were used and native plants were chosen to landscape the grounds. The building also makes efficient use of natural day light as a result of the windows which have been placed in 90 percent of the rooms in the building. Also, students, faculty and administrators at Myers are breathing in fresher air because of a special heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system that brings outside air into the building and an air treatment censor that monitors the carbon dioxide levels in the school, Rosenberg said. Rosenberg said that another interesting feature the Myer’s has is that teachers can use the building as a teaching tool through a dash board that shows the temperature levels in each room and indicates how much energy the building is using. Teachers can reference the dash board in lessons and can encourage students to track the different climate changes that may happen around them on a daily basis. Myer’s is not just a LEED certified building, but a renovated historic green school. “The most efficient building is the building you don’t build,” Rosenberg said. “When you demolish an existing building, energy is being used and viable materials are being wasted.” Myers has maintained much of its historical charm with a few modern modifications, Rosenberg said. The original 1922 entrance to the building has been restored and functions again as the main entrance to the school. From the outside, the building is a living history book where and students from past and present can see the original structure from the 1922 building, the 1966 building and the additions from the 2009 renovations, which combine to create the new Myer’s“Myer’s has never moved,” Rosenberg said. “It’s still part of the community fabric and it’s still intact. People who graduated 60 years ago can come back and see their school.” Myer’s student today take great pride in their school’s LEED distinction and are excited to educate anyone on how their environmental friendly school operates. When the newly renovated school reopened its doors in 2009, it was students, known as the Green Ambassadors, who toured commissioners, community members and parents around the building and showed them all the fun features of their environmentally friendly school had, said Sue O’Grady the Director of Communications and Development for the School District of Cheltenham “Having a school like Myer’s has given the students educational improvement because they are living it – [a green lifestyle],” said O’Grady. “They are accustomed to the motion sensors and the low water usage. It’s [knowledge] they can take with them … “The kids are really excited about the school because they have a lot of pride in their school and really see themselves as ambassadors to the community because there’s is the first in the [township] to be a LEED school.” Myer’s is among 650 schools nationwide who have the prestigious LEED certification. O’Grady said the school district aims to have all the schools in Cheltenham Township to be as environmentally friendly as Myer’s. “The goal is to make every school in Cheltenham meet the standard of energy efficient and environmentally friendliness,” O’Grady said. Colorado bond companies' role in school construction campaigns raises questions
David Olinger,
Denver Post
May 14, 2012 COLORADO: When Colorado citizens vote to borrow money to build new schools, a library or a recreation center, the crusader behind the curtain is often the investment banker who gets paid to sell the bonds. For those pushing bond issues in a tough economic climate, help from a bond underwriter can mean the difference between election day success and defeat. But the prevalence of bond house involvement — everything from polling to designing yard signs — also raises concerns from critics who worry they exert undue influence in a campaign. At worst, critics and experts say, governments pay bond companies extra to help pass tax increases, a potential violation of Colorado law. "It does seem like a backdoor way of using public funds (to finance campaigns)," said Colorado Ethics Watch director Luis Toro. "To say there's no chance of corruption is totally out of touch." The Denver Post analyzed 15 successful Colorado bond campaigns backed by large contributions from investment banks. In every case, the bank that helped finance the campaign sold the bonds. The Post found that individual school districts took as much as $137,500 from a single bond company, and that in six of the 15 campaigns, bond company donations amounted to a majority or nearly half of all contributions. By comparison, no person can give more than $1,100 to a Colorado gubernatorial candidate, and corporate gifts to state candidates are forbidden. The Post also found that in several cases, a school district paid an unusually high fee for the amount of bonds sold after an investment bank contributed election services to the campaign. That is a potential violation of the state Fair Campaign Practices Act, which forbids government bodies to "expend any moneys from any source, or make any contributions, to urge electors to vote in favor of or against any" local ballot issue. Maryland Schools to Go Green Under New Eco-Schools USA Partnership
Max Greenberg,
NWF Media Center
May 14, 2012 MARYLAND: The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) and the National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools USA program have formed a partnership that will benefit more than 400 schools throughout the state by offering joint resources to make schools and curricula greener, with the intention of growing that number further in the future. The partnership will link the Maryland Green Schools Program and Eco-Schools USA to encourage schools to go through both awards processes: performing environmental audits; ‘greening’ school buildings and grounds; conserving natural resources; and integrating environmental education into curricula. This new collaboration offers the support and cumulative expertise of two highly regarded organizations with a unique focus on making schools green as well as their most important export—the next generation of American conservationists. “Change doesn’t happen overnight and it can’t happen unless there are resources that work to get an entire school community involved. This partnership brings together two organizations and their resources in supporting Maryland schools to create a greener learning environment both inside the classroom and out.” said Laura Johnson Collard, Executive Director, MAEOE “Eco Schools USA provides national recognition to schools and the opportunity to broaden perspectives nationally and internationally,” added Maryland Green Schools Coordinator Joanne Schmader. “Maryland has been at the head of the class when it comes to developing environmental literacy and connecting kids with nature,” said Laura Hickey, Senior Director of Eco-Schools USA. “We’re very pleased to be building on more than 20 Eco-Schools already registered in the state and fostering a true community for green schools.” A vision for Eugene schools. New plan offers more than bricks and mortar
Editorial writer,
Register-Guard
May 13, 2012 OREGON: The Eugene School District is in the midst of a decades-long program of school consolidation, replacement and reconstruction that began with voter approval of a $116 million bond issue in 2002 and continued with a $70 million bond last year. The district is gearing up for the next stages of the program, but this time an important element has been given added emphasis. The district intends to focus not just on school buildings, but on what goes on inside them. Superintendent Sheldon Berman offers a pragmatic rationale for hitching educational goals to the school construction plan. As a practical matter, the only way the Eugene School District can increase its investment in education is through a capital program — property taxes for operating purposes are at their limit, and the district has no control over the level of state support. But Berman thinks the district can build more than just new schools. Berman is relatively new to the district, but he knows that its patrons have long taken pride in having a first-rate system of public education. He also understands that this sense of pride has taken a beating in recent years due to ceaseless budget-related cutbacks. If the district is going to spend a pile of money on new and refurbished schools, Berman thinks it should be done in a way that rekindles people’s feeling that their schools are extraordinary. The plan aims to correct physical deficiencies and strengthen educational programs in each of the district’s four high school regions: In the Churchill High School region, the Yugin Gakuen Japanese immersion school would move into a remodeled Arts and Technology Academy building, giving the Churchill region its first language immersion school. Churchill, along with some of the schools feeding into it, would gain a new focus on Asian studies and science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In the North Eugene High School district, Howard and Corridor elementary schools would be consolidated in a new building on the Howard site. River Road/el Camino del Rio dual language immersion school would get a new building. North, the only one of the district’s four high schools to receive a failing grade in an evaluation of buildings’ conditions, would be torn down, rebuilt and given a new focus on international education and the International Baccalaureate degree. In the South Eugene High School district, Roosevelt Middle School would be replaced, either at its current location or on the Civic Stadium site. If Roosevelt moves to the Civic property, Edison and Camas Ridge elementary schools would be consolidated in a new building at the current Roosevelt site. This would create a kindergarten through 12th grade campus around South Eugene High School. If Roosevelt stays put, the consolidated elementary schools would go into a new building at the Camas Ridge site. The region’s alternative schools would move to a new building at the old Willard School site on 29th Avenue. The Sheldon High School region would see the fewest changes, mainly because the region’s most urgent needs were addressed in earlier rounds of the school repair and replacement program. City of Eugene libraries might share space with school libraries at Sheldon, Churchill and North. Efficiencies would immediately result for both the city and the school district. Educational, social and cultural benefits would follow. A significant effect of the plan would be a rebalancing of the district’s four high schools. Churchill and North, with their language programs and respective focuses on science and international studies, could expect to attract students from outside their regions, as South and Sheldon do now. The result would be greater equity and increased choice throughout the district, and all four high schools would be better prepared to thrive in the competitive environment created by a new state law allowing students to enroll in schools outside their home districts. All this adds up to $213 million. The money would be raised by a series of three bond measures, with the first going to voters next year. Much remains uncertain — including the property tax rate needed to support bond repayments and the fate of Civic Stadium. Revisions are likely — past school capital proposals have been greatly altered from their initial forms. But Berman recognizes that a big capital investment should buy the district more than new boilers and plumbing. It can even buy more than 21st century school buildings. The next phase of the school consolidation, replacement and reconstruction project can improve education throughout the district. School of dreams
Dina Mendros,
Journal Tribune
May 13, 2012 MAINE: Construction at Biddeford High School is still ongoing, with the Tiger Gym and the cafeteria scheduled to be completed prior to the start of new school year in the fall. But the majority of the renovations are complete, and a celebration of the $34 million dollar project that began in 2010 will take place. Prior to the renovations, “I don’t think I could visualize how beautiful the school was going to look,” said Superintendent of Schools Sarah-Jane Poli. She said she was also pleased to report that the project is currently on schedule and on budget. Prior to the beginning of the current school year, a new addition was built that includes a new and secure entrance that opens into a bright and spacious lobby. The first floor houses the administration offices and a new library and media center is on the second floor. On a tour of the school Tuesday, BHS Principal Britton Wolfe showed off the latest round of renovations to the classrooms, the Stephen White Gymnasium and the 330-seat lecture hall. The students in those renovated classrooms Tuesday seemed excited by the changes. “I think it’s making the school look really nice,” said Kristen Haycock, a freshman. “Having a nicer school makes me want to come to school.” Amber Perkins, a junior, has an appreciation of the before and after at BHS, having spent one year in the school before renovations began. “I think it’s a wonderful thing,” she said, ”the new rooms make kids want to work harder.” Teachers also have nothing but praise for their like-new classrooms. “It’s nice to have a new classroom,” said Terry Schang, who has taught health at BHS for seven years. “There’s a better vibe through the student body and staff to have a new facility.” The new technology that has been installed into the classrooms as part of the renovation is also very helpful, she said. The interactive Eno boards allow her to hook her computer to the board to show movies and use it as large screen when surfing the Internet. Also, when she writes notes on the board, they are saved so students can easily access them. Gorden Cutten, who has been teaching science at BHS for 39 years, has only been in his newly renovated classroom for two weeks. Since there’s only five weeks left in the school year, he said “I’m really looking forward to next fall.” “The way we’ll do experiments in the labs will be totally different,” said Cutten. Before, there was little counter and cabinet space and “no room to do big experiments,” he said. Now, he said, there’s plenty of room. In addition, there are new safety features for all the science classrooms, like showers and eyewash stations in each room and a new air exchange system throughout the department. School nurse Peggy Blood said she likes her new space, which includes a clinic, a private room and a combination office and waiting room. “It’s a dream,” she said. “I have privacy and space where I can see what’s going on.” She added that this year no students have come to her reporting illness because of the air quality. “Everything is done so first class,” said Brian Curit, who has taught Social Studies at the school for 25 years. “Aesthetically, it’s just so pleasing. “It’s been a long time in coming,” he said. “I’m hoping they take care of it for many years to come.” When the public approved a $34 million bond to pay for the project, it was because school officials said renovations to BHS were necessary due to disrepair, failure to meet current building and fire codes, and the need for new technology in the classrooms. Another reason changes were required was because of findings by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, known as NEASC. The association had placed BHS on a warning list both for academic reasons and because of problems with the school building. In light of the academic changes that have already been made, and once the renovations are completed, the school will be taken off the warning list, said Wolfe. Then the school has 18 months to complete a self-study for NEASC. “We want to knock their socks off,” said Wolfe. “We want this report to reflect the great progress we’ve made at Biddeford High School.” Now that the renovations are nearly complete, Wolfe said, “You feel both more supported and a greater sense of pride being in a school that exudes commitment on the part of the community. “The people of Biddeford should really be proud,” he said. Marysville Getchell campus wins high marks for design
Amy Daybert,
Herald Net
May 12, 2012 WASHINGTON: The Marysville Getchell High School campus started attracting attention years before students walked into their classes for the first time. The 40-acre campus set back in a second-growth forest opened in September 2010 but began receiving recognition for its architectural and educational design as early as 2007. It has since earned a total of 13 awards. The campus, designed by DLR Group in Seattle, has won awards on both state and national levels. Almost all of the entries were submitted by DLR Group. "It's amazing how much attention this school has gotten," said Todd Ferking, a project manager with DLR Group. "No one would have necessarily expected it out of little old Marysville. We've taken many national clients through the school." The latest award for the school was given in late April by Learning By Design, a guide that showcases the top education design projects throughout the country. The campus is featured as one of three grand prize winners from a total of 54 contest entries. The other grand prize winners for spring 2012 included the NAC Architecture for Machias Elementary School in Snohomish and a school in Houston, Texas. The school's four small learning communities are each contained in their own buildings. They are the Academy of Construction and Engineering, the Bio-Med Academy, the International School of Communications, and the School for the Entrepreneur. A shared building, known as the Charger Outlet, offers a dining area with stage, a gym and a fitness center with an indoor track. An outdoor track, multiple sports fields and tennis courts are also shared by all students at Marysville Getchell. The Marysville School District had one main high school, Marysville Pilchuck, and three smaller alternative schools before Marysville Getchell opened. The new school cost $94.4 million to design and build. The price tag was less than the $99.2 million overall cost of the new Lynnwood High School, which opened in September 2009, and more than the $87.3 million Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish that opened in September 2008. Groups from throughout the country have visited Marysville Getchell to learn about its construction and educational design. More than 30 tours of the campus have been given since it opened, Bingham said. A future tour set for October is with educators from England, Germany and Australia, Bingham added. "We've had other district school boards, administrators, and community members come in that are thinking about doing something similar," he said. "We learned from folks before we started and now it's time for us to share with people some of the success we've had." That success includes students embracing the educational layout of the campus and the energy efficiency of building operations. The Marysville School District has received incentive grants from utility districts for building beyond the energy code at Marysville Getchell, Bingham said. Schools eye construction finance options
Hillary Gavan,
Beloit Daily News
May 11, 2012 WISCONSIN: The School District of Beloit is applying for a bridge loan of $10 million to pursue preliminary referendum projects. The district plans to issue the $70 million of referendum debt after exploring the possibility of issuing Q-bonds, which could have zero to low interest rates. The $10 million in bond anticipation note funds would keep referendum projects rolling until Jan. 1, when the Q-bonds may be obtained. “We don’t have enough operating funds to cover $10 million in expenses without seeking a bond anticipation note,” said Executive Director of Business Services Janelle Marotz. Marotz said Q-bonds could potentially save taxpayers millions of dollars over the 20 years of the referendum debt. Possible options may include Qualified Academy Zone Bonds, Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds or Qualified School Construction Bonds. The Q-bonds were created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The bonds can be issued to finance expenditures relating to public school facilities at nominal interest rates, according to the IRS. School’s recycling team means that it’s easy being green
Kitson Jazynka,
Washington Post
May 11, 2012 MARYLAND: At 2:30 in the afternoon at Great Seneca Creek Elementary School, a loud rumbling takes over the hallway. An earthquake? No. A herd of elephants? No. It’s three members of the school’s Green Team pushing a rumbly blue bin down the upstairs hallway. Another three-kid Green Team squad works the first floor of the Germantown school. Their mission? Collecting discarded paper from every classroom and office for recycling. Made up of about 30 students in third through fifth grade, the Green Team recycles and teaches others about helping the Earth’s environment. Recently, they made special light-switch covers to remind teachers to turn off the lights when they leave the room. For Earth Day, they held a trash pickup on the school grounds. For the past six years, Great Seneca Creek has been recognized as a LEED school by the U.S. Green Building Council. “LEED” stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Great Seneca is one of 61 schools in Maryland, Virginia and Washington that have been recognized for having a building that focuses on energy conservation and being friendly to the environment. That focus is obvious throughout the school. In the main lobby, a mural shows the Earth’s water cycle, from clouds on the ceiling to tiles in the floor representing the stream that the school is named after. Students often take tests on laptops to conserve paper. In the restrooms, they use waterless urinals (no flushing required), dual-flush toilets (which use less water for liquid waste) and motion-activated sinks to save water and learn about water conservation. Students learn about energy conservation in classrooms that have large windows to allow in natural light and sloped ceilings that help save electricity. “With so many reminders in our building, it becomes a part of students’ lives to make everyday choices that are good for the environment,” Principal Greg Edmundson says. Solar arrays on schools give Burlington clean energy, revenue
Press Release,
VTDigger
May 11, 2012 VERMONT: Executives from Encore Redevelopment were joined by Mayor Miro Weinberger and other city officials at Burlington High School to launch an exciting solar project that will produce clean, renewable energy at two local schools, and will provide an estimated $300,000 in direct economic benefit to the city of Burlington. This project, located at Burlington High School and C.P. Smith Elementary School, is the largest roof-mounted solar panel array in the state of Vermont, and will produce a total of 228kW of locally generated energy. The next project, at the Hunt Middle School, is on schedule to be commissioned by October 2012. This project was made possible by an innovative public-private partnership between the Burlington Electric Department and Encore Redevelopment, who will own, operate and maintain the displays, and who co-developed the project with initial project developer New Generation Partners. The partnership featured a creative power-purchase agreement (PPA) that allowed for financial viability while providing the municipal utility with protection against spot market pricing volatility during periods of peak demand. Additional benefits to the City of Burlington will be derived through lease payments made to the Burlington School District from revenues generated by the arrays. A total of over $300,000 of direct economic benefit to the city of Burlington is predicted over the 20-year contract period, and the project will produce enough solar electricity in the first five years of operation to pay for itself. The Burlington schools solar project is the first in an ongoing package of solar arrays. Students at both schools will benefit from a state-of-the-art PV Monitoring system provided by Draker of Burlington. This data acquisition system will monitor system performance, optimize efficiency, and maximize PV yield. Advanced analytical tools and key performance indicators will provide in-depth production data that will allow for real-time data analysis of the energy generated by the solar arrays and promote the development of clean energy curriculum in the classrooms. Creative financing structures were critical to this project, with the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA), the Vermont Community Loan Fund (VCLF) and the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund’s Renewable Energy Resource Center all contributing to the success of the project. The arrays were installed by groSolar of White River Junction, Vermont. Collaboration with the Burlington Electric Department was instrumental in the success of the project, as the partnership provided additional sources of clean, distributed generation capacity within BED’s distribution system. The City of Burlington School Department also benefits from new sources of clean, renewable energy on otherwise unused school roofs. The combined economic and educational benefits of the project provide a model example for other school districts throughout the state of Vermont, as the Draker PV Monitoring system will enable new hands-on learning opportunities in the classroom. Terry Bailey, Director of Operations for the Burlington Schools, stated that, “Having these installations at the schools, provides an important message to the public and the students that our community is preparing for the future with renewable energy. The monitoring systems make available a direct, purposeful learning experience for the students and teachers.”
For 24 New York City Schools Getting New Start, 24 New Names
Anna M. Phillips,
New York Times
May 10, 2012 NEW YORK: For nearly 50 years, the large school building on Avenue X in Gravesend, Brooklyn, has been known as John Dewey High School, after the man who has been called “the father of progressive education.” The name is on the building and the sign out front. It is what you hear on the school’s answering machine. That era is coming to an end. Next year the Dewey name will be attached to a location, not an institution, as the high school and 23 other public schools are renamed, as part of the city’s Education Department strategy to qualify for nearly $60 million in federal grants to help the so-called struggling schools get fresh starts. Instead of borrowing their names from distinguished historical figures like Dewey and William Cullen Bryant, many of the schools will incorporate words like “opportunity” and “academy” into their titles. The name changes are a requirement of a city plan to replace about half of the teaching staff and bestow new titles on the 24 schools, some of which are among the oldest educational institutions in the city. The list includes many of the words and phrases that have become popular in school names over the last decade, as principals pay more attention to marketing and try to brand their schools with words like academy (now used at 208 schools), community (50 schools) and technology (40 schools). At least one of them — the Bronx Middle School of Academic and Career Technology — combines so many of these popular words that it almost requires an explanatory footnote. But there are exceptions. At Flushing High School in Queens, the principal decided to rename the school after Rupert B. Thomas, a member of the city’s Board of Education in the early 20th century who pushed for the city to build a new high school in Flushing. City officials said they gave the schools the leeway to reinvent themselves. “We did not prescribe a formula,” said Deputy Chancellor Marc Sternberg. “We empowered principals to figure this out, and I think in every instance they’ve done a good job of that.” Some principals put out comment boxes, others asked students to weigh in. Amid budget politics, Arizona school buildings crumble
Kellie Mejdrich,
Green Valley News
May 10, 2012 ARIZONA: When an old school bus breaks down, Higley Unified School District sent a truck to push the bus out of the road. Then their truck broke down, too. That’s the least of Arizona schools’ problems. Districts like Kyrene School District are facing the summer’s scorching heat with coolers that could break down at any moment, which could send kids home to their parents so emergency repairs can be made. Higley’s situation mirrors the larger problem of funding for school facilities in Arizona: not only are schools breaking down, but there’s no way to fix the problem. After budget talks about overhauling school building maintenance flopped, the legislature has continued to cut off funding to regular school repairs in violation of the state Constitution and a previous court order. Since 2008, districts have been digging into classroom dollars to fix the schools and will continue to do so, officials say. “My goodness in the rural areas it’s a lot worse. You have roofs that are cracking,” said Tony Malaj, executive director for community programs and policy for Higley Unified School District. In 1998, the state Supreme Court first demanded buildings be adequately maintained to provide a “general and uniform” public school system as required by the constitution, in a decision commonly referred to as “Students First.” So the state established a system through a new agency, the School Facilities Board, to fund school repairs, and appropriated $2 billion to fix the schools. The legislature was supposed to appropriate money yearly to maintain school buildings. Previously, schools had used local bond elections to maintain their facilities, but since some areas like rural districts with low property values had little bonding capacity, the court ruled that was unfair. So bonding was restricted, money was given to the board, and schools were supposed to maintain their facilities that way. Budget crises left the “building renewal” fund empty for the past four years though, which was supposed to provide money for routine repairs. Schools have had to turn to their now-limited bonding abilities, and hope for more money next year—through appropriation or a court order, district leaders said. But legislators have moved sluggishly, if at all, toward preventing legal trouble, said Sen. Rich Crandall, R-Mesa, who introduced a bill to at least increase the bonding capacity of school districts, which basically allows them to borrow money from their local taxpayers. With that bill dead, little money is left to adequately repair all the state’s schools, some of which could be in varying states of dilapidation since 2008. Northwest College board begins planning for new building
Ilene Olson,
Powell Tribune
May 10, 2012 WYOMING: Northwest College was approved for $9.38 million of state funding this year to help build a new classroom building to give the college more space and address other needs. The question now is how to pay the remaining $4.9 million for the planned $14.25 million structure. The NWC Board of Trustees began considering how to provide that $4.9 million local match at its meeting last month. NWC President Paul Prestwich encouraged the board to provide some of the money from reserves. He noted that, in its original proposal to the Wyoming Community College Commission and the Legislature, Northwest College said it would pay a local match of $1.5 million of the building’s cost. That later was raised to $4.9 million by the new 6-mill local match requirement. “It’s still important for us to use that amount from our reserves, because we had already planned to do that,” Prestwich said. “I think if we do end up going to the voters for a possible mill levy or a general obligation bond, I think we need to show that we’re willing to put money from our reserves, a sizable chunk, (toward the cost).” However, Prestwich stressed it’s ultimately a decision for the board. Sheldon Flom, NWC finance director, outlined different options that could be available to the board to raise and/or pay the local match money. By holding expenses down, the college could afford payments of as much as $400,000 per year without going to the voters, Flom said. In addition, the college could impose a $5 student facility fee on all credits taken at the college. That would raise approximately $245,000 per year to help pay for the building, Flom said. Some options would require voters to approve a bond issue; some would not. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, Flom said. Those options are: • A mill levy on property taxes. “With a mill levy, we say we need 1.5 mills, and it generates what it generates, whatever that is,” Flom explained. “It’s not a guaranteed amount. If levies go up, we get more money; if they go down, we will have to make that up out of reserves.” • A general obligation bond. • A revenue bond, pledging income from the college’s auxiliary funds. “We say, our auxiliaries generate $300,000 per year, and we’re pledging all that to pay for this bond,” Flom said. • A lease revenue bond, pledging revenue from all of the college. “We’re pledging the revenue of all the college to pay off this bond. We would have a bigger revenue base, which brings down the interest rate.” • A traditional loan. “A loan is a wild card,” Flom said. “It’s not as secure as a bond.” Interest rates also will be higher; the longer the loan period, the higher the interest rate, he said. However, with a loan, you don’t have other expenses that come with a bond, he said. For instance, a bond reserve fund is required with a bond issue. It is held by a trustee in case of default and to make up interest rates and payments as they fluctuate. In one short-term scenario, the required fund would be in the neighborhood of $300,000. Interest and other expenses would add another estimated $121,000 and $85,000, respectively, bringing the total cost to about $500,000. For a 15-year lease revenue bond, interest would be 3.4 percent, totaling about $1.5 million, plus $100,000 in revenue expenses, and the reserve fund would be higher as well, Flom said. “With a traditional loan, you have a higher interest rate, but you avoid all the bonding expenses.” For a 13-year term, a traditional loan is estimated to cost about $1.3 million. By making bigger payments for 10 years, that is reduced to $790,000. Mark Kitchen, NWC vice president for public relations, said the Wyoming Constitution requires the college to go up for a public vote under some of those scenarios. “In a nutshell, it says that, except for taxes for the given year, a political subdivision cannot incur debt into the future except that which you seek public approval to do,” he said. “The one exception to that is the revenue bond and the lease revenue bond system.” Kitchen told the board he has contacted the office of U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis to inquire whether federal funds are available to help pay the local match money. Flom noted the college already had been asked by Gov. Matt Mead to determine how it could cut 4 percent from its fiscal year 2014 budget. “That 4 percent would be about $400,000,” he said. Since then, the governor has increased that directive to planning for an 8 percent funding cut. Prestwich said, “It’s not hard to imagine a scenario out there where, if we had to fund this ourselves ... and we took a cut from the state, that the combination of that payment plus a cut could have really significant effects on our budget. We could be in a a situation where we’re having to lay off faculty and staff and significantly cut down on our services ... You start to combine those, and you could be in a really tough situation.” Board members discussed the possibility of taking the matter to voters for approval of a bond issue. Trustee Rick LaPlante said it’s important to inform voters completely and honestly. “The whole West Park thing, ‘We don’t have the money,’ — ‘Oh, look we found the money,’ was a fiasco,” he said. Prestwich said it also is important that voters know the college must come up with the money somehow to leverage the state funding for the building. There won’t be another chance, he said. Philadelphia's Mayor Nutter Announces Green 2015 Pilot Program to Green School Yards
Staff writer,
City of Philadelphia
May 10, 2012 PENNSYLVANIA: n a major step forward for the “greening” of public spaces in Philadelphia, Mayor Michael A. Nutter formally announced today that the City and a national conservation group will partner with the School District to green as many as 10 school yards and recreation centers starting this spring. The new groundbreaking initiative marks the second phase of the City’s innovative Green 2015 Action Plan. It was announced at the William Dick Elementary School, which will partner with the adjacent Hank Gathers Recreation Center in North Philadelphia on a pilot project to significantly expand green space for public use. In addition to the School District, Green2015 partners include the Philadelphia Water Department, the Department of Parks and Recreation, national conservation non-profit The Trust for Public Land and the Mural Arts Program. “This is an exciting collaboration for the City of Philadelphia,” said Mayor Nutter. “Working with our partners, we will be able to green places where our children play. Making Philadelphia the greenest city in America involves infrastructure changes and creating healthy, sustainable spaces. However, it is also about educating our children about the environment so that they are prepared to care for it in the future. I am confident these improved school yards and recreation centers will do all of the above.” The partnership will initially focus on redesigning and redeveloping the William Dick Elementary Schoolyard, Hank Gathers Recreation Center and Collazo Park, with additional recreation centers and schoolyards to be announced in the coming months based on the success of the pilot. One major advantage of the partnership is that it allows the City and the School District to pool limited public resources to focus on areas where public schools and City recreation centers are located close to each other. The partnership also leverages federally-mandated stormwater management funds, committed state funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Conversation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and private philanthropy raised by The Trust for Public Land from the William Penn Foundation, MetLife Foundation, National Recreation Foundation, and others. The TPS Foundation is also providing support to incorporate public art at various sites as part of the overall initiative. The William Penn Foundation was one of the original supporters of the planning and public engagement effort to draft the Green2015 Action Plan and is now providing significant resources for the pilot project. “This program represents a triple bottom line for Philadelphia. It cuts down on paved surfaces, which helps to keep heavy rains from washing pollutants into our water supply,” said Janet Haas, M.D., the Board Chair of the William Penn Foundation. “It repurposes existing city property, putting assets we already own to better use. And it brings communities together in attractive public spaces around their schools and recreation centers. In a time of economic scarcity, that level of impact is no small feat.” When fully implemented, the project envisions the greening of 10 school playgrounds and City recreation centers at a total cost of $9 million, about two-thirds of which would be met through combination of State, City, and School District sources. The Trust for Public Land is leading the effort to raise private funds to leverage public funding from the City and School District, and will also be establishing a stewardship fund to assist local organizations with maintenance and programming for each site. UNC-Chapel Hill Opens the Doors of New Koury Oral Health Sciences Building
Staff writer,
Press Release
May 09, 2012 NORTH CAROLINA: Committed to enhancing the quality of dental education, research, patient care, and service within the state of North Carolina, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill formally dedicated its newest facility, the Koury Oral Health Sciences Building, after a four-year construction process. This addition will enable the UNC School of Dentistry to eventually expand D.D.S. class enrollment size and respond to 21st century opportunities, discoveries, and advancements in the field. Designed by Flad Architects, the new Koury Oral Health Sciences Building realizes the university’s vision. “We want to see Carolina remain at the top of dental education, and this building will allow us to use innovation to its best advantage in the new educational methodology,” said Dr. Janet Guthmiller, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The 216,000-square-foot building was envisioned as a dynamic, functional, and inspiring environment – one capable of recruiting top-tier students and faculty and increasing the school’s visibility within the national dental community. Having experienced significant growth since its opening in 1950, a collection of five interconnected buildings had emerged over the years. Each one answered the program’s specific needs at the time, but after five decades, several renovations, and rapidly advancing technology, a new solution was necessary to provide the modern classrooms and cutting-edge research laboratories crucial to the school’s continued excellence. The facility is composed of two wings occupying the corner of South Columbia Street and Manning Drive at the southern edge of campus. Its precise placement among the existing dental buildings links the old and new construction, unifying the complex and fostering a sense of community. The Dental Commons, a soaring sky-lit atrium on the first floor, serves as the complex’s major social center, housing a café for mid-day breaks and ample tiered seating to easily accommodate assemblies and events. “One of our goals from the beginning was to create a social hub for the school, its patients, and its visitors to enjoy,” said Chuck Mummert, design architect at Flad. “By recovering the underutilized courtyards and alleyways between existing buildings, we were able to incorporate this light-filled Dental Commons area as a space not only connecting the buildings, but the people who use them as well.” Other key features of the project include: A signature 220-seat grand lecture hall in the West Lobby complete with video conferencing and distance-learning technology. Two 120-seat lecture halls, one capable of two-way distance learning. A 105-seat simulation laboratory giving students the opportunity to learn and develop their clinical skills before providing care to patients. Five 30-seat seminar rooms for graduate seminars and small group discussions, one equipped for distance learning via live lecture broadcasts over the Web or through direct audiovisual feed. Laboratories characterized by movable casework allowing different arrangements as the research changes and centralized, shared support rooms for fume hoods and equipment. Office and conference spaces. The facility employs a variety of new technologies that support resource conservation and enhanced building performance. Its design is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and is on track to receive Silver certification. A series of ‘firsts’ for the campus are part of the project, including the first building to capture and use condensate water from the mechanical equipment and the first building on campus to employ fluid dynamic modeling and use smoke curtains to design the smoke evacuation system. Solar Farm Generating Power at Lawrenceville School
Chrysti Neuman,
LawrencevillePatch
May 08, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Lawrenceville School flipped on the metaphorical switch to its new 6.1 megawatt solar farm during a dedication ceremony. The solar array, construction of which began in September 2011 and was completed in March, is expected to have a positive impact on the school, both environmentally and economically. "The solar farm is part of the Green Campus Initiative which involves everything from energy to lawn maintenance to water usage. Then there's a strong economic incentive as well," said Sam Kosoff, the private school’s director of sustainability. "The school will wind up saving $400,000 a year, but if energy prices escalate, it will be more." The nearly 25,000 solar panels, located on about 30 acres, are expected to generate 90 percent of the energy needs of the school off Route 206. The solar array is owned and will be maintained by KDC Solar TLS, based in Bedminster, N.J. For leasing out the 30 acres to KDC, Lawrenceville School will receive a low, fixed rate for electricity produced on the site for the next 20 years. “During the day, the array can produce nearly twice the amount of energy needed by the school. The excess will be exported to Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) and credited to the school. The school will draw the excess energy and all other required energy from PSE&G after sundown,” according to a news release issued by the school. The 6.1 megawatt DC array is expected to generate about 9,264,000 kilowatt hours of solar electricity per year, offsetting nearly 6,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent of taking more than 1,200 cars off the road. A “single axis tracker system” will allow the panels to adjust position to follow the sun as it moves throughout the day. The array will also offers an educational opportunity to the students, who can access the current output and usage of the solar farm through real-time monitoring information provided by KDC. "Students can study the design of the panels and how they work," said Kosoff. "We're still piecing together all the different teaching opportunities." In keeping with the land's previous agricultural use, 1,600 pounds of wildflower seeds were planted among and around the solar panels. California District May Scrap Plans to Build School on Fault Line
Corey Johnson,
The Bay Citizen
May 08, 2012 CALIFORNIA: A Los Gatos school district's decision to halt construction of a new elementary school over state geologists' safety concerns has inflamed a local mountain community and highlighted the difficulty of building schools in seismically vulnerable areas. Los Gatos Union School District officials will meet with the California Geological Survey this week to discuss whether plans for a new Lexington Elementary School can be salvaged. Last month, school trustees voted to halt building plans after the state geologist's office found a district engineering report didn't adequately account for seismic hazards at the school site. Trustees also approved a plan to vacate the existing buildings at Lexington and transfer students to portable buildings at Fisher Elementary School — a decision that outraged some 300 people at the April board meeting and sparked a flood of parent complaints. According to a March 27 letter to the district, state geologists found that Pacific Crest Engineering's analysis of Lexington Elementary failed to account for ground moisture in its predictions about land stability, despite test results that showed evidence of water-saturated soil. State geologists also concluded the engineering report underestimated the severity of earthquake forces present at the school. Lexington Elementary has been at its Old Santa Cruz Highway location since the 1950s. The property is vulnerable to landslides and is near the San Andreas Fault, one of the most active in the nation. Pacific Crest Engineering's report is based on ground shaking during a 7.3-magnitude earthquake. But state geologists wrote that the school should be designed to withstand a 8.0-magnitude quake, which is what seismic experts recommend for that area. The issue highlights the thorny complexities that can surface in striving to build schools that are seismically safe. State geologists say private geologists and engineers often make errors assessing hazards. Med School building is first at University of California Riverside to achieve LEED Gold Certification
Andie Lam,
Riverside Highlander
May 08, 2012 CALIFORNIA: The UC Riverside School of Medicine Research Building (SOMRB) has been awarded the prestigious LEED Gold Certification, the second highest honor given by the United States Green Building Council. Reaching milestones in energy efficiency, the SOMRB holds the distinction of being the first building on campus to be LEED certified. Designed by SRG Partnerships Inc., the three-story tall building is 58,000 square feet of biomedical and research facilities. The SOMRB was designed to minimize its environmental impact and to conserve energy and water consumption while providing an optimal space for its occupants. In an interview with the Highlander, UC Riverside’s LEED analyst Weston Lewis stated, “The reason why LEED certification is so important is that it provides credibility to our commitment for providing a sustainably built environment for our campus. LEED creates high performance buildings that are not only sustainable but safe, functional, aesthetic, and cost effective. UCR demonstrates its commitment to the triple bottom line approach of equally valuing the environment, society and economics” The LEED certification program evaluates buildings based on the criteria of sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. The LEED scale consists of four levels of certification beginning at Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Campus Architect Don Caskey and Sustainability Coordinator John Cook noted that although the goal was originally to achieve LEED Silver certification, their pursuit of maximizing sustainability features led to the Gold rating.“We went back in and found points that hadn’t been applied for, such as restoring habitat, maximize open space, alternative transportation parking [and] heat island effect,” stated Cook in an article by UCR Today. According to Lewis, SOMRB implements several key environmental strategies; notable features include a cool roof, landscaping with drought-tolerant plants, highly efficient irrigation for 78 percent outdoor water reduction and appliances that rely on 45 percent less indoor water usage. Aside from design choices, the technology used in the building is also highly innovative and energy efficient. Up to 23 percent of total energy usage is reduced through nighttime cooling fans, computer controlled blinds and LED lighting. In the areas of resource management, SOMRB diverted more than 90 percent of construction waste away from landfill disposal while 89 percent of the building’s wood is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The green-oriented approach was a particularly difficult achievement since research lab facilities generally use about 5 to 6 times more energy per square foot than other types of facilities. “To have our School of Medicine Research Building achieve the LEED Gold rating is a tremendous accomplishment because it is challenging especially to design and construct a laboratory building with the sustainability features necessary for this prestigious certification,” stated G. Richard Olds, the dean of UC Riverside’s medical school, in an article by UCR Today. CornellNYC Chooses Its Architect
Robin Pogrebin,
New York Times
May 08, 2012 NEW YORK: After a competition that included some of the world’s most prominent architects, Thom Mayne of the firm Morphosis has been selected to design the first academic building for Cornell University’s high-tech graduate school campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City. “The goal here is to develop a one-of-a-kind institution,” Mr. Mayne said in an interview at his New York office. (Morphosis also has an office in Los Angeles.) “It’s got to start from rethinking — innovating — an environment.” The building will get extra attention as the first part of an engineering and applied-science campus charged by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg with spurring New York City’s high-tech sector. It needs to embody the latest in environmental advances and to incorporate the increasingly social nature of learning today by creating ample spaces for people to interact. And to succeed, Mr. Mayne said, it must visually connect to the rest of the city, because its setting is surrounded by water. Mr. Mayne’s building is part of a campus that will be developed over two decades. The campus will comprise more than two million square feet of building space at a cost of over $2 billion and will serve more than 2,000 students. It will include three academic buildings; three residential buildings; three buildings for research and development; and a hotel and conference center. In December Cornell, in partnership with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, won the yearlong competition to build the campus, beating teams that included one from Stanford University and City College of New York. The master plan is being designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which was among the six finalists for the Cornell campus. The others were Rem Koolhaas’s Office for Metropolitan Architecture, Diller Scofidio & Renfro, Steven Holl Architects and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Mr. Mayne’s 150,000-square-foot building is expected to cost about $150 million, Mr. Huttenlocher said, which will be covered by a $350 million gift through an alumnus. The city is providing $100 million in infrastructure improvements, as well as the land on Roosevelt Island, currently occupied by a little-used hospital. The new building will include classrooms, laboratories, offices and meeting space. Researcher Designs Schoolyard for Children with Autism
Staff writer,
Kansas City InfoZone
May 07, 2012 MISSOURI: Chelsey King, master's student in landscape architecture, St. Peters, Mo., is working with Katie Kingery-Page, assistant professor of landscape architecture, to envision a place where elementary school children with autism could feel comfortable and included. "My main goal was to provide different opportunities for children with autism to be able to interact in their environment without being segregated from the rest of the school," King said. "I didn't want that separation to occur." The schoolyard can be an inviting place for children with autism, King said, if it provides several aspects: clear boundaries, a variety of activities and activity level spaces, places where the child can go when overstimulated, opportunities for a variety of sensory input without being overwhelming and a variety of ways to foster communication between peers. "The biggest issue with traditional schoolyards is that they are completely open but also busy and crowded in specific areas," King said. "This can be too overstimulating for a person with autism." King researched ways that she could create an environment where children with autism would be able to interact with their surroundings and their peers, but where they could also get away from overstimulation until they felt more comfortable and could re-enter the activities. "Through this research, I was able to determine that therapies and activities geared toward sensory stimulation, cognitive development, communication skills, and fine and gross motor skills -- which traditionally occur in a classroom setting -- could be integrated into the schoolyard," King said. King designed her schoolyard with both traditional aspects -- such as a central play area -- and additional elements that would appeal to children with autism, including: A music garden where children can play with outdoor musical instruments to help with sensory aspects. An edible garden/greenhouse that allows hands-on interaction with nature and opportunities for horticulture therapy. A sensory playground, which uses different panels to help children build tolerances to difference sensory stimulation. A butterfly garden to encourage nature-oriented learning in a quiet place. Variety of alcoves, which provide children with a place to get away when they feel overwhelmed and want to regain control. King created different signs and pictures boards around these schoolyard elements, so that it was easier for children and teachers to communicate about activities. She also designed a series of small hills around the central play areas so that children with autism could have a place to escape and watch the action around them. "It is important to make the children feel included in the schoolyard without being overwhelmed," King said. "It helps if they have a place -- such as a hill or an alcove -- where they can step away from it and then rejoin the activity when they are ready. King and Kingery-Page see the benefits of this type of schoolyard as an enriching learning environment for all children because it involves building sensory experience and communication. “Most children spend seven to nine hours per weekday in school settings," Kingery-Page said. "Designing schoolyards that are educational, richly experiential, with potentially restorative nature contact for children should be a community concern." The researchers collaborated with Jessica Wilkinson, a special education teacher who works with children with autism. King designed her schoolyard around Amanda Arnold Elementary School, which is the Manhattan school district's magnet school for children with autism. "Although there are no current plans to construct the schoolyard, designing for a real school allowed Chelsey to test principles synthesized from literature against the actual needs of an educational facility," Kingery-Page said. "Chelsey's interaction with the school autism coordinator and school principal has grounded her research in the daily challenges of elementary education for students with autism."
Ohio colleges pour millions into construction
Meagan Pant,
Middletown Journal
May 07, 2012 OHIO: More than $461 million will be invested in new buildings and major renovations on college campuses in the region in the coming years, bringing businesses to the area and signaling the continued growth of the higher education industry locally. “Companies go where there is talent. By us ensuring that we have strong talent coming out of our higher education facilities, we are locking in one of those economic development tools that we need to attract and retain businesses,” said Chris Kershner, a local expert on public policy and economic development. With a mix of public funding, private donations, institutions’ resources and public-private partnerships, local colleges and universities are engaged in multimillion-dollar projects creating all types of jobs from architects to skilled labor, said Sean Creighton, executive director of the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education. After two years of no funding from the state for capital improvements, Ohio has dedicated $400 million to infrastructure of its 37 public colleges and universities. The work is important in meeting the demands of increasing enrollment and attracting new students, educators say. Independent Schools Continue to Invest in Renewables as an Endowment
Amy Bowman ,
Renewable Energy World
May 04, 2012 CONNECTICUT: RGS Energy, the commercial division of Real Goods Solar, is completing the final phases of a solar array at the new Kohler Environmental Center for Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, CT. Designed to meet the annual electrical needs of the building, the array will be operational later this spring. “This system will give students and the public a great opportunity to see solar energy production and understand the impact that it can have on our daily lives,” said Carter Wilding-White, Vice President of Commercial Operations and Director of Engineering for RGS Energy. A 1997 graduate of the school, Mr. Wilding-White is particularly excited about exposing students to renewable energy, “Choate is providing its students the resources to go beyond the classroom and experience first-hand the applications of technology and science.” RGS Energy and Shawmut Construction, the Construction Manager for the Kohler Environmental Center, designed a system that met the needs of the building and the school. “RGS worked collaboratively with Shawmut to optimize the array to achieve the energy production of a Net Zero Energy project within the budget and site constraints,” said Mike Kearns of Shawmut Construction. The project consists of just over 1,000 ground-mounted solar panels , covering over an acre adjacent to the new environmental center, and will include a data monitoring system that will enable students to observe the production of the system, and compare that to the amount of electricity the building is using. The intention of the solar project is to off-set the annual electrical needs of the building. St. Louis Public Schools looks to reopen buildings to absorb students from closed charter schools
Elisa Crouch,
St. Louis Post Dispatch
May 04, 2012 MISSOURI: For decades, St. Louis Public Schools has closed dozens of school buildings as thousands of students left the district for suburban and charter schools. Now the district will reverse that pattern. Up to six schools could open this fall to absorb up to 3,800 children now attending the Imagine charter schools slated to close next month. Superintendent Kelvin Adams told the district's Special Administrative Board Thursday that the number of additional schools needed this August will be determined by demand, and the extent of that demand may not be fully realized until later this summer. "We have been working with the former Imagine board members — the local board members — to talk about the ideas you see here and to work with them on a strategy on acclimating the students into our schools," Adams said. Already, nearly 800 Imagine students have enrolled in the St. Louis school system since April 17, when the Missouri Board of Education voted to close all six of the Imagine charter schools for academic failure. Of those students, about 580 have enrolled in magnet or choice schools. However, the district began accepting large numbers of transfers from the Imagine schools in January, when about 350 Imagine students enrolled in city schools after an announcement came that two of the Imagine schools would close. School district officials have been working for months on plans to address the potential enrollment boom the district could experience if even half the students attending Imagine were to transfer to city public schools this fall. Charter schools are public schools that operate independently of school districts and have been draining the St. Louis system of students for more than a decade. The district's transportation department has been meeting weekly about how many extra buses and routes might be needed. Adams expects to hire up to 218 certified teachers and up to six new principals. Though an influx of students is one that district officials say they've wanted for years, it could put the district in a bind if too many students wait until the last minute to enroll. "We're talking there again about costs to this school district," said Richard Gaines, a member of the Special Administrative Board. Most of the buildings that may reopen are already being used by the district for alternative programs that could be moved elsewhere — such as the Fresh Start program to help dropouts earn high school diplomas in the Meda P. Washington building on South Vandeventer Avenue. That building could become an elementary school for 300 children. The program would move to Beaumont High School, which would also accommodate other alternative education programs that may need to relocate. Madison school on South Seventh Street also could reopen as an elementary school; Dunbar/Columbia in the JeffVanderLou neighborhood could be consolidated into one elementary school; Stevens on North Whittier Street could become a middle school, and the building holding Northwest High School on Riverview Drive could share space with a second high school that would replace Imagine College Prep Academy. "We're hearing the high school really wants to stay together," Adams said. "The camaraderie, the culture have been built." The only vacant building that would reopen is the Stowe school on Lotus Avenue. Making the repairs needed to reopen the building would cost the district an estimated $1.1 million. Chicago Public Schools cuts back capital spending in difficult fiscal climate
Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah,
Chicago Tribune
May 04, 2012 ILLINOIS: Faced with a nearly $700 million budget deficit, Chicago Public Schools has proposed a capital spending budget for the coming fiscal year of $110 million, a sharp drop from this year's $660 million. The district plans to focus on essential repairs to school buildings, playgrounds to accommodate the longer school day that kicks in citywide next September, and technology for schools participating in the new specialized Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum. A large chunk of the capital budget, $39.9 million, would come from the new Chicago Infrastructure Trust. That money would be spent on high-efficiency lighting and other energy-saving efforts that are part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Retrofit Chicago initiative. CPS plans to spend $3.6 million to build or replace up to 15 playgrounds. This year, 39 schools got new playgrounds. Right now, 98 elementary and middle schools don't have outdoor playgrounds. About $4.5 million will go toward installing technology at schools that are part of the STEM program: Michelle Clark, Corliss and Lake View high schools. Districtwide, more than $13 million in information technology upgrades are also planned, including a new Google Apps system that will put students and staff on a single email system. "This year's capital budget reflects our commitment to investing in infrastructure projects that address the critical and immediate needs facing schools as well as student learning," schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizardsaid in a news release, acknowledging the "difficult fiscal climate." The district's five-year capital plan calls for spending to be further reduced the following year, to just under $100 million, before going up to a little more than $200 million in each of the next three years. For now, the district is trying to tackle only the most critical repairs. A total of $5 million will go toward fixing 10 aging chimneys. District officials are assessing chimney conditions at 225 schools, trying to determine which ones are in dire need of repairs. Oriole Park Elementary School on the Northwest Side, where parents and staff complained at a recent board meeting about leaky roofs, will get $2.5 million for renovations. Another $2 million will be spent on roof work, landscaping and parking lot improvements at Higgins Academy on the South Side. Price tag slows reconstruction of Alice Harte Charter School in Algiers, Louisiana
Mark Waller,
The Times-Picayune
May 03, 2012 LOUISIANA: An initial round of bids that came in over budget has slowed progress toward constructing a new campus for Alice Harte Charter School in Algiers. Adjusting the designs and seeking lower bids will add about six months to the process, officials said, positioning Harte to return from a temporary site to a permanent setting midway through the 2014-15 school year. Officials allocated $23.5 million for construction of the 112,000-square-foot building, which will be financed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the post-Hurricane Katrina reconstruction of schools throughout New Orleans. The first attempt at gathering bids from contractors, however, yielded seven estimates ranging from $27 million to $29.5 million, said Stan Smith, chief financial officer for the Orleans Parish School Board. Smith said the Orleans board rejected the bids and decided to revisit the drawings looking for savings. Spending more than planned would mean less federal money for school projects that fall later on the rebuilding list, he said. "The architects had to do a substantial amount of redesign and value engineering," Smith said. Instead of cutting any major features, he said, they scoured the project looking for streamlined building methods. Architects trimmed cosmetic touches and called for less expensive construction materials, such as different types of steel in the structure and different materials to make canopies over entrances. Smith said officials are looking to the recently completed Edward Hynes Charter School in Lakeview as a model. Hynes is similar in size and rebuilding it cost about $196 per square foot, which is $45 lower than the first set of bids for Harte. "That sort of really set the standard for us," Smith said about Hynes. "It's a really good school at a really good cost for us." New designs could be finished this month. Re-bidding could take place in June. Officials would open the bids in July. If all goes smoothly, construction could begin soon after and wrap up in December 2014. Campus Conservation Competition Results in Students Saving 1.74 Gigawatt-Hours of Electricity
Staff writer,
Ecowatch
May 02, 2012 NATIONAL: The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), through its USGBC Students Program and in partnership with Lucid, Alliance to Save Energy and the National Wildlife Federation, is pleased to announce the results of the 2012 Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN) competition. This year, nearly a quarter-million students at 100 colleges and universities across the U.S. collectively saved 1,739,046 kilowatt-hours of energy, equivalent to 2.6 million lbs of CO2 and $157,925 in savings—effectively removing 151 U.S. homes off the grid for a year. This year’s results surpassed the original competition savings goal of one gigawatt-hour of electricity. Students also saved 1,554,814 gallons of water, equivalent to 10,300 shower hours. From Feb. 6 through April 23, 2012, students competed to achieve the greatest reductions in their residence halls over a three-week period, with savings from each campus contributing to a collective national challenge goal. Students organized peers through direct action in their residence halls, and extensively utilized social media to motivate and encourage sustainable behaviors, proving that occupants play a critical role in greening their buildings. By making commitments to turn off unused electronics, take shorter showers, use the stairs instead of the elevator, and other simple tactics, students across the country demonstrated how individual actions make a difference in the way our buildings consume electricity and water. “When you see a mobilization this large to actively reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability, it’s clear that students are tired of waiting around for decision makers to address the issues at hand,” said Pat Lane, USGBC Students program lead at the Center for Green Schools. “The individuals we work with through USGBC Students are eager to put in the hard work it takes to see real change set in. The 1.74 gigawatts saved is just the beginning, as our students work to leave lasting sustainable legacies on their campuses and take those experiences into the job market.” Participating schools used Lucid’s Building Dashboard to compare performance, share winning strategies and track standings among the leading schools and buildings. With generous support from United Technologies Corp., founding sponsor of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC, and Sloan, CCN gave students and staff an opportunity to organize and make immediate and lasting impacts on a school’s carbon emissions and campus culture. Additionally, CCN awarded 2,000 renewable energy credits from Sterling Planet, a VirtuWatt energy platform from Constellation Energy, a certificate from Carbonfund.org recognizing their campus’ contribution to offsetting 2.6 million pounds of CO2, and a free Building Dashboard from Lucid. “During Campus Conservation Nationals 2012, hundreds of thousands of students took action to reduce electricity and water consumption in their buildings,” said Andrew deCoriolis, director of engagement at Lucid. “The success of CCN demonstrates the tremendous collective impact that individual actions can have for reducing resource consumption and fostering a broader culture of conservation on campuses.” Sandy Spring Friends School to Use Sun for Savings
Keira Shein,
EON
May 02, 2012 MARYLAND: Sandy Spring Friends School, a pre-K through 12 coed college preparatory Quaker school in Montgomery County, has announced plans to install more than 2,000 solar panels on the school’s 140-acre campus. The 473.7 kW solar photovoltaic system will be ground-mounted and grid tied with an estimated output of 600,790 kWh. The estimated carbon offset of a system this size is 414 metric tons which is equal to almost 82 passenger vehicles per year and 963 barrels of oil consumed. The project, expected to begin in June, is being developed by the Pennsylvania energy solutions provider, UGI Performance Solutions. Maryland-based Standard Solar, Inc, a leader in the development and installation of solar electric systems for commercial, government and residential customers, will design and install the project. The system will be owned by UGI Energy Services, with whom the school has entered into a power purchase agreement (PPA). The PPA will enable the school to use the electricity generated by the system for a fixed cost, lowering their utility bills. “The SSFS community is delighted to work with Standard Solar and UGI to install one of the largest solar projects in Montgomery County on our beautiful 140 acre campus,” said Tom Gibian, Head of School. “Solar power, in its simplicity and efficiency, and as a substitute to purchasing electricity generated from the burning conventional fossil fuels, will become part of our curriculum (science, technology and entrepreneurism), will save us money and reflects our intention to practice good stewardship of our natural resources.” The solar installation is the latest step in the school’s commitment to sustainability. As a Friends school that emphasizes the Quaker values of service, the peaceful resolution of conflict, integrity, simplicity, equality, and stewardship of the environment, SSFS has long demonstrated its commitment to sustainability in many areas of its operation, from education and curriculum planning to land use, recycling and composting programs. When it comes to environmental sustainability, SSFS’s longstanding commitment shines particularly bright. Projects such as the new community garden on campus and the solar panels will provide both food and clean, renewable power to the school, as well as learning opportunities for the students and community. State cuts force Pasadena schools to scale back projects
Joe Piasecki,
Pasadena Sun
May 02, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Vastly reduced state funding for school construction projects is forcing Pasadena education officials to downsize plans for the $350-million Measure TT bond. When Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre voters approved Measure TT in 2008, officials drew up plans for $465 million in school renovation projects based on eligibility for state bond proceeds and other matching funds. But due to the state budget crisis, much of that money has dried up — reducing the total bond budget to about $371.3 million, said Pasadena Unified School District Chief Facilities Officer David Azcárraga. That’s a 20% drop. The impact will be spread out relatively evenly over the district’s 31 schools, said Bond Program Manager Robin Brown. Azcárraga and Brown said they are meeting with campus leaders to determine which renovations are most important and which they can live without. Downscaled proposals are expected to reach Pasadena Board of Education members in June or July for final approval. “It’s challenging, but we have to make sure we can finish what we say we’re going to do,” said board member Tom Selinske. Officials said auditorium, playground and lunch shelter improvements are more likely to feel the pinch than upgrades that would impact academics and safety. “We’re going to try to keep the cuts as far away from the classroom as possible,” said Azcárraga. “It’s important for the community to understand that the initial $350 million [in locally generated funds] is still intact. Our budget is still beyond that $350 million.” The district has so far committed about $100 million to projects that have broken ground or are already finished, the largest being the rebuilt Blair Middle School campus. While completed work has come in at or under prescribed budgets, several projects have been pushed back months or more awaiting approval from the State Division of Architect, the agency that oversees school construction. Several sources of funds once expected to supplement Measure TT proceeds have disappeared or dwindled during the state’s financial crisis. Statewide bond money controlled by the state Office of Public School Construction has all but run out, with new projects being put on a waiting list for funds that may never arrive. Pasadena schools had also planned on $13 million in deferred maintenance funds that were completely wiped out by state budget cuts, and $25 million in school facility modernization grants that were shaved to $10.2 million, according to a statement by the district. Funding generated by the 2004 Williams Settlement — an agreement reached after a lawsuit alleged that low-income public school students throughout the state had unequal access to proper facilities and supplies — dwindled from $15 million for Pasadena-area schools to just $1.8 million. Local-government fees paid by developers to benefit school renovations have also fallen short with a slowdown in local construction. The school district had budgeted for $20 million in fee revenue the past four years, but has only received about $4 million, according to the statement. Cincinnati Public Schools takes out $26.8M loan for green renovations
Jessica Brown,
Cincinnati.com
May 01, 2012 OHIO: Cincinnati Public Schools board of education approved taking out a $26.8 million low-interest loan for energy-saving renovations at 28 schools. About $5.5 million of the money will be spent renovating the old Hyde Park school which will re-open next year as a neighborhood school with a district-wide gifted program. The re-opening has been long-lobbied for by a group of Hyde Park residents. They collected hundreds of signatures from neighbors saying they’d send their kids there if the district re-opened it. The money will pay to replace energy-sucking lights, centralize thermostat control and install motion sensors so lights turn off when no one is in the room. The renovations will also include air conditioning for those buildings that don’t have it and other improvements that will make them more comparable to new or already-renovated buildings. District officials have estimated the renovations will cut energy costs up to 25 percent in each building and that the projects will pay for themselves in energy savings over the 22-year life of the loan. “The improvements will generate savings above and beyond what those buildings are already saving,” said Mike Burson, who heads CPS’ district-wide rebuilding plan. Cincinnati Public is in the tail end of a $1.2 billion overhaul of its entire aging building stock. One goal is to make each new or renovated building energy-efficient. Many sport green roofs, geothermal heating and cooling systems, rain gardens and other such features, some of which double as learning tools for the students. Energy Conservation Program, or House Bill 264 program (named for the law that created the financing mechanism), allows school districts to get low-interest federal loans for projects that reduce energy use. More than 500 Ohio school districts have applied for loans including most of the districts in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties. The financing mechanism approved by CPS involves a complex lease system that allows the district to get the loan without going above the debt limit allowed under state law. Supporters of the program say it is a good way to get low-cost loans for projects that will help the district save money in energy costs and make those schools better learning environments for the students. CEFPI Applauds 2012 School of the Future Design Competition Winners
Press Release,
CEFPI
May 01, 2012 NATIONAL: Six teams of middle school students met in Washington, DC this week to compete in the final leg of The School of the Future Design Competition, centerpiece of the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) School Building Week. The competition challenges students from across the globe to think creatively as they plan and design tomorrow’s green schools to enhance learning, be healthy, conserve resources, be environmentally responsive and engage the surrounding community. Sponsored by CEFPI and the National Association of Realtors in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the American Institute of Architects, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and more than 20 other associations and private companies, the annual competition strengthens public awareness of the importance of well-planned, healthy, sustainable school buildings that enhance student and teacher performance and contribute to community culture and vitality. The Awards of Excellence went to Imago Dei Middle School, Tucson, AZ and Teeland Middle School, Wasilla, AK. Capturing the Award of Distinction was Highfield Humanities College, Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Newtown Middle School, Newtown, CT, Seneca Middle School, Macomb, MI and University Middle School, Waco, TX received Awards of Merit. Imago Dei and Teeland Middle Schools each received $2,000 as Award of Excellence winners. Imago Dei students acknowledged that they were fortunate to receive a good education and caring teachers so they designed a school for the children of Niger in West Africa who did not have the same opportunities. They constructed their school from local, sustainable resources creating "polybricks" assembled from plastic water bottles and using bamboo walls to repel malaria-carrying mosquitoes prevalent throughout the area. Powered by solar energy, the building also makes great use of natural light and employs shade sails of woven bamboo to offer some relief from the extreme heat. The students’ research efforts were impeccable, leading then to also design a portable school made out of the same materials to bring to communities where children cannot travel to the main school. The Teeland Middle School team chose to build their facility on a landfill – truly embracing "renew, reuse, recycle" by creating walls made of materials mined from the landfill and covering them with solar wallpaper. The cement building is constructed with carbon nanotubes, one of the strongest materials available synthesized from carbon-rich compounds such as plastic, which act as rebar. The green roofs collect storm water and provide insulation. Again exemplifying "renew, reuse, recycle", one of the three “aerodynamic” school buildings constructed to withstand the strong Alaskan winds houses the homeless, providing them with educational opportunities, an introduction to careers, use of all the community facilities and three meals a day. Food for the facility and community was grown on campus. Award of Distinction winner, Highfield Humanities College, UK, well-represented the International middle schools, receiving $1,500. Coming from a seaside resort community in northwest England, the students designed a building constructed inside a sand dune on the waterfront that would serve as a space for all learners. Hard hit by the current economy, the team hoped that their unique school would encourage tourism and add to the local economy. The front of the building is constructed of glass that can withstand the pressure of the waves, allowing students to observe underwater sea life when high-tide covers the building. The building is powered by renewable energies including wind and wave power. Dormitory space in the rear of the building can accommodate students as well as community members and tourists. Capturing the Award of Merit, Newtown, Seneca and University Middle Schools each received $1,000. The Newtown Middle School campus housed all the district schools and encompassed two community gardens, a rooftop and an orchard. The traditional buildings were in keeping with their community heritage, and focusing on academic excellence for all types of learners. The students included solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling in their plans. Realizing that students need lots of exercise and the ability to move around, they incorporated “aerobic ball” seating in the classrooms. The Seneca team demonstrated a clear understanding smart growth and how a school can positively impact a community. They chose to repurpose the old Henry Ford factory site, a community icon, and economically stabilize a very challenged community. Low cost housing was provided on the campus for families with school age children, bringing the neighborhood to the school, offering employment on the campus and 24-hour use of the facilities. Harkening to the old Ford days, each class level "house" was named after a famous Ford car. Hailing from Waco, TX, the University Middle School design team placed the main body of the school underground. University Middle School is located on a major highway presenting a danger to children as well as creating an extremely noisy classroom environment. By placing the gym and performing arts on the side of the building facing the highway the interior classrooms were shielded from blaring sounds. Administrative offices and community space occupied the above ground floor, serving as further protection from intruders. The students felt very connected to their community and although the school site was less than desirable, they did not want to disrupt their strong community ties. Their thoughtful and well executed design included an atrium and light wells to provide daylight to the "underground" school, white roofs and geothermal heating and cooling providing constant temperatures at relatively low cost.
Portland, Oregon School Board Considers Ten-Year Facilities Plan
Rob Manning,
OPB News
May 01, 2012 OREGON: A draft facilities plan for the Portland school district suggests spending anywhere from half a billion to more than one billion dollars on buildings over the next ten years. A committee of more than 30 people began work on the Long Range Facilities Plan after voters rejected a half-billion dollar capital bond for Portland Public Schools, last year. The draft plan responds to three goals: that schools be safe, that they provide good learning environments, and that they’re optimally used. One version of the plan would address the district’s worst problems as quickly as possible. Its ten-year cost is over one billion dollars. Another option would “balance” improvements across grade schools and high schools. It would cost $883 million over ten years. A so-called “conservative” approach would anticipate closing some schools, and phasing in improvements more slowly. It has the smallest price tag at $576 million. There’s also a $780 million option that would assume some school closures and target seismic needs. The school board is scheduled to discuss the plan at three meetings this month. Arizona school-bond bill stalled in Senate. Districts: Without OK, we can't fund repairs
Allie Seligman,
The Republican
May 01, 2012 ARIZONA: A bill stuck in the state Senate Rules Committee for nearly two months has 21 school districts across Arizona worried they won't be able to repair their buildings or build new schools in coming years. The districts have been waiting for House Bill 2405 to pass and increase their bonding capacity until 2016. Currently, the districts can't sell voter-approved bonds because property values have dropped dramatically over the past few years. Nearly $300 million in bond money is currently inaccessible. "For now, it isn't going forward because it's going to double the taxes on all the people in all those districts," said Sen. Steve Pierce, Senate president and chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. "I don't believe people want to double their taxes." Kyrene Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Calles said it's highly unlikely tax rates would double in any district. "Nobody would do that to our taxpayers," he said. "We're more conscientious about our communities than that."br> Any rate changes are based not on how many bonds a district sells but the pace at which it repays debt. Kyrene would stagger payments in such a way that the tax rate would hold steady, Calles said. If anything, the tax rate in any of the 21 districts could go up if they wanted to pay off their existing debt more quickly in order to sell new bonds for the needs they're now facing, Calles said. "Their actions would actually end up driving up the tax rate," Calles said of the legislators' stall. Currently, districts can sell bonds up to a certain percentage of their secondary assessed valuation. If a district is not unified with a K-12 system, like Kyrene, its total bond debt cannot exceed 5 percent of secondary assessed valuation. Unified districts can sell up to 10 percent. House Bill 2405 revises a bill signed into law last year that raised that percentage. Naming public educational spaces could be cash cow
Deirdre Fernandes,
Boston Globe
April 29, 2012 MASSACHUSETTS: What’s in a name? The Newton Schools Foundation hopes the answer is big money. The foundation plans to launch a campaign this fall to raise between $3 million and $6 million for school technology in three years by selling the naming rights to public educational spaces, primarily in the city’s two high schools. The foundation is betting that famous alumni, local businesses, and some Newton families have deeper pockets than the city’s taxpayers. And more importantly, that they might be eager to pay thousands to have their names tagged on auditoriums, science labs, art studios, and athletic fields. Imagine the Village Bank Athletic Field, perhaps the D’Agostino Associates teachers’ lounge, or maybe even the John Krasinski Front Office, named for the Newton South alum who stars in “The Office.” The money raised by the campaign would pay for additional technology equipment in all of the city’s schools, said Liz Richardson, a copresident of the Newton Schools Foundation Board. “I do think it will resonate with people,” Richardson said. “It’s about teaching and learning for the future.” Newton’s School Committee has already approved a memorandum of understanding with the foundation. Soon the city’s aldermen will study the fund-raising plan and decide whether to create a revolving fund for the donations. But not everybody is sold on the campaign. With so many building needs in the school district, Alderwoman Amy Mah Sangiolo said she isn’t sure that technology is the best use for the money. Over three years, the city would also have to pay the foundation an estimated $320,000 to cover the costs of the campaign, Sangiolo said. Among the expenses that Newton would cover are printing, advertising, part of the salaries of the foundation’s executive and development director, and a required audit. The costs would be about 5 percent of a potential $6 million campaign. Green schools save more than money
Editorial board,
The Republican
April 29, 2012 INDIANA: Upon the completion of several major reconstruction projects within the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp., local officials expect to be paying considerably less for basic utility services than they have been paying in recent years. That’s a significant development when many of those costs are increasing in other areas, but it is only one element in a cornucopia of benefits that this and future generations of local students will reap. The “greening” program is in keeping with a broader local initiative, one element of which has been the establishment of “green teams” of students and teachers who have been charged with spreading the word about such common sense practices as turning out lights when leaving a room. The habits that can be developed from this process not only can benefit the schools but can carry over into the homes of students and teachers. The benefits from these so-called side measures will be difficult to gauge, but the effect on basic costs incurred by the school corporation are not only measurable but highly revealing. Even not taking into account the effects from the major renovations of East and North high schools, the school corporation has cut its gas and electric bills by significant amounts in recent years. Energy spending throughout the district has dropped by more than $485,000 since the 2010-11 school year. It will get even better when the high school projects are completed. For instance, when the work is completed at North, the building will have grown in size by approximately 35 percent. On the other hand, energy-saving measures are expected to cut what is now spent on the building by more than half. Numbers like that give a whole new meaning to the definition of “green.” Obviously, the continuing expansion and enhancement of learning facilities are intended to accomplish much more than cutting electricity and gas bills. Many of the elements that are part of the “greening” of Columbus schools have several added benefits that directly affect the learning process. Among those benefits are: The commitment during the construction process to use building materials from sources close to Columbus can lessen the environmental impact of transporting those goods. The management of the environmental systems within the buildings obviously can make students more conducive to the learning process, through the removal of such distractions as discomfort due to fluctuating temperatures. The “greening” program is in keeping with a broader local initiative, one element of which has been the establishment of “green teams” of students and teachers who have been charged with spreading the word about such common sense practices as turning out lights when leaving a room. The habits that can be developed from this process not only can benefit the schools but can carry over into the homes of students and teachers. The benefits from these so-called side measures will be difficult to gauge, but the effect on basic costs incurred by the school corporation are not only measurable but highly revealing. Even not taking into account the effects from the major renovations of East and North high schools, the school corporation has cut its gas and electric bills by significant amounts in recent years. Energy spending throughout the district has dropped by more than $485,000 since the 2010-11 school year. It will get even better when the high school projects are completed. For instance, when the work is completed at North, the building will have grown in size by approximately 35 percent. On the other hand, energy-saving measures are expected to cut what is now spent on the building by more than half. Numbers like that give a whole new meaning to the definition of “green.” Majority of Clark County, Nevada voters favor tax hike to fix schools, survey says
Paul Takahashi ,
Las Vegas Sun
April 27, 2012 NEVADA: A little more than half of Clark County voters support a tax hike under consideration by the Clark County School District to fund a $5.3 billion school improvement plan over the next decade. That’s according to a preliminary survey released by R&R Partners on Thursday. The Las Vegas marketing firm — which has worked with the School District on previous bond measures — contracted public opinion polling company Anzalone Liszt Research to survey 403 randomly selected, registered Clark County voters from April 12 to 16. The poll found that 55 percent of voters are in favor of a potential capital bond program; 40 percent are opposed. The poll has a margin of error of about 5 percent, with a 95 percent confidence level. Although support for the tax hike was mixed, the majority of survey respondents said they agreed the School District needed to renovate aging schools and has overcrowded campuses and outdated technology. About 70 percent of respondents agreed the School District needed to renovate older buildings. About 65 percent said Clark County schools were overcrowded. Perhaps not surprising: 92 percent of respondents said all schools should have adequate science laboratories, gyms and cafeterias. Gibbons, Guinn and Miller all spoke in favor of the School District’s proposed school improvement plan. They argued there was an equity issue between some of the newer and older schools in the 357-school district. “Schools, not just education, but actual brick-and-mortar buildings, are the anchors (of the community),” said Miller, who spearheaded the formation of the PAC. As the 1998 bond program comes to a close, the School District is looking for additional funds to maintain and renovate its current buildings. Some schools, such as the 58-year-old J.D. Smith Middle School, are in poor physical condition, Miller said. There are 10 to 20 schools that need to be replaced, and upwards of 30 that need to be renovated, Gibbons said, adding that the state does not provide money for school construction. “We want to be here for you because we believe in you,” Gibbons said, addressing the School Board. “Let’s work together for a real solution today that will pay off in the future.” The average age of a school in Clark County is 20 years old, which may not seem that old, compared with schools in other parts of the country. However, 30 years old is quite old, Guinn remarked. When a building gets that old, “we blow them up,” she said, jokingly at first but turning serious. “The public needs to know the plight of our schools … and how dire our situation is.” North Dakota schools to receive grants for modular classrooms for oil boom schools
Andrea Johnson,
Minot Daily News
April 27, 2012 NORTH DAKOTA: The Williston Public Schools are among oil-impacted school districts receiving matching grants to help purchase or lease portable classrooms to meet their growing student enrollments. Supt. Viola LaFontaine said the $3 million matching grant the district received in March is being used to put up modular classrooms at McVay Elementary, a building the district had closed a number of years ago. The classrooms will be connected to the building and there will also be a gym, a cafeteria and office space. LaFontaine said the Williston Public Schools have seen enormous growth in the last two years alone. She said the district had 300 new students this year who have stayed throughout the school year and another 200 that have come and gone throughout the year. During the 2010-2011 school year, there were 187 new students and about 150 of those students stayed on permanently. About 70 percent of the new students are at the elementary level, primarily because oil workers tend to have young families. The Energy Impact grants cover 80 percent of costs, with 20 percent required from eligible school districts. The maximum allowable cost for portable classrooms is $150,000. Grants can be used to help pay leases for portable classrooms for the 2012-2013 school year, or the first year of a lease-to-purchase agreement. Other allowable expenses include classroom equipment, infrastructure costs including land preparation, electricity, sewer, water and the costs of architectural and construction design. The $5 million grants were officially approved by the state Board of University and School Lands. Realtors Recognize Innovative Ideas From School of the Future Design Competition Winners
Press release,
MarketWatch
April 27, 2012 NATIONAL: Six teams of middle school students participating in the annual School of the Future Design Competition were in Washington, D.C., this week displaying their plans to design environmentally responsive schools that enhance learning and engage the surrounding community. The competition encourages students from all over the world to work in teams to plan and design a school that will improve the learning environment and the facility's energy efficiency, as well as be sensitive to the environment. Each student-led team is required to submit a project model made from recycled materials, a short video or presentation, and a 750-word narrative description outlining the planning process and the reasoning behind their design. Six finalist teams receive a trip to D.C. to present their projects to the national design jury. The School of the Future Design Competition is part of School Building Week, April 23-27. The week is sponsored by NAR and the Council of Educational Facility Planners International along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the American Institute of Architects, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, the U.S. Green Building Council and more than 20 associations and private companies. This year the Awards of Excellence went to Teeland Middle School in Wasilla, Ala. and Imago Dei Middle School in Tucson, Ariz. The Awards of Distinction went to Highfield Humanities College in Blackpool, United Kingdom. Seneca Middle School in Macomb, Mich.; University Middle School in Waco, Texas; and Newton Middle School in Newton, Conn. received the Awards of Merit. The Teeland Middle School team received $2,000 in conjunction with their Award of Excellence. The team's school of the future is designed on a landfill and constructed of carbon nanotubes, a strong material synthesized from carbon-rich compounds such as plastic. The interior walls would be covered in solar wallpaper and made of landfill-mined materials. Each building would have vegetative roofing that helps insulate the structure and collect storm water. The school would also house students in a dormitory, offer classes to get students interested in various career paths and a gym and pool that are open to the entire community. A second Award of Excellence and $2,000 prize was given to the team from Imago Dei Middle School. Their plan is a school designed for the children of Niger in West Africa. The plan calls for using local resources such as plastic bottles and bamboo and is mainly powered by solar components. The structure would use natural light and shade sails of woven bamboo to provide relief from the extreme heat. The students alsodesigned a portable school made out of the same materials as those for the permanent structure. The portable school would allow children to attend classes who cannot travel to the main campus. The only international student-led team, Highland Humanities College, was presented with the Award of Distinction and awarded $1,500. The students' unique design consists of a building built inside a sand dune on the seafront. A side of the building is made of glass so that at high-tide the sea covers the building, allowing students to observe sea life. Students could also sleep overnight at the school in individual pods. The entire building would be powered by renewable energy, as well as wave and wind power. Three schools received the Award of Merit and a $1,000 prize. Seneca Middle School's design is located in a historic Ford Motor factory and focuses on community recovery, as well as engaging students' senses with technology and hands-on activities. University Middle School maximizes solar energy through solar panels on the roof of their school, as well as rooftop gardens allowing students to harvest food. Newton Middle School's design consists of a central campus surrounded by a 10 acre orchard and two community gardens. School buses would also be equipped with gasoline filters that reduce emissions. Tenth National Healthy Schools Day Urges More Environmental Protection
Press release,
ENews
April 26, 2012 NATIONAL: Beyond Pesticides joins over 30 co-sponsors for the 10th annual National Healthy Schools Day in urging Federal and State governments to step up to improve the environmental health of schools nationwide. Though a growing number of states are beginning to address risks to children in schools, more work must be done to protect children, faculty and staff from unnecessary exposure to harmful chemicals, toxic pesticides and allergens. According to the Healthy Schools Network, the organization that coordinates National Healthy Schools Day, more than two thirds of the nearly 100,000 public school buildings in the country have at least one dire infrastructure problem, however these schools are virtually unregulated by any agency for indoor environmental health and safety standards. In commemorating a growing movement on National Healthy Schools Day, Healthy Schools Network is recognizing New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s efforts. Governor Cuomo has set an example with a proclamation that highlights the connection between poor indoor air quality and poor learning and behavior. “We know that toxic and allergen-ridden indoor air environments are making our children and teachers sick and impairing their ability to succeed in the classroom,” said Claire Barnett, Executive Director of the Healthy Schools Network said. “When you take in the missed work days and the health costs and the moms who are teachers staying home with their kids who are sick, that’s a double and triple whammy on our economy and educational system we can’t afford.” The proclamation promotes construction guidelines that incorporate environmental health practices and also lower operating costs; it also highlights the state’s green cleaning in schools program. Group accuses Christie administration of ignoring requests for emergency school repairs in New Jersey
Jessica Calefati,
Star-Ledger
April 26, 2012 NEW JERSEY: The Christie administration's failure to swiftly approve or deny requests for emergency repair work at dozens of dilapidated schools across the state has prompted a Newark-based law group to file suit against the state Department of Education. The complaint, filed with the Office of Administrative Law, alleges that evaluations of requests made by 31 of the state’s neediest districts have ceased, preventing leaky roofs, broken heating systems and crumbling brick facades from ever being fixed. "The law clearly requires the state to address hazardous school conditions and almost nothing has been done in the last two years," said Eric Little, an attorney who helped prepare the complaint. Once the Department of Education has approved a district’s request for emergency repair work, the Schools Development Authority must complete and finance the repair work required. Districts like Newark, Camden and Trenton have filed more than 700 requests for emergency repairs since last summer. Last month, the SDA flagged 76 projects for "initial advancement" and allocated $100 million to complete the repairs, but the projects are not under way yet. "The Department did not issue any final decision on the projects and has provided no timeline for when those decisions will be made and, more importantly, when these unsafe and dangerous conditions will be addressed," according to a statement from the law center Wednesday. A spokesman for the state Department of Education had no comment on the lawsuit, but a spokeswoman for the SDA condemned it as "frivolous" and "uninformed," rejecting the claim that work has stalled. Though no repair work has been completed under the Christie administration, 40 emergency projects have been "substantially completed," at a cost of $28.3 million, and 113 additional emergency projects have been started. "The SDA categorically rejects David Sciarra and the ELC’s continued claim that nothing has been happening at the SDA and their perpetuation of falsehoods about SDA activity," said Kristen MacLean, a spokeswoman for the SDA. As Baltimore school facilities crumble, executive suites get remodeled
Erica L. Green,
Baltimore Sun
April 26, 2012 MARYLAND: New furniture, a flat-screen television, decorative light fixtures, interactive white boards — these are among amenities the city school system bought during $500,000 in renovations to the central office, even as administrators decried the state of crumbling school buildings and sought funding to fix them. The biggest project was a $250,000 face lift of an executive suite for the district's chief of information technology, who said the remodeling work was done in part to impress job candidates and repair unsafe conditions. The renovations, undertaken since January 2011, were outlined in contracts and invoices obtained by The Baltimore Sun through a Maryland Public Information Act request. City school officials said the renovations were necessary upgrades, but city schools CEO Andrés Alonso called the executive suite remodeling "a bad judgment call." Alonso has sought support for a proposal to leverage state dollars to finance $1.2 billion in school construction. The district's school buildings need an estimated $2.8 billion in repairs. "This was a bad judgment call, given our focus on improving outcomes for children," Alonso said of the suite. "Especially at a time when we are trying to find a way to renovate our schools." Some changes were made after The Sun inquired about the renovations. Roughly $41,000 in custom-made furniture was ordered for the new suite, but city school officials canceled the order. Instead, furniture was brought in from the district's warehouse, resulting in a $37,000 savings. Critics said renovation money should go to schools first.
Montgomery County, Maryland school system to use more relocatable classrooms
Jen Bondeson,
Gazette
April 25, 2012 MARYLAND: At Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School in Germantown, the largest elementary school in Montgomery County, 350 of 1,036 students learn in portables. While the goal of Montgomery County Public Schools is to reduce the number of students learning in portables, Principal Judy Brubaker said she likes her “learning cottages.” The outdoor hallways are considered part of the school, she said. With growing enrollment, the school system will see a continued increase in the use of portables over the next few years, according to James Song, the school system’s director of facilities management. On April 10, the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved $4 million for the school system for relocatable classrooms in the 2012-2013 school year. This will pay to move about 55 portables on and off school campuses, for the annual lease of new portables, and for rehabilitation, Song said. The school system will have a net increase of about 40 to 50 portables next year, to about 550 total, Song said. There are about 496 portables in use; about 8,000 students attend class in 350 portables, and the rest are used for other programs or work space. The increase next school year comes with another increase in student enrollment — the school system projects 3,280 more students, and in the next six years, enrollment is expected to grow by about 10,000 students. “It is always our goal to reduce the number of relocatable classrooms, however, the last three years or so, there has been a record amount of growth — we have been averaging about 2,000 to 2,500 student enrollment increases,” Song said. Jerry D. Weast, past superintendent of schools, set a goal in 2006 to reduce the number of portable classrooms used by 68 percent by the 2012-2013 school year. In the 2005-2006 school year, the school system had reached a record high number of 719 portables. Song said the school system considers portables temporary solutions, considering the impact they have on the ability for teachers to work in pod-like settings and the fact that they are disconnected from other classrooms and the school. The school system was making progress until 2008, when enrollment, which had plateaued, began to shoot up again, according to the school system’s Capital Improvement Program document. With current capacity just above current enrollment this year, with about 146,456 students and room for 147,148 students, but with 51.5 percent of schools at overcapacity, 100 of 194, parents with Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations say that portables are a necessary evil. “Permanent classroom space is a better quality space,” said Steve Augustino, capital improvements program chairman for the association. “It is more conducive of the educational objectives of the school system than temporary spaces.” But Augustino said the situation within portables is better than it has been in the past — there is better maintenance and the portables that the school system buys are better and less susceptible to problems. First Green Ribbon Schools Honored for Environmental Excellence
Staff writer,
Environment News Source
April 25, 2012 NATIONAL: The first Green Ribbon Schools were honored Monday in a new federal recognition program established by the Obama Administration. The 78 honored schools in 29 states and the District of Columbia exercise a comprehensive approach to reducing environmental impact, promoting health, and ensuring a high-quality environmental and outdoor education. The point is to prepare students with the 21st century skills and sustainability concepts needed in the growing global economy. The 78 schools awarded Green Ribbon status were selected from among nearly 100 nominees submitted by 30 state education agencies, the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Indian Education. In total, the Green Ribbon schools are include 43 elementary, 31 middle and 26 high schools with around 50 percent representing high poverty schools. Among the list of winners are 66 public schools, eight charter schools and 12 private schools. The two Green Ribbon Schools in Hawaii demonstrate why the honored schools were selected. The Ewa Makai Middle School in Ewa Beach is a new school built to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] Gold standard, making it Hawaii's first green public school campus. The Hawaii Preparatory Academy in Kamuela won for its first of its kind energy lab that received a LEED platinum rating and its net-zero energy profile achieved by utilizing solar panels. To save energy and decrease their environmental impact, the winning schools use a variety of methods. "Many purchase renewable energy and generate it on school premises," blogged Secretary Duncan on the White House website. "One boasts the world's largest closed loop geothermal heating and cooling system and another features the nation's first off-grid solar and wind powered school." "We're honoring schools that use green roofs, pervious pavement, rain gardens, rain barrels, rain cisterns and low-flow water equipment of all types. At some of the winners, the buses run on ultra-low sulfur diesel, compressed natural gas or the discarded cooking oils of local restaurants," wrote Duncan. "Their conservation efforts extend from the cafeteria to the classroom, as they devise reusable snack bags and water bottles; dine with reusable plates, napkins and utensils for meals; and save paper by converting to digital assignments and grading," he blogged. In Portland, Oregon, the K-8 Sunnyside Environmental School earned a Green Ribbon for its Adopt A Park program, its rotating curriculum themes of river, mountain and forest, its curriculum based camping trips, school gardens and compost bins. In Miami, Florida, the TERRA Environmental Research Institute earned a Green Ribbon although it just opened in 2009. Housed in a LEED Gold-certified building, classrooms are equipped with the latest computer and research labs, Promethean boards for interactive learning, surround sound systems and greenhouses. Inspired by global environmental conservation initiatives, TERRA students lead advanced scientific research projects, establishing connections between their research and the community through active service. In Omaha, Nebraska, 400 students in pre-kindergarten through fourth grades attend the Green Ribbon awarded Lothrop Magnet Center, known for its science and technology programs. Students are involved in constant science investigations in the fields of meteorology, botany, animal and human body functions, chemistry, geology and space technology. At Stoddert Elementary School in Washington, DC, where the winning Green Ribbon Schools were announced on Monday, grades four and five study the local Chesapeake Bay watershed environment. Ten years ago, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and National Geographic's Geography Education Outreach formed a partnership to provide professional development and materials for Stoddert teachers that is still active. School seismic reform advances in California Senate despite budget worries
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/school-seis,
California Watch
April 24, 2012 CALIFORNIA: A state Senate committee voted to support legislation that would create a task force to strengthen the state's oversight of earthquake protections for public schools. Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, SB 1271 now heads to the Appropriations Committee for review. Under the bill, a task force would have until Jan. 1, 2014, to study and recommend new building standards and policies to bolster school seismic safety. Corbett introduced the bill in late February following a California Watch investigation and scathing state audit that found regulators charged with overseeing school construction had failed to ensure that buildings were safe. However, some lawmakers expressed doubts. Sen. Roderick D. Wright, D-Inglewood, chairman of the governmental organization committee, questioned whether the seismic safety laws were outdated and too costly for schools. Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, said he, too, was concerned that the bill could re-route scarce funds away from other school needs. "We want safe schools for our students," Yee said. "On the other hand, we also have to understand that we have limited dollars available for the rehab and construction of our schools. So the question is: Where are we going to get the money to ensure that all of our schools are tested for Field Act compliance?" The Field Act is the state's seismic safety law that was passed in 1933. It gives seismic regulators the "police power of the state" to ensure safety standards are met during each phase of school construction, from early design to the first day of classes. Corbett clarified that the task force's job would be to bolster oversight, not drain school construction money from state and local building efforts. Although no formal opposition to the bill has surfaced, there are differing views among construction professionals about how rigorous state enforcement should be. If the current proposal is successful, the task force would examine whether children and teachers should be able to use buildings that have been flagged by inspectors for deficient construction that poses potential hazards. The inspectors group wants the law revised so that school construction regulators can block entry. But the Coalition for Adequate School Housing worries that such a change would saddle cash-strapped school administrators with crippling delays and cost increases. Each group has been pushing to include more members of the school construction community on the proposed task force. The most recent version of the bill added representatives from the community college system, school districts and the state fire marshal onto the task force. Today's hearing comes after another Senate committee received testimony from the state auditor and state architect about seismic safety reforms. Newly appointed State Architect Chester Widom assured members of the Senate Select Committee on Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness on Friday that staff at the Division of the State Architect was working to streamline bureaucratic rules and review more than 16,000 school projects to ensure their safety. Obama Administration Names 78 Schools in 29 States & D.C. as First-Ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools
Press Office,
Dept of Education Press Release
April 24, 2012 NATIONAL: U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was joined today by White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to announce the first-ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, a list including 78 schools that span 29 states and D.C. The announcement was made during a visit to Stoddert Elementary School, one of D.C.'s two honorees. "Science, environmental and outdoor education plays a central role in providing children with a well-rounded education, helping prepare them for the jobs of the future," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools demonstrate compelling examples of the ways schools can help children build real-world skillsets, cut school costs, and provide healthy learning environments." U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a federal recognition program that opened in September 2011. Honored schools exercise a comprehensive approach to creating "green" environments through reducing environmental impact, promoting health, and ensuring a high-quality environmental and outdoor education to prepare students with the 21st century skills and sustainability concepts needed in the growing global economy. "Schools that take a green approach cut costs on their utility bills, foster healthy and productive classrooms, and prepare students to thrive in the 21st century economy," said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "These Green Ribbon School award winners are taking outstanding steps to educate tomorrow's environmental leaders, and demonstrating how sustainability and environmental awareness make sense for the health of our students and our country." The 78 awarded schools were named winners from among nearly 100 nominees submitted by 30 state education agencies, the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Indian Education. More than 350 schools completed applications to their state education agencies. Among the list of winners are 66 public schools, including 8 charters, and 12 private schools. In total, the schools are composed of 43 elementary, 31 middle and 26 high schools with around 50 percent representing high poverty schools. "These Green Ribbon Schools are giving students and educators what they need to maximize learning and minimize risks like asthma and other respiratory illnesses, ensuring that no child is burdened by pollution in or around their school," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Today's winners are protecting our children's health and opening up environmental education opportunities for students. The EPA is proud to help recognize the Green Ribbon award winners and will continue working to improve the environment of our nation's schools and helping prepare students to succeed in the emerging green economy." The U.S. Department of Education's "Green Ribbons" are one-year recognition awards. Next year's competition will open in summer 2012. State agencies are encouraged to send their intents to submit nominees by June 15, 2012 via email to green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov. See press release for a complete list of the 2012 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools West Virginia School Building Authority splits $38M among 12 counties
Adam Cavalier,
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
April 24, 2012 WEST VIRGINIA: he West Virginia School Building Authority is giving out $38 million to 12 counties to complete a variety of projects. The big winners from the SBA’s Monday meeting were Gilmer and Lewis counties. Jointly, the two receive $9.6 million for the construction of a new elementary school that would bridge the county line along U.S. Route 33 and 119. State superintendent of schools Jorea Marple said a project like it hasn’t been attempted. “This is the first time there’s been a multi-county project,” Marple said. “It’s precedent setting. There’s been a lot of work to develop the MOUs and the logistical things to bring together two counties to build a new school.” Coming into the meeting, 23 counties had requested $130 million worth of funding. It took two rounds of votes and cuts to pare the list down to what the SBA had available. Executive Director Mark Manchin said the most pressing needs are the one’s that get taken care of first. “Generally we prioritize, when you’re talking about an HVAC system or an aging school,” Manchin said. “Replacing an aging school will be a higher priority, but that will also cost more. Sometimes the authority will fund smaller projects, such as an HVAC or additional classrooms, that allows them to fund additional projects.” So, the board decided to fund larger projects like the joint Gilmer/Lewis County Elementary School. In addition, $9 million went to relocate Logan Elementary School and $6.4 million to move the Huff Consolidated Elementary School in Wyoming County off of a flood plain. At the same time, smaller projects, such as an HVAC upgrade at Clay County Middle School worth $1.3 million got approved. Manchin said the decreased funding available made it more difficult to choose what to sign off on. In each of the last three years the SBA had $100 million or more to disburse. With $38 million to award this year, Manchin said high dollar projects in McDowell and Fayette Counties got nixed. “Everybody at that table wants to fund everything,” Manchin said. “It’s hard to say no, and that’s the unfortunate thing – we have to say no to certain counties. That’s the most difficult decision they have to make. You don’t know how many times authority members say they hate to say no to a county, but unfortunately, there’s a finite amount of money.” Manchin said even if a project didn’t get funded this year, there’s always a chance it could receive money in the next cycle. Case in point, Mingo County has applied for money three times to renovate the old Burch High School into a school to handle pre-kindergartners through 8th graders. If not the bottle tax, then what? Baltimore Council should support mayor's school construction plan or offer an alternative
Editorial staff,
Baltimore Sun
April 23, 2012 MARYLAND: Baltimore City has a serious problem with run-down, antiquated school facilities. They represent a major impediment to progress in improving the education of Baltimore children and a drag on the city's efforts to shake off decades of decline. MayorStephanie Rawlings-Blake's plan to fund a new school construction and renovation program through an extension and increase in the city's bottle tax may not be the perfect solution, but it is a good start. The beverage industry has mounted a campaign of opposition to the proposal that borders on the hysterical. Its advertising campaigns cast sugary sodas, teas, fruit drinks and bottled water as necessities of life that the city would cruelly put out of the reach of Baltimore's working families. And the industry has issued dire warnings of job losses and spreading food deserts if the current 2-cent bottle tax is extended past its expiration next year and increased to 5 cents. The laws of economics suggest that increasing the tax for a given product, particularly for a discretionary purchase like bottled beverages, will reduce sales. Members of the City Council need to weigh that as they consider Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's bottle tax proposal. But they also need to consider the economic drain on the city caused by its dilapidated, outmoded school facilities. Which is more likely to hold the city back? The beverage industry warns that the bottle tax could send some city residents across the county line to shop for groceries. The condition of the schools sends them across the border for good. Indianapolis-area schools can turn focus from construction to curriculum
Carrie Ritchie,
IndyStar
April 23, 2012 INDIANA: Six years ago, Kim Cole's son attended second grade in a small room with glass walls. The room in Harrison Parkway Elementary wasn't designed to be a classroom, but Hamilton Southeastern Schools was growing by about 1,000 students a year and the district couldn't build schools fast enough to keep up with enrollment growth. It had to improvise with classroom space. "It was interesting to see how they had to accommodate the growth at the elementary schools at that time," Cole said. Those boom times, however, have come to an end. Hamilton Southeastern, which had been building a new school every two years, has shelved plans to construct a 13th elementary school. "Our story has always been about growth in the past," Hamilton Southeastern Chief Financial Officer Mike Reuter said, "but our growth is slowing now like a lot of other schools." Like Hamilton Southeastern, Indianapolis-area districts such as Carmel Clay, Center Grove and others that boomed in the 1990s and 2000s are seeing much smaller enrollment increases. Some have experienced slight declines. The slowing enrollment growth could be due to a couple of factors: baby boomers who flocked to the suburbs in the past decade are staying put, leaving fewer homes available for young families with children, and many popular bedroom communities such as Carmel have little land left for potential housing development. But the driving force, school officials agree, is the struggling economy and the moribund housing market. New housing construction is down throughout the area, and many families are finding it hard to get mortgages. The trend could be a boon to students because it gives districts some breathing room to focus on curriculum instead of construction. It also could be good news for taxpayers because schools won't be asking them to shell out extra money for construction projects. But the slowdown brings another kind of uncertainty. Schools have to keep a close eye on enrollment so they can respond should another growth spurt occur. Schools are unsure, though, whether they will experience such growth again. "That's kind of the $100,000 question," said Matt Kinghorn, demographer at the Indiana Business Research Center. "My sense is that they will." Through the 1990s and into the 2000s, many Indianapolis-area schools saw rapid enrollment increases. Suburban districts to the north such as Carmel Clay, Westfield Washington and Zionsville had at least 2,000 more students in the 2010-11 school year than they did 10 years earlier. But none rivaled the growth of Hamilton Southeastern. Enrollment there more than doubled from 8,771 in the 2000-01 school year to 18,477 in the 2010-11 school year. For half of that decade, enrollment grew by 1,000 or more students per year. "That's huge," Reuter said. The next school year will be different. Hamilton Southeastern expects elementary enrollment to grow by only seven students. That's why district officials have decided to delay building a $22 million elementary school that would have room for 707. "Until the growth would resume at the K-4 level, we think we'd have enough capacity to house the incoming students," Reuter said. Other districts are experiencing an even sharper falloff. In Johnson County, Center Grove's enrollment dipped by about 70 students this fall. Carmel is expecting to lose 50 to 200 students a year from the 2013-14 school year to the 2021-22 school year. Kinghorn and the districts agree that the economy is the driving force behind the slowdown. People aren't moving as much. They might be reluctant to buy new homes if they have recently lost a job or fear that they lack job security. It's also harder to get a mortgage, Kinghorn said. "This is a trend that is really going on around the country," he said. Department of Education Recognizes ‘Green’ Schools
Robert McNeely,
NEA Today
April 22, 2012 NATIONAL: To celebrate Earth Day 2012 (April 22), schools across the country are participating in green projects from cleaning up watersheds to helping preserve local parks. For Sean Miller, a former educator and now Education Director of the Earth Day Network, a partner of NEA, these projects are not just good for the planet, but are necessary to provide students with a broader education. “Students need to have the knowledge to live in a growing, complex world. Environmental knowledge fits into that knowledge. Environmental knowledge helps students deal with those complex problems and navigate the world,” Miller says. This year the Earth Day Network is supporting a Department of Education program that will recognize schools that have made significant efforts to “green” their schools and curriculum. The “Green Ribbon Schools” program was first conceived by the Campaign for Environmental Literacy, Earth Day Network, the National Wildlife Federation, and the U.S. Green Building Council before being implemented nationally by the Department of Education. The program, the first federal green school program in the country, “recognizes schools that save energy, reduce costs, feature environmentally sustainable learning spaces, protect health, foster wellness, and offer environmental education to boost academic achievement and community engagement.” During the 2011 – 2012 school year, 33 states along with the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Indian Affairs selected schools to participate in the program. States could select up to four schools to be their representatives. Schools have reasons much more valuable than just government awards to make their learning environments green. Research has shown that environmental protection programs to clean up schools promote teacher retention and a decrease in student absenteeism. The U.S. Department of Energy also estimates that smart energy management in schools, which spent between $6 – 8 billion in the year 2000 on energy, could reduce energy consumption by as much as 25 percent and cut school energy costs across the nation by more than $1 billion annually. “No other building type speaks more profoundly to the benefits of a green building than the places where our children learn. Green schools reduce energy consumption, save money, and foster healthier learning environments for our children,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U. S. Green Building Council. The hope is that more schools will focus on green education. Currently 47 states and the District of Columbia have, or are, implementing formal environmental curriculum into their schools. Miller hopes that schools will continue the trend of adopting green curriculum so that all students will learn new ways to preserve the planet. “I want every school in America to learn about sustainability,” said Miller. “Students can learn about it and truly make a difference by being environmentally conscious.” The winners of the inaugural Green Ribbon Schools program will be announced on April 23. Massachusetts school building is a major player in heavy construction
Jim Kinney,
The Republican
April 22, 2012 MASSACHUSETTS: In 2010, the most recent year for which figures are available, school building projects in Massachusetts accounted for $1.07 billion in construction costs and created 5,350 construction jobs. “We are a major player in the construction industry in Massachusetts,” said Jack McCarthy, the executive director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority. “Some construction people say we were really the only player. That’s a credit to the way we are set up.” What McCarthy meant was that because the authority gets a dedicated one-cent share (or 16 percent) of the state’s sales tax revenue, it doesn’t have to go to the legislature for a yearly appropriation. It also means it gets a steady stream of revenue when funding for other projects, both public and private, dried up. Also, the state had a moratorium on school building projects in the early 2000s, creating a backlog of facilities that need to be replaced, expanded or renovated. The state School Building Authority pays a percentage of the building cost based on the community’s economic condition, ranging from 31 percent to 80 percent; Springfield, for example, gets 80 percent. The School Building Authority lists 80 projects set for completion in 2012, including the $53.6 million Minnechaug High School in Wilbraham, which has 300 to 400 construction workers at any given time. Also set for completion is the $114 million new Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy in Springfield, although demolition and site work at Putnam will take another year to complete, said Rita L. Coppola-Wallace, director of capital asset construction for the city of Springfield. Set for completion in 2013 will be Easthampton High School at $39.2 million and Longmeadow High School, at which broke ground in May 2011 and will cost about $78.4 million. Coppola-Wallace said Springfield’s Forest Park Middle School renovation also will also completed in 2013. The school is also expanding, with a 10,000-square-foot addition of a gym on Garfield Street. Set for completion in 2014 is the new West Springfield High School at $107.1 million. $51M Chicago school, but it's playground-poor
Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah,
Chicago Tribune
April 20, 2012 ILLINOIS: Ogden International School on Chicago's Near North Side opened this school year in a new $51 million building that has everything, almost. Locked in a busy urban area, the neighborhood pre-k to sixth-grade school didn't have enough space for an outdoor playground for the older kids. And so recess is held on the three-story building's roof, where a plant-lined path leads to a fenced-in space children call "the cage." Student reviews have not been favorable. "It could use some swings and slides," said fifth-grader Michael Johnson III. Upset with the situation, students and parents are planning a protest Friday at Bughouse Square, officially known as Washington Square Park, diagonally across the street from Ogden. The park, crisscrossed with walkways and dotted with benches where homeless people linger, is the closest thing to green space of the sort that stretches invitingly around most suburban schools. Fewer than half of elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools system offer some form of recess, Ogden among them. But that will change next year, when Mayor Rahm Emanuel's longer day is introduced citywide and recess will be part of the schedule at all elementary and middle schools. When that happens, many schools will face challenges similar to those faced by Ogden. For reasons including a lack of space, changing priorities and tight budgets, 98 elementary and middle schools don't have outdoor playgrounds. CPS officials say they are working with elementary and middle schools that have limited space to provide recess. CPS is also looking into partnerships with the Chicago Park District that would open up space for recess. "We are in the process of reaching out to principals of schools who indicated that they may have issues with recess to learn more about the specific challenges they face in regard to recess and to help resolve these challenges," CPS spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler said in an emailed statement. Ogden, one of the oldest schools in the city, moved into its new 110,000-square-foot building at 24 W. Walton St. in the fall. Under construction for two years, the building features 24 classrooms, computer and science labs, underground parking, a gymnasium, and music and art rooms. The environmentally friendly, LEED-certified building also boasts grass and a garden on its roof, a stormwater harvesting system to water the landscaping, photovoltaic glazed window panels in the library and a computerized system that tells students how much energy the building is saving. There is a playground by the school's main entrance, but it's for preschoolers and other young kids. One of 19 schools constructed under former Mayor Richard Daley's Modern Schools Across Chicago program, it was funded through a tax increment financing district. With more residents moving downtown and enrollment numbers skyrocketing, building enough classrooms took priority over reserving space for playgrounds, said parents and Principal Kenneth Staral. "We needed classrooms," Staral said. In the old school, "we had classrooms in closets. We didn't have computer labs." There were no complaints about that decision until the students, and later parents, got a look at the rooftop solution to Ogden's space crunch. About 100 to 175 kids take recess at the same time, most of them playing tag or other games in the "cage" which is the size of about 21/2 classrooms. "For the amount of money that was spent, it should have been well-thought," said Olivia Stanley, parent of a second-grader. "They need to give them some activities up there — maybe a track, sports (equipment) or gymnastics space. They need to have something, rather than a place to just run up or down, or read books." Students like Hayden Covello, 10, often take the option to sit with a book on a bench outside the rooftop cage rather than participate in the crowded fray within. "It's an awesome school but the playground is nonexistent — it's a big cage with padding on the bottom and mesh on top," said Hayden, a fifth-grader. "We just want a place with playground equipment — something we can hide behind, something we can play with."
Saying goodbye to Detroit's Mumford High
Jennifer Chambers,
Detroit News
April 19, 2012 MICHIGAN: At more than 60 years old, Mumford High School is a ghost from an architectural past that defined Detroit and many of its public schools. This once-exquisite Art Deco structure, known for its baby-blue limestone block front and its quirky burgundy, pink and blue tiles inside, has been reduced to a shell of its former self: Peeling paint, broken tiles and a rusted exterior reveal its age and apparent neglect. Since 1949, Mumford has served more than three generations of students on the northwest side, near Wyoming and McNichols, and has a long list of famed alumni. They include jazz musician Earl Klugh, Grammy-winning songwriter Allee Willis and film and TV producer Jerry Bruckheimer, whose credits include the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film series and "Beverly Hills Cop," in which Eddie Murphy's character Axel Foley is seen wearing a "Mumford Phys Ed Dept." T-shirt. By the end of June, however, the school building and its architectural features will be a memory, as a wrecking ball makes way for a new school, already being built on the same city block. But some alumni want the school's history to live on. One is returning to Detroit to highlight Mumford's fate and remind others of its storied past as one of the city's most prominent high schools. "Not only was it a great school at the time, it was an incredible looking school at the time," said Willis, a 1965 graduate whose songs have sold more than 50 million records. "Design is everything. I can't even stress to you how much the physical structure influenced me. It was all around fantastic." At the end of June, the "old" Mumford will close, sending its students to a "new" Mumford High, a $50 million state-of-the-art facility for 1,500 students with a high-tech media center, modern science laboratories and a community health clinic. The change also signals a new era for Detroit Public Schools, which is handing Mumford over to the Education Achievement Authority, a new statewide district charged with taking over low-performing schools and boosting student achievement. The decision to tear down Mumford and send its students to the untested EAA has sparked protests from alumni, parents and students upset that the Detroit district is losing one of its signature high schools. Helen Moore, a community activist in Detroit, said closing a school with a history further divides the community, which is watching its public school system being slowly dismantled. Moving Mumford into the EAA, after Detroit voters approved a bond in 2009 to build a new Detroit Public School, breaks the trust in the community as well, she said. "They went against the promise," Moore said. District officials said the decision to replace Mumford was part of a districtwide effort to replace and modernize DPS facilities for 21st-century learning environments. District officials said the decision to replace Mumford was part of a districtwide effort to replace and modernize DPS facilities for 21st-century learning environments. "In the case of Mumford, many obsolete systems required replacement, and heating, electrical, windows, IT and security systems needed upgrades," DPS spokesman Steve Wasko said. "The new school will provide state-of-the-art learning environments, address security needs, and provide energy efficiency and maintenance cost savings." Eugene, Oregon schools repair bill skyrockets; estimated $244 million is needed for improvements
Susan Palmer,
Register-Guard
April 19, 2012 OREGON: The Eugene School Board got a sobering overview of the district’s many aging and dilapidated schools, some dating to the 1920s and most needing millions of dollars’ worth of repair and refurbishing in coming years at an estimated cost of $244 million. The news also could be sobering for taxpayers, if the district ultimately decides to seek a bond measure to pay for building improvements. Most of Eugene’s schools were built before 1970. Willagillespie Elementary School is the oldest, constructed in 1925. But Roosevelt Middle School got the lowest marks from MGT of America, a national independent consulting firm hired to do a thorough analysis of Eugene’s school buildings to help the district develop a 10-year plan. The schools, including those recently closed, were scored in four categories: the condition of the building, the acreage surrounding it, how well each school supports instruction, and technology. The technology question wasn’t just about the number of computers in each school, but whether the electrical system is set up to handle them and whether computer servers are located in an air-conditioned room as opposed to shoved into a janitor’s closet, said consultant Dodds Cromwell, an architect with MGT who also has worked as an elementary school teacher. Aside from a handful of schools constructed in the past decade, the condition of most buildings suggests a need for major investment in coming years, the analysis suggests. The average scores across the buildings were in the low 70s. The assessment came as no surprise to board members who were around a decade ago, when a similar assessment identified some of the same buildings as requiring major renovations. But little of that work has been done, Berman said. What the board didn’t hear were recommendations for how to move forward, which buildings to refurbish and preserve, which to demolish and which properties to sell. The consultant is finalizing a series of recommendations that will be presented in early May to help the board decide. Bond measures will be a part of coming discussions, Berman said. “If we’re looking at long-term efficiencies and instructional gains, this investment is important,” he said. “It’s the only way the community can really invest in education given funding in Oregon.” 'Green' schools that go beyond basics
Monika Joshi,
USA Today
April 19, 2012 NATIONAL: One Indiana school is not only drilling its students on academics, but it's also drilling holes in its campus to tap geothermal energy. A Vermont college is into burning wood chips as a way to save money.What they share is a passion for environmental sustainability — operating in a way that uses renewable fuels and tries to save money in the process. Interest in sustainability is particularly strong on college campuses. Princeton Review, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, is out this week with its 2012 Guide to 322 Green Colleges and finds in a separate survey that 68% of more than 7,000 college applicants told them that a college's commitment to the environment would play a role in their decision to apply to or attend that school. The guide can be downloaded at princeton-review.com.green-guide or centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide. Further, the number of projects on campuses that have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, a testament to their environmental attributes, has surpassed the total number of colleges. "Universities are spending a good amount of time assessing each of their buildings and … which should be prioritized for an energy-efficient upgrade," says Jaime Van Mourik, director of higher education at the Center for Green Schools at the private Green Building Council, which runs the LEED program. School construction aid in New Hampshire
Associated Press,
Boston Globe
April 18, 2012 NEW HAMPSHIRE: CURRENT LAW: New Hampshire pays a share of state-approved public school construction projects without limits on who can get aid. The state pays its share of the principal of the district's bond in installments over the life of the bond. The state's share ranges from 30 to 60 percent of the principal depending on the type of school district. PROPOSED LAW: The state would pay its share of the principal in lump sums rather than in installments to reduce local borrowing costs. Applications for aid would be ranked according to criteria such as unsafe conditions, obsolete facilities, overcrowding and maintenance efforts. A community's ability to raise money for a project is not figured into either ranking system. HOUSE-SENATE DIFFERENCES: The key difference between House and Senate proposals is funding. The House would cap funding at $50 million while the Senate would let the Legislature set the amount every budget cycle. Both bills call for paying off existing aid commitments as a top priority which means the House proposal would leave only $6.4 million for building aid the first year and $16.5 million four years later. 54 New Schools Will Open in New York City This Fall, Mayor Bloomberg Says
Kate Taylor and Anna M. Phillips,
New York Times
April 18, 2012 NEW YORK: Brushing aside criticism of his longstanding policy to close poorly performing schools and replace them with new ones, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced that the city would open 54 new schools in the fall, many of them in spaces vacated by schools being closed. “Students and parents deserve top-quality school choices, and we’re going to continue to ensure that they have even more of them,” the mayor said at a news conference, which was held in the library of Washington Irving High School, one of the schools being closed. By this fall, the Bloomberg administration will have closed, or will have begun phasing out, 140 schools since 2002 and will have opened 589 new ones — many of them small schools that share space in old school buildings. Teachers at closed schools cannot be fired, but they are often not hired by the new schools, and can wind up as substitute teachers for years before finding permanent positions. The new schools generally have higher graduation rates than the schools they replace, and their students score better on exams. But critics, including the teachers’ union, argue that the reason the new schools appear to be superior is that their students have fewer challenges, like poverty and special needs. However, the mayor and the schools chancellor, Dennis M. Walcott, pushed back sharply against that argument. “The student bodies of these new schools mirror those of the schools they replace,” the mayor said, “with similar percentages of black and Latino students, English-language learners and students with disabilities.” Of the 54 schools being opened in the fall, 24 will be charter schools and 30 will be regular public schools. Most of the new schools will fill space either being vacated by closing schools or in currently underused school buildings. Only 10 of them will be new school spaces. West Virginia Schools Honored for Environmentally Sound Practices
Staff writer,
West Virginia Department of Education
April 17, 2012 WEST VIRGINIA: The West Virginia Department of Education has nominated three public schools and one private school to be considered for the U.S. Green Ribbon School Award honoring sound environmental practices. Four schools also were named inaugural West Virginia Sustainable Schools for their efforts. The four schools nominated for the Green Ribbon program are Hilltop Elementary School in Marshall County; Musselman High School in Berkeley County; Wyoming County Career and Technical Center; and Our Lady of Fatima Parish School in Cabell County. Winners will be announced April 23 and honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on June 4. In the state awards, Hilltop received the Black Bear Award for the Highest Achievement, while three other schools received the Maple Leaf Award for excellence in one content area: Musselman, Environmental and Sustainability Education; Wheeling Country Day School, Healthy School Environments, Wyoming County Career and Technical Center, Environmental Impact and Energy Efficiency of the Facility. “West Virginia schools are making great strides toward creating healthy environments in schools, including some that have become Energy Star schools for their conservation efforts” said state Superintendent of Schools Jorea Marple. “We want to recognize schools that strengthen that work by imbedding sustainability practices into all aspects of school life.” Both the federal and state programs recognize schools that exemplify a commitment to sustainable practices in their facilities. They also have worked to integrate those practices into the curriculum and helped build healthy and sustainable communities. All schools must meet rigorous standards in three criteria: environmental and sustainability education; healthy school environments; and environmental impact and energy efficiency of facilities. Schools named West Virginia Sustainable Schools must agree to work to save energy, reduce costs, feature environmentally sustainable learning spaces, protect health, foster wellness, and offer environmental education to boost academic achievement and community engagement. The state program is a joint project of the West Virginia Department of Education; Canaan Valley Institute; the West Virginia School Building Authority; the U.S. Green Building Council, West Virginia Chapter; the West Virginia Environmental Education Association; the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources; the West Virginia Division of Energy; McKinley and Associates; Green School Leadership Institute; and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. The Green Ribbon Schools program is part of a U.S. Department of Education effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about practices proven to result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, as well as a government-wide aim to increase energy independence and economic security. “Green schools and environmental literacy complement the goals of providing a well-rounded education for the 21st century, of modernizing schools at reduced costs, and of accelerating learning,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. As schools close, towns try to preserve memories, community
Judy Keen,
USA Today
April 17, 2012 ILLINOIS: Each day, students gather in the Lovington High School science lab to catalog and repair trophies won by their classmates and some of their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.The school, built in 1907, is in its last weeks. The trophies won't follow Lovington students 10 miles to Arthur and the newly renamed Arthur-Lovington High School this fall. They will be displayed in the bank, phone company, library, grain elevator and churches here. A year ago, voters approved — by a 32-vote margin — the annexation of the Lovington School District by the Arthur School District, which has about 115 students in its junior and senior high school. LHS has 78 students, including 16 seniors. The last day of classes is May 25. "It's going to be tough after spending all my life here," says Lovington sophomore Logan West, 16. "There's a time in everyone's life where they have to make a change. I'm fine with it." Others in this village of 1,300 are taking it harder. The school and its sports teams were the community's glue and entertainment. Some worry that its closure will give area residents one fewer reason to come to town, hurting businesses. Shrinking budgets and enrollments are forcing school closures and consolidations across the nation. From 2008 to 2009, 1,822 public elementary and secondary schools closed, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. A year earlier, 1,515 closed. Illinois Schools Implement Green Energy Programs
Staff writer,
Live Viridian
April 17, 2012 ILLINOIS: Illinois schools are doing their part in making sure lessons on green energy are included in the curriculum. Students in six Illinois schools will receive lessons in renewable energy sources, learning math and science through model wind turbines and weather balloons next year, according to the Chicago Tribune. The implementation of the new curriculum is being undertaken through a partnership with the Illinois Wind for Schools program and several state universities, reported the Tribune. The schools selected will receive a classroom set of model wind turbines, a pack of experimental weather balloons, a model wind tunnel, customized lab activities and a curriculum on wind energy. According to Matt Aldeman, senior energy analyst for Illinois State University's Center for Renewable Energy, the program will engage Illinois classrooms in renewable energy topics and introduce students to career possibilities in the wind energy industry. The partnered organizations are also holding a free workshop that is sponsored by the program in order to help other Illinois middle and high school teachers include wind energy in classroom discussions, the source stated. Western Illinois University is also increasing its energy awareness, holding its Green Fest on April 21, which will celebrate Earth Day by providing guests with information on alternative energy sources, according to the McDonough Voice. Clovis, New Mexico schools going green
Tonjia Rolan ,
Clovis News Journal
April 16, 2012 NEW MEXICO: Clovis schools are going green, according to Joel Shirley, Director of Operations for Clovis Municipal Schools. A new $25 million, energy-efficient W.D. Gattis Middle School, being constructed on North Thornton Street "should be a highly-efficient building to run," Shirley said. Shirley said the design incorporates ground source heat pumps, polished concrete floors, energy efficient glass, a burnished black finish and eco-friendly landscaping. "Even the orientation of the building is designed to maximize the use of natural lighting," Shirley said. Construction of the 900-student facility began last November and is scheduled for completion in June. Shirley said the new 131,000-square-foot facility will help relieve school overcrowding by moving 6th graders out of elementary schools and into the new middle school. Jody Balch, the incoming deputy superintendent of operations for Clovis Municipal Schools, said, "Anything we build new will incorporate green features." Balch said the schools cost more to build, but the energy saving green features reduce operation costs and the use of sustainable materials increases the longevity of the buildings. Heschong Mahone Group, an energy efficiency consulting firm, reports that schools utilizing green technology and materials use 33 percent less energy than schools of traditional design. "This (green) trend has been going on for quite some time," Balch said. "There are very nice buildings going up across the United States." Although the state of New Mexico does not mandate energy efficient construction of schools, Balch said the Public School Facility Authority, who authorizes state funds for schools, has been very supportive. Shirley said the district has not yet hired a principal or administrator for the new school and is in the process of determining zoning for the facility. The new W. D. Gattis Middle School is being constructed on a 30-acre parcel of land donated to the school district by Clovis business owner Sid Strebeck, who also donated six acres of water rights and agreed to develop water and sewer at the site. Should Portland, Oregon schools seek another construction bond this fall?
Hammond, Betsy,
Oregonian
April 16, 2012 OREGON: The Portland school board will decide by late June whether to seek another school construction bond in November or whether to wait until June 2013 or November 2013, district Chief Operating Officer C.J. Sylvester said Monday night. Nancy Hamilton, a Portland parent and co-chairwoman of the district's long-term facilities advisory committee, said the group has concluded it's inevitable that Oregon's largest school district will seek a series of large school construction bonds over the coming decades, starting as early as this year. But she said the district will seek community feedback on how big a bond, and for what purposes, voters would support. Voters narrowly rejected the district's last bond proposal, a $548 million plan on the May 2011 ballot, that would have primarily gone to fully rebuild eight schools, including Cleveland, Jefferson and Roosevelt high schools. Feedback after the bond went down centered on the complaint that the district crafted the plan in secret rather than ask community members for input in shaping the bond plan. This time around, the district could potentially start with a small bond focused just on basic safety issues and access for people with disabilities, said board member Bobbie Regan. Or it could aim high to renovate every school building including changing the learning enviroment to match new styles of teaching and learning, she said. That option would likely require more than a billion dollars of bonds over 24 years, Hamilton said. Regan characterized that option this way: "Go out with three bonds in 24 years, remodel every single school in the district and you're done." Said Regan: "It's really fun to see the different scenarios and to be able to give the community to opportunity to weigh in and help us.
At an urban L.A. school, nature grows — and test scores too
Louis Sahagun,
Los Angeles Times
April 16, 2012 CALIFORNIA: At Leo Politi Elementary, workers ripped out concrete and planted native flora. The plants attracted insects, which attracted birds, which attracted students, who, fascinated by the nature unfolding before them, learned so much that their science test scores rose sixfold. In partnership with Los Angeles Audubon, Leo Politi in 2008 became one of the first elementary schools in the city to apply for and win "schoolyard habitat" and partner's grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. With $18,000 from the agency, and volunteer assistance from environmental students at Dorsey High School, Leo Politi removed the concrete and grass from the forlorn corner of campus. Dorsey students wielded rakes and shovels and helped select and plant bushes, flowers and trees, including six live oaks that now shade a slope Rumble calls "our oak highlands." Nature responded quickly to the clumps of rye grass, owl's clover and waist-high thickets of white sage and wildflowers: California poppies, California wild roses, tidytips and island snapdragons. "First to arrive were insects — lady beetles, butterflies and dragonflies — almost as if they were lying in wait," Rumble said. "They were followed by birds that feed on them." At that point, students were hooked. "Questions about why some birds flocked to one plant and not another led to discussions about soil composition and water cycles, weather patterns and seasons, avian migration and the tilt of the Earth in its orbit around the sun," Rumble said. Now, the children are studying the dynamics governing the behavior of birds and the ecological systems that support them. They are also compiling an online illustrated survey of every species documented in their urban bird sanctuary, calling it "A Field Guide to the Flora and Fauna of Leo Politi Elementary School." Time to pick up pace to replace N.J. schools
Editorial staff,
Philadelphia Inquirer
April 16, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Parents and students in New Jersey’s poorest school districts must hope that a recent appellate court ruling has delivered the momentum needed to jump-start long-delayed school construction projects. While the state has dragged its feet for several years, the districts have been waiting far too long for antiquated buildings to be repaired or replaced. A state appeals court handed the districts a major victory with its recent order that the state must quickly adopt the rules that will determine when the districts can manage their own state-funded construction projects. The court gave the Schools Development Authority, which oversees construction, until Wednesday to get the ball rolling. The districts have waited more than three years for the new rules, which were mandated by a 2007 state law. Meanwhile, students in poor districts such as Camden’s have been left in cramped, shabby, and unsafe schools. In fact, dozens of school capital projects have been left in limbo across the state. Some were practically ready for construction to begin when they were put on hold to give the state needed time to fix its program. A 1998 state Supreme Court ruling called for the state to build new schools in its 31 poorest school systems, formerly known as the Abbott districts. The state allocated $8.6 billion for construction, and more than 100 new schools were built, but the agency overseeing the projects made poor, costly decisions that drained that fund. The Christie administration put the capital construction projects on hold in 2010 while it revamped the program. It has announced plans for 30 projects, but none will be finished before 2014. Now that the appellate court has generated a spark, it’s time for the program to pick up some speed while taking care not to repeat the mistakes of the past California schools harness sunshine to cut energy costs
Bob Pool,
Los Angeles Times
April 16, 2012 CALIFORNIA: To plug in to solar energy, you need photovoltaic cells, controllers, inverters, combiner boxes and plenty of copper wiring. Oh yes — and a compass. Workers at Valencia High School found that out when they installed solar power arrays facing the wrong way. The 4,815-panel project is just one of an increasing number of solar arrays springing up on campuses across the state as financially strapped school systems try to save billions in electricity costs. But tapping into the sun can be trickier than it looks, schools are discovering. At Valencia High, a subcontractor apparently misread plans when bolting down some panels. "They used a crane to pick them up and do a 180-degree spin," explained Gail Pinsker, spokeswoman for the William S. Hart Union High School District. "They were aimed wrong." The repair job was free. So is the 7.3-megawatt system being installed by PsomasFMG. In exchange for use of the equipment, the Hart district is obligated to buy electricity from the private company, at a discounted rate, for 20 years. After that, the company will remove the panels or extend the agreement. The equipment's typical lifespan is 25 years, said Paul Mikos, executive vice president of the firm. Such buyback deals, incentive programs, zero-interest loans and direct purchases can save school systems as much as 85% of their electricity costs. Finding a good spot to put huge solar arrays can be a challenge; California's Division of the State Architect has to approve and oversee all installations. When the Huntington Beach City School District teamed up with Chevron Energy Solutions to power nine campuses, many assumed the photovoltaic panels would be unobtrusively mounted on classroom roofs. But the roof of the 78-year-old Dwyer Middle School wasn't strong enough to hold them. When it wasn't feasible to place the panels over the faculty parking lot, it was decided to plant them on the school's front lawn. Students reacted swiftly. "Get off our grass!" pupils chanted at protests last year. Plans called for the construction of panels on the lawn where eighth-graders traditionally hold their culmination ceremonies. The 12-foot-tall district-owned arrays, paid for by solar initiatives and federal bonds, were eventually built "with a split in the middle" where commencements can take place, said Principal Morgan Smith. Although some still find the panels unattractive, the installation "has not been a conversation this year" among students, he said. The photovoltaic panels placed behind the Sonoma home where Nancie Ligon and her husband, James, have lived for 34 years are certainly a conversation-starter, however. They and other neighbors say the ground-level arrays on land owned by the Sonoma Valley Unified School District are eyesores that were erected with insufficient notice and input from area residents. "When one sees the size, scope and unsightliness of the solar farms, you quickly understand why the district was so secretive about these installations," James Ligon wrote in a letter to the Sonoma Valley Sun. District Deputy Supt. Justin Frese refuted charges that the district was secretive. Residents were notified of the project, and voters in 2010 approved a $40-million general obligation bond that earmarked funds for the project. The district will also plant landscape screening when the solar installation is finished next month. At the San Ramon Unified School District, which used federal bonds to place panels at five schools, there were disruptions last year at one campus during the construction. But the district has decided to expand the program to a sixth campus, spokesman Terry Koehne said. Los Angeles school leaders are also buying their own solar panels for 52 campuses and seven other district facilities. They hope to save $112 million over the next 20 years with the 21-megawatt system. Seventeen schools have received solar arrays so far. The district is financing its $146-million program through a combination of local bond money and cash from its 2008 settlement with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power of a lawsuit that alleged schools were overcharged for electricity for nearly two decades. Los Angeles school officials have hired five private companies to provide and install equipment, said Shannon Haber, a spokeswoman for the district's facilities department. At Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Chevron Energy Solutions is putting 168 panels over the front faculty parking lot. "This is very well-designed," said Principal Delia Estrada, whose office window overlooks the work. Health education teacher Bridget Brownell hinted that parking spots beneath the photovoltaic panels will be popular. Woodland Hills has the distinction of having recorded the hottest temperature ever in Los Angeles County: 119 degrees. "The shade is an added bonus," Brownell said. Senior Sara Gedalia, 18, said the solar installation gives the high school a more modern look. Classmate Noah Segal wasn't so sure. "It kind of takes away from the look of Taft," said Segal, also 18. "Maybe they should have gone on the roof." Lake Bluff Elementary Achieves Silver LEED
Staff writer,
Gazebo News
April 15, 2012 ILLINOIS: Lake Bluff District 65 is pleased to announce that the Lake Bluff Elementary School building has been granted Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The school, which opened in the Fall of 2009, was designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements of Silver LEED certification with an emphasis on environmentally sustainable materials, superior air quality and energy efficiency. To help cover the costs of the design, engineering and commissioning of the (LEED) certification, the Lake Bluff School District was awarded a grant of $100,000 from the Illinois Clean Energy Community (ICE) Foundation in December of 2007 and a $75,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) in January 0f 2009. According to Board of Education member Eric Waggoner “The true measure of success for the environmental sustainability movement is whether energy reduction, pollution control and resource conservation can catch on at a community level. Lake Bluff School District 65 has offered a shining hope for the future of community-based sustainability movements. The District’s plan to build a LEED Silver Certified elementary school, supported by the ICE Community Foundation Grant Award and the additional financial pledge from the DCEO through State Senator Susan Garrett’s efforts, are the direct results of an intensive, 3-year collaborative partnership between District 65 and the Lake Bluff community in the District’s school facility planning process.” Virginia's First LEED Gold Middle School
Press Release,
Business Reviews
April 13, 2012 VIRGINIA: Moseley Architects, a leader in the design of educational facilities, is proud to announce that Orange County Public Schools' new Locust Grove Middle School has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold certification with the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Located in Locust Grove, Virginia, the facility is Virginia's first LEED Gold middle school and Orange County's first LEED certified building. The new two-story, 168,300-square-foot facility offers students a state-of-the-art learning environment and features dedicated spaces to special education and music, as well as general classrooms, science laboratories, a library, a commons area with stage, athletic gyms, locker rooms, kitchen, and administration offices. The Orange County School Board was eager to work with the design team to integrate high performance design principles into the new school's design. When the project began, the goal was to create a facility that was capable of earning LEED Silver; however, due to the dedication of the school board, designers, and contractor, Gold certification was feasible. Jim Henderson, a vice president with Moseley Architects and who worked on the project, said "The sustainable features of the new school will positively impact the students and reap significant cost savings over the life cycle of the school. I think that this project also reinforces the importance of being good stewards of our limited natural resources." Working with the project's general contractor, Kenbridge Construction Company, Inc., Moseley Architects' designers incorporated strategies that were critical to reaching the team's LEED goals. Noteworthy features include: using low-flow fixtures to reduce water use by 37 percent, which will annually save over 700,000 gallons of water; supporting the local economy by using regionally manufactured materials for 59 percent of the building materials; diverting 89 percent (644 tons) of construction waste from landfills; and providing outside views for 90 percent of the building's regularly occupied spaces. Atlanta Public Schools committee to decide fate of closed school buildings
Blayne Alexander,
11alive.com
April 12, 2012 GEORGIA: If used correctly, an empty building could be like a new beginning. An opportunity to take something old and give it new life, a new purpose. Or, it could be abandoned. Left as an eyesore and a blight on a community. Atlanta Public Schools have seen it go both ways. Ten years ago, 11Alive exposed nine APS buildings that had been closed up and abandoned for years. A decade later, there have been some improvements. The old Fulton High School on Jonesboro Road was demolished and Dobbs Elementary School built in its place. But a former school on Cooper Street continues to sit vacant and boarded up, now cleaned up a bit and with a real estate sign out front. With seven APS schools set to close, five of those in a matter of months, the district has formed a special committee led by deputy superintendent Steve Smith to repurpose the buildings. APS spokesman Keith Bromery says options include social service facilities, recreational centers and career academies. "Bottom line is, they don't want to see any, if they can help it, just kind of closed up and unoccupied," Bromery said. "They'd like to see them used in some capacity in order to help stabilize the communities." The superintendent's final proposal lists concrete plans for two of the seven schools: Parks Middle School and Kennedy Middle School will become career academies after they close in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Two schools have temporary plans: Cook Elementary School will hold Inman's 6th grade academy next year, while East Lake Elementary School will house Coan Middle School students while their school is remodeled. Those plans do not go beyond 2013. Three elementary schools, Capitol View, Herndon and White, have no plans listed at all. They are slated to close at the end of this school year. Mary Brittin has lived in her house across from East Lake Elementary School for 44 years. She says she fears what will happen if the building is left empty. "My biggest fear is vacancy. People will be coming in and out, doing all kinds of stuff," she said, citing drugs and prostitution. She fought to keep East Lake open, but now that it's gone, she has one final request for APS: "Do not leave it empty. It wouldn't be good for the neighborhood." $5.3 billion school bond proposal still in works for Clark County, Nevada
Paul Takahashi ,
Las Vegas Sun
April 12, 2012 NEVADA: As the Clark County School District contemplates a new, $5.3 billion capital program, four former Nevada first ladies filed paperwork to form a political action committee to support the potential ballot initiative. With the 1998 bond program comes to a close, the School District is likely to seek public approval for a new capital campaign, which may raise property taxes as much as $74 a year on a $100,000 home. The district estimates it will need to issue $5.3 billion in school construction bonds to repair and modernize its aging school buildings over the next decade. Voter approval is needed for the School District to increase its debt limit. The purpose of the PAC is "to advocate for the passage of a ballot question in support of capital projects for public schools," according to PAC documents filed by attorney Scott Taylor. For the School District to issue bonds, its revenues - from property and local school taxes - must exceed its debt on previous bond measures, which are still being repaid. Because of the depressed housing market, the district does not expect to have the bonding capacity for another six years, according to the district's chief financial officer Jeff Weiler. However, by 2018, construction relief may come too late, Weiler said, noting that some of the district's oldest and most dilapidated schools may need to be closed for safety reasons. Weiler proposed two bond options during a February School Board meeting to fund a new capital campaign, which would require voter approval. If the new capital bond program were approved, the majority of the money - about $3.4 billion - would go toward renovating and replacing old schools. About $1 billion would go to new technology and equipment for schools. The rest of the bond money would help build new schools in growing regions of the valley, and help the district strive for "educational equity" among its schools. All seven School Board members expressed support of a bond program during a February meeting. The School District must submit ballot questions to the Clark County election department by June to be included on the November ballot. The School District is currently conducting research on the feasibility of a property tax increase. The PAC presumably would help the district conduct focus groups and research ways to target voters to approve the bond initiative. Fitch Ratings maintained the School District's bond rating at AA- in February, after downgrading it from AA to AA- in February 2011. Fitch analysts in February said the financial outlook for the district remained negative. "As a result of the severe tax base contraction, the district will likely be forced to either restructure debt or raise the tax rate above the level promised to voters in the 1998 bond authorization," according to the Fitch report. Editorial: Seattle voters should support school-construction projects
Editorial staff,
Seattle Times
April 11, 2012 WASHINGTON: Voters should say yes to school-construction bond requests from three King County school districts. Rebuilding aging schools supports learning every bit as much as buying textbooks or hiring a new teacher. Among the items on Tuesday's special-election ballot, the Mercer Island School District would borrow $196 million to replace three elementary schools and a middle school. Planned upgrades to existing schools include new science labs and classrooms and land for a new school to accommodate the island's growing student population. Voters in the Renton and Issaquah school districts are asked to approve similar projects. Issaquah's $219 million bond request would pay for rebuilding two elementary schools and a middle school and renovating a high school. Similar needs in Renton justify approval for that district's $97 million schools plan. Extremely low interest rates make now an optimal time for school construction. Mercer Island, Issaquah and Renton have long-term capital-improvement plans that maximize taxpayer dollars. It is a challenge getting voters to tax themselves in a recovering economy, one made greater by the need for school districts to garner enough yes votes to meet the 60 percent minimum turnout required under state law. Some voters are likely feeling pinched by funding requests coming from other areas of government in addition to schools. Prioritizing is the proper approach. Schools should be at the top of the priority list. We've raised the bar for student achievement. Students learn better in safe, modernized schools with well-equipped classrooms. The public should support well-vetted and important school-construction projects in Mercer Island, Issaquah and Renton. Solar Electrifying 15 San Francisco K-12 Schools
Staff writer,
Sustainable Business
April 11, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Solar energy is now electrifying 15, K-12 schools in South San Francisco's Unified School District. Combined with energy efficiency retrofits, the district will save $20 million in utility bills over 25 years. Solar panels are on elementary, middle, and high schools across the district, producing a total 1.68 megawatts (MW). That will cut its fossil fuel use in half. In 2010, voters approved a $162 million bond to improve school infrastructure and enhance the learning environment. The project has also dramatically improved the classroom learning environment through the integration of advanced, high-performing energy efficient technologies. It also created 100 local green jobs. Chevron Energy Solutions, the big oil company that's also a solar installer, designed the system. The company says it collaborates with school districts across the country to design and implement science curriculum that integrates with the renewable and energy efficiency systems it installs. Energy retrofits for the school system include: lighting, irrigation, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, which will improve aesthetics and air quality, and lower maintenance costs. Chevron will also provide professional development for teachers, curriculum materials and hands-on experiments aligned with state standards to help create a living laboratory that promotes environmental awareness and energy consciousness. Recently, Chevron completed a similar solar system for California's Oak Grove School District near San Jose - a 1.8 MW on four schools and the district office. It will generate up to 90% of the district's electricity, while saving $13 million in energy costs over the life of the project. "The savings being generated can now be reinvested into our classrooms where it belongs," says Chris Jew, Acting Superintendent for Oak Grove School District. Growing Green Kids at Sleepy Hollow Middle School
Krista Madsen,
Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow Patch
April 11, 2012 NEW YORK: Sleepy Hollow Middle School, led by the efforts of a very active Environmental Action Club, led in turn by the very engaged seventh grade science teacher Michael Garguilo, has, in the last year or so, launched many green initiatives that have changed campus life and its students forever. There are bluebirds on school grounds for the first time in many years thanks to the bird houses students have erected. There's a butterfly garden. A sustainable garden, watered with rain run-off, grows vegetables the students will eat at their annual barbecue recognition ceremony. Students have made sure there are recycling bins in every room and hallway, which they labelled accordingly. And all students, through EAC's outreach to community agencies, received a reuseable tote bag in order to eliminate the use of plastic bags in the school altogether. All these efforts haven't gone unnoticed. Thanks to Garguilo, who spearheaded an extensive application process, our middle school has recently been selected as one of three New York State public schools nominated as a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School. This puts them in the running for the national competition announced by Education Secretary Arne Duncan on April 23, the day after Earth Day. The other two schools in the state to be nominated were the Hampton Bays Middle School in Hampton Bays and Bethlehem Central Middle School in Delmar. The state received 26 applications, 12 of which were from NYC public schools and only from two non-public schools. “It represents a commitment by the entire school to reduce, reuse, recycle,” said principal Elizabeth Lopez of the honor. She praised Garguilo especially and the entire student body. “It's great to be recognized for the work we've done and to raise the level of awareness in our students on the importance of sustainability. The indirect result is really that the children are very engaged in this.” Their work is not done. The goal, said Lopez, is not only to achieve a net-zero energy usage in the school, but a net-positive impact on the student body, graduating citizens that are environmentally literate and continue to make a difference.
Look and learn: intelligent design for education
Kieran Long,
London Evening Standard
April 11, 2012 LONDON, ENGLAND: The £17.5 million new building for Kingston University’s business school is the kind of practical space that offers a striking lesson in intelligent, fit-for-purpose design. New Hampshire House, Senate divided over school building aid
Sarah Palermo,
Concord Monitor
April 11, 2012 NEW HAMPSHIRE: Whether the state adopts a plan endorsed by the House or the slightly different one put forward by the Senate, building aid for school districts is going to change. At least, that's the hope of state education officials, said Edward Murdough, an administrator with the state Department of Education. "The department is most concerned that a revised system be established in the current session," Murdough said, testifying before the House Finance Committee about the Senate's bill. "Both bills have good features. We can make either work." The worry, he said, is that the two houses won't agree on which features to save and won't pass any reform this year, before next year's debate over the biennial budget. "The current system," he said, "will lead us to a need of $100 million a year with only $2 (million) to $3 million going to new construction, and that time will be within 20 years. If we don't change, this is a train wreck waiting to happen." Both bills stop the state's practice of borrowing for the aid program, and both provide for paying off past promises (about $45 million this year, and close to that next year) to districts that built schools under that past formula. Both bills prioritize aid for districts where new facilities are most direly needed, and both change the program from a payment over the life of the local district's loan to an up-front payment. 2 more Kentucky schools earn green distinction
Patrick T. Sullivan,
Courier-Journal
April 10, 2012 KENTUCKY: Two more Bullitt County schools will soon be recognized as Energy Star facilities, giving the county a total of 12. Nichols and Lebanon Junction elementary schools recently earned the distinction, said Andrea Rock, energy manager for Bullitt County Public Schools. Both schools had renovations and got rid of inefficient boilers. The buildings’ recognition is a testament to the school system’s effort to conserve energy, Kentucky Division of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Director Greg Guess said. “They have one of the most effective programs in the state right now,” Guess said. “Bullitt County ranks up there in the top tier of counties with good programs.” Five years ago, Bullitt County Public Schools set out to cut down on its buildings’ emissions by urging employees and students to shut off air-conditioning units and other appliances when not in use, Rock said. In 2009, Energy Star, an EPA-funded energy efficiency program, took notice by recognizing Freedom and Shepherdville elementary schools and Eastside and Zoneton middle schools. Three years later, with 12 Energy Star schools, Bullitt ranks behind only Warren County in the number of distinguished schools. To earn the distinction, a building must score at least a 75 on the EPA’s energy performance scale, which ranges from one to 100 based on energy usage. A building with a 75 rating means it is considered more efficient than 75 percent of competing buildings, according to Energy Star. Lebanon Junction received an 81, while Nichols scored a 79. Bullitt’s most efficient school, according to Energy Star, is Overdale Elementary, which received a 97 last year. New buildings and renovations to older ones have spurred efficiency, but school-based teams of students and staff also have helped by making make sure lights and computers are turned off when they’re not being used. “If you don’t shut computers or other electronics off, they’re going to waste a lot of energy,” Rock said. “It’s the little things that matter.” Campus building project aided by piggy banks
Annette Baird,
Houston Chronicle
April 10, 2012 TEXAS: Even the tooth fairy has been involved in raising funds for a new building and renovations for St. Michael Catholic School. Students have been bringing in money left by the tooth fairy, pocket change and earnings from odd jobs to insert in bulldozer-shaped piggy banks to go towards the $15 million cost to build a comprehensive new facility for the co-educational Galleria-area school that serves students in preschool through eighth grade. "The kids are very excited. They've been drawing pictures and raising money - using the bulldozer piggy banks," said Principal Chris Skowronek of the collection efforts of the 475 students. The project will provide a three-story school building and two-story administrative wing and renovate an existing structure. Work got under way in early February and is slated to be completed for the fall semester in 2013. When completed, the school's buildings will total 70,000 square feet. Designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's bronze rating requirements for energy efficiency and use of recycled materials, the planned facilities are needed to keep pace with technology and provide a quality education that promotes faith, administrators said. N.Y.U. Agrees to Scale Back Its Expansion in the Village
Joseph Berger,
New York Times
April 10, 2012 NEW YORK: New York University has agreed to reduce the scale of its plans for four tall buildings in Greenwich Village by almost a fifth.The original plan, for dormitories and classroom buildings on land the university owns south of Washington Square Park, was rejected unanimously by the local community board. The plan has also infuriated many faculty members and neighborhood activists, who said its density threatened the quiet, light-filled, low-rise character of the Village. It remains unclear whether the proposed reductions, which leave the broad elements of the plan mostly intact, will placate them. Scott M. Stringer, the Manhattan borough president, who has spent years negotiating with university officials to reach a compromise, said the deal would allow one of the city’s leading academic institutions room to make itself more competitive with rival schools while preserving the neighborhood’s offbeat character. “N.Y.U. must coexist with Greenwich Village and not overwhelm the neighborhood,” he said in an interview disclosing the deal. “This strikes an important balance.” John Beckman, a spokesman for the university, said in a statement that N.Y.U. was glad to have Mr. Stringer’s support for its revised proposals. The initial plans, he noted, “have gone through multiple changes over the years.” Providence schools recognized for green efforts
Associated Press,
Boston Globe
April 09, 2012 RHODE ISLAND: The Rhode Island Department of Education is recognizing three Providence schools for their environmental efforts. The department says Classical High School, Nathan Bishop Middle School and Providence Career and Technical Academy have been selected as Green Ribbon Schools. Green Ribbon Schools is a pilot project of the U.S. Department of Education. The initiative recognizes schools that save energy, reduce costs, foster wellness and offer environmental education. George Caruolo, chairman of the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education, says the three Providence schools have a minimal environmental impact, promote the health of students and staff and are raising student awareness of the environment. Education Commissioner Gist (gihst) says Rhode Island is at the forefront of the green-school movement. DeKalb finds way to save threatened school construction projects
Ty Tagami ,
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
April 09, 2012 GEORGIA: School construction projects that had been jeopardized by a funding shortfall in DeKalb County will get built after all, officials said Monday night. The projects were included in a five-year sales tax-funded construction program that expires this summer. No arrangement had been made to set aside money to cover $21 million in bond debt interest payments that were coming due in this third installment of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson had proposed scuttling three dozen projects at scores of schools to cover that deficit and to pay for another problem: a $10 million overrun in projected costs for a new Chamblee High School. But on Monday, Atkinson announced that officials had found a way to finish the work and that lawyers had signed off on it. The school system will use $25 million from the next five-year sales tax program to do it. And none of the projects on that fourth sales tax building program will be sacrificed. According to Stephen Wilkins, the district's new chief operating officer, the district will save $5 million on design fees by building seven elementary schools on the same template. Another $4.2 million will come from "contingencies" and other reductions. And school officials will "reallocate" $5 million from the program management budget. The biggest savings will come from a new way of doing business, Wilkins said. The school system won't issue bonds to jump-start construction, unlike five years ago at the beginning of the third round of sales tax projects. That will save $11 million, Wilkins said. "We're going to pay as we go," Wilkins said. Atkinson said the entire list of threatened projects will get built, but not necessarily for the amount of money budgeted. In the past, if a project came in under budget, the project was expanded until the money was spent. This time, if a project comes in low, the money will be used on other projects, she said. New Jersey appeals court ruling could jumpstart delayed school construction projects throughout Hudson County
Terrence McDonald,
Jersey Journal
April 09, 2012 NEW JERSEY: A state appeals court ordered the state swiftly to adopt rules governing when urban school districts can manage facility projects funded by the state, a decision that could jumpstart long-delayed construction projects in districts such as Jersey City. The rules are meant to enforce a 2007 amendment to the New Jersey school construction law that gives districts control over construction projects funded by the state Schools Development Authority. They were expected to increase efficiency and promote successful completion of projects. The SDA, which manages the construction and restoration of facilities in the 31 districts formerly known as Abbott Districts, has until April 18 to adopt the new regulations, according to the ruling. By delaying adoption of the regulations for so long, the SDA has made its priorities clear, said David G. Sciarra, executive director of Education Law Center, which brought the suit. “Their whole agenda is to delay spending any state money on replacing or repairing urban public schools,” Sciarra said. “I mean, it’s just self-evident.” When Gov. Chris Christie took office in 2010, he put all SDA construction projects on hold for more than a year. The 30 projects announced since then aren’t expected to be completed before Christie’s first term ends in 2014. SDA spokeswoman Kristen MacLean said the suit and the ruling are essentially “moot,” since the SDA had always planned to come out with the new regulations by mid-April. The authority has no objection to permitting home districts to oversee SDA-funded projects, but the new regulations will “require that the districts have their own house in order before they can manage any new projects,” MacLean said.In Jersey City alone, there are dozens of SDA-funded projects planned, with an expected price tag of $235 million. Hoboken has 11 projects planned, at $37.5 million, and Bayonne has 26 projects, at $80.8 million. Solar power lights up 15 San Mateo County schools
Staff writer,
KPCC
April 09, 2012 CALIFORNIA: A partnership between the South San Francisco Unified School District and Chevron has resulted in what’s being called “the largest K – 12 solar and energy efficiency program in San Mateo County.” Fifteen elementary, middle and high schools in the county will be outfitted with enough solar panels to generate 1.68 megawatts of electricity, which is expected to cut annual electricity usage by half and reduce carbon emissions by more than 1,500 metric tons. Financially speaking, that adds up to a whopping $20 million reduction in costs over the next 25 years. The upgrades are being financed through Measure J, which was approved by voters in 2010. The local bond measure provided $162 million specifically for educational means, including infrastructure improvements. "Harnessing the power of the sun helps make our schools more environmentally sustainable, cuts their energy bills, and creates thousands of teachable moments for our students," said California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson in a press release. "That's a win-win-win proposition, for our schools and for California." Chevron Energy Solutions designed and installed the systems, and will maintain them over the next 25 years. York schools' middle school idea raises question: What grades should buildings serve?
Angie Mason,
Daily Record
April 07, 2012 PENNSYLVANIA: Should students in kindergarten through grade eight be in the same building? Or should they be split among two schools, or three? Research says there isn't one right way to do it, according to some education authorities, and districts around York County have found a variety of ways to suit their needs. Some school officials have said the makeup of buildings change to match enrollment and space considerations, though the best way of educating kids is always in mind. The York City School District will hold a hearing April 17 to consider closing its middle schools and converting elementary schools to serve kindergarten to grade 8. Officials have said the move is being considered because of declining enrollment -- 1,000 students have been lost, largely to charter schools, since 2009 -- and available space in the middle schools, as well as an effort to find the best way to educate kids. The district is also facing a $19 million budget deficit for 2012-13, though officials have not said how much could be saved by closing two schools. Supt. Deborah Wortham said in an email last week that she believes the district is part of a "growing initiative." "According to research, there is interest in implementing K-8 schools," she wrote. "Parents often prefer that their children remain within the elementary school culture. It must be noted, K-8 schools provide an atmosphere that is conducive to nurturing and developing leadership skills in young people." She has previously cited benefits such as fewer transitions for students, and said that K-8 buildings would provide "one-stop shopping" for families with younger and older children in one spot. Differing research Steve Robinson, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania School Board Association, said there are studies pointing to both sides of the coin on K-8 schools. Some argue that it's better to have middle-school aged students separated, because they have specialized psychological and behavioral needs that are difficult to meet in elementary school or high school, he said. Other studies cite higher parental involvement, less violence, and a stronger student connection to K-8 schools, he said.Some studies have focused on whether the K-8 building shows benefits in middle-schoolers' academic performance, and they reached different conclusions. A study of Florida schools published in Education Next magazine in 2012 found that students who moved to middle schools lost ground compared to their counterparts in K-8 buildings. But a Johns Hopkins University study of Philadelphia's K-8 schools concluded there was no significant difference between those students and their peers in middle schools, according to a 2007 Baltimore Sun article. Kim Schwarz, president of the York City Education Association, said she couldn't say if there was a general consensus among teachers for or against the K-8 idea. "Obviously dealing with the declining enrollment, it would be a cost savings to utilize space in the elementary buildings," she said. There's research to support it, and probably the opposite, she said, noting Pittsburgh schools successfully made that change. Just because it worked or didn't work for another district doesn't mean the same will happen in York, she said. "I'm sure there will be pitfalls and positives to it," she said. City parents have raised concerns about the elementary schools' younger students mixing with and being influenced by the older students. Wortham has said the older and younger students won't be learning in the same space, and that a feasibility study is being done for each building to identify "designated learning environments" for elementary and middle school students. Tibbles said some K-8 schools have set up buddy systems between kindergartners and eighth graders, she said, to benefit the younger students. It's also common for K-8 schools to handle grades five to eight differently, in a sort of "school within a school" model, she said. But there are "loads" of K-8 and even K-12 schools in the country, Tibbles said. "They obviously figure out how to handle the younger with older," she said.
Four North Carolina schools up for Green Ribbon Schools awards
Associated Press,
Myrtle Beach Online
April 07, 2012 NORTH CAROLINA: Three North Carolina public schools and one private school are among those competing for the U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools Award, which recognizes the highest performing green schools in the nation. The schools nominated by the state Department of Public Instruction's School Planning Division are Evergreen Community Charter School in Asheville; Green Hope High School and Moore Square Middle School in Wake County; and American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan began the Green Ribbon Schools award as a way to improve education facilities and building energy savings while fostering student and staff health, wellness, productivity and achievement. Award recipients will be announced on April 23. Winners will be honored at a ceremony in Washington on June 4. Shelved school plans cost Cincinnati Public Schools $4.7 million
Jessica Brown,
Community Press
April 06, 2012 OHIO: Cincinnati Public Schools spent $1.2 million to have a Fairfield architecture firm design the new Quebec Heights school. The technology-rich, LEED-certified, “green” school in East Price Hill was to serve as a community learning center and an anchor for the neighborhood. But in January, months before construction was to begin, the district killed the project due to declining enrollment and lack of money. Now the renderings are shelved. The money is gone. And it’s not the first time. Since 2003, CPS has spent $4.7 million in public money designing five schools – Washington Park, Porter, Whittier, Taft Elementary and Quebec Heights – that never came to be. The state’s third-largest district is nearing the end of a decade-long plan to overhaul its aging stock of school buildings. The cost is expected to reach $1.2 billion. Although $4.7 million is less than 1 percent of the total project cost, every dollar counts at a time when money is tight for school districts throughout the state. While CPS is not alone in its overspending, it has lost more money than any other large urban Ohio school district. It also illustrates the importance of accurate enrollment projections. Ohio is nearing the end of a school-construction boom that began in the late 1990s when the state agreed to help fund districts’ construction plans. Through 2011, more than 814 new or renovated buildings had been built in 258 of the state’s 614 school districts. National experts say it is not unusual for large urban school districts to downsize their construction plans as enrollment projections decline. When CPS launched its plan, it had 39,173 students, with a projection of 42,165 by the plan’s end. Instead, enrollment has declined 18 percent to just over 32,000 students. CPS originally estimated it would need 66 schools to house its students. That number has been reduced to 50. Nor is it unusual for a district to kill a construction project after design work has begun. “We’ve seen it in all the urban areas, Cleveland, and Dayton and Cincinnati – even in Akron,” said Franklin Brown, planning director at the Ohio School Facilities Commission. The OSFC partners with districts to fund and manage their construction projects. Court Orders New Jersey to Allow Urban Districts to Handle their Own School Construction
Jennifer Bradshaw,
New Brunswick Patch
April 05, 2012 NEW JERSEY: The Newark-based Education Law Center (ELC) announced Wednesday that an appeals court has ordered the School Development Authority to come up with guidelines that would give urban districts the ability to design and execute their own construction projects. This could be good news for New Brunswick schools, which have been caught up in SDA-run projects for the last seven years. Presently, the SDA is the entity that approves construction projects for urban school districts, handling the design and construction aspects, as well as the timeline. As a result of this court order, construction projects would be delegated to qualifying school districts to handle design and construction of their own schools, creating the potential for projects to be completed faster and for less, according to the ELC report. It is still early to be able to determine how beneficial this new development could be, said Richard Kaplan, Superintendent of the New Brunswick School District. Kaplan said the question remains of how much the district would be able to sever itself from the SDA in order to complete projects. Guidelines exist that districts must follow, and it is still unclear how they will be affected by these new rules. "Since Governor Chris Christie took office in January 2010, the SDA has not started any new, major school replacement and renovation projects in the SDA districts, even though the SDA had designated 52 major projects for funding and construction in a 2008 statewide capital plan," ELC Executive Director David G. Sciarra said in the ELC report on Wednesday. According to the ELC, the SDA must either approve previously proposed delegation rules by April 18, or if they decide to come up with new rules, they must be adopted within 90 days. Zero-interest school bonds preserved for Richmond County; Qualified School Construction Bond loans still available in Virginia
Dianne Saison,
Northern Neck News
April 04, 2012 VIRGINIA: Though there isn’t a clear next step for the future of Richmond County high school construction, at least $5 million of interest-free financing remains at the county’s beck and call until 2015. Last year, amidst public outcry over perceived overbuilding of a proposed new high school, plans to construct the facility were halted after the industrial development authority rejected the funding. As part of the county’s proposal, part of the multi-million-dollar structure would be financed through a $5 million appropriation in Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) loans, derived from leftover stimulus monies and loaned to approved districts throughout the state at zero percent financing. Many considered the one-time funding opportunity, which had an estimated interest cost savings of $2.6 million over the loan’s lifetime, to be lost once the school plans came to a halt. However, last week, School Superintendent Dr. Marilyn Barr was informed by the state that the funding was still very much available for the county to utilize. “When I spoke to the State Finance Department I learned that the money is still there for us for a new school project,” said Barr during a recent interview, adding that she had also received a surprising request to apply for an unexpected and larger amount of funding with the same opportunity of zero percent interest. “We were on a ‘first priority’ waiting list for literary loan funds from the state,” explained County Administrator Bill Duncanson in a recent interview, adding that Richmond County was currently at number 32 on the statewide list. “We received a questionnaire from the Department of Education asking if we wanted to keep our name on the list and if so, were we interested in the possibility of replacing the literary loan monies with the QSCB money,” Duncanson said. Barr said she was directed by the current board of supervisors to indicate the county’s positive interest in those additional funds. On March 30, local officials filed paperwork with the state that could result in a total appropriation of $12.5 million in interest free loans, which at the current interest rate of 4 percent could save taxpayers $6.5 million in interest payments over the course of a 20-year loan, Duncanson said. According to Duncanson, although any school project would still require tax increases dependent on the project’s total cost, the addition of the $7.5 million of interest-free funding would lower original estimated burden on local taxpayers. Barr said that a decision from the state regarding the allotment of additional QSCB funds is expected any day. Once awarded, districts have three years to utilize the loans. “The real question here is if there is going to be a project,” said Duncanson. “To go forward there has to be a plan that both the school board and the supervisors agree on.” University of Houston: A $638 million construction site
Max Gardner,
Daily Cougar
April 03, 2012 TEXAS: Since 2008, the University of Houston has spent $219 million on construction, while another $219 million is being spent on current projects and an additional $200 million is allocated to proposals in the design and financing phase, said UH President Renu Khator in her fall 2011 address. This has resulted in several construction sites sprawled over campus, closing walkways and obstructing traffic. “You see it every day when you try to get through campus,” said Director of Facilities Planning Mike Yancey. “We are going to wrap all of those (projects) up as soon as we can.” All of the construction going on at once has forced students to accommodate to the changes, which include campus sidewalk closures and parking lot closures and reassignments. “We try to keep the sidewalks open and have good accessibility, but at the same time, we have to do these projects,” Yancey said. In order to try and limit additional burdens on students, the University has tried to set tighter restrictions on the construction boundaries. “We limit the contractor’s footprint of the site to where it’s up real close to the building and still allows people to get around,” Yancey said. “The issue is that when you get multiple buildings in the same general location, you get these little narrow slices of traffic.” Yancey said the University is trying to keep construction at a constant pace to be as non-intrusive as possible. Two residence halls, a dining hall and several academic buildings around campus are considered in the active construction phase, also known as the building phase. These are a mixture of completely new structures as well as renovations and additions to old structures. “While we are renovating, we are improving,” Yancey said. “The campus is getting better, and I’m really happy with it.” The financial support for these projects comes from various sources. “There are a lot of different funding sources, from tuition revenue bonds and HEAF (Higher Education Assistance Fund) to grants and local funds,” Yancey said. “Each project has a different funding source or sources. You can see how the money is combined to do the project.” Yancey said he does not see a time when construction will not be happening in some form on campus. “If you look at the life cycle of buildings and the components in a building, in order to maintain and operate it properly, you have to replace certain components in (that) building,” Yancey said. Tulsa, Oklahoma board OKs new roles for old schoolhouses
Eger, Andrea,
Tulsa World
April 03, 2012 OKLAHOMA: The Tulsa school board gave the go-ahead to a few more facility changes in the district's ongoing efficiency initiative known as Project Schoolhouse. The board voted to close Greeley Elementary School to make way for a new charter school in its building and approved a lease of the vacant Barnard Elementary School to a longtime charter school partner. 3 Michigan schools nominated for National Green Ribbon Schools award
Higgins, Lori,
Detroit Free Press
April 03, 2012 MICHIGAN: The state has nominated three Michigan schools for the National Green Ribbon Schools award, which will recognize schools working toward energy conservation. The schools: Detroit Edison Public School Academy, a charter school; Clarkston High School and Springfield Plains Elementary School, both in Clarkston Community Schools. The U.S. Department of Education will announce winners later this month. The nominees were announced today by the Michigan Department of Education. Schools will be recognized for reducing environmental impact on their communities, promoting healthy school environments for their students and staff, and offering high-quality environmental education. Despite massive budget cuts, there’s a building boom in U.S. higher education
Jon Marcus,
Hechinger Report
April 02, 2012 NATIONAL: An unprecedented multibillion-dollar building boom is under way at U.S. universities and colleges—despite budget shortfalls, endowment declines and seemingly stretched resources. Some $11 billion in new facilities have sprung up on American campuses in each of the last two years—more than double what was spent on buildings a decade ago, according to the market-research firm McGraw-Hill Construction—even as schools are under pressure to contain costs. Much of the spending is occurring at cash-strapped public universities. The public University of California system has $8.9 billion in construction going up at its 10 campuses and five medical centers, and the California State University system has $161 million. California has cut billions of dollars in operating money from its public universities, which have responded by reducing enrollment, dramatically increasing tuition and laying off employees. At UC campuses, student fees rose 18 percent this year. Since the beginning of the fiscal crisis, 4,400 employees have been laid off and 3,570 positions have been eliminated in the UC system. More than $384 million in projects are in process and another $515 million are in the planning and design stages at the University of Buffalo, part of the State University of New York, a system whose budget has been cut by $1.1 billion over the last three years. Virginia Tech has $696 million in construction newly finished, under way or ready to start, and the University of Nebraska has nearly $600 million. Private universities are building, too. Northwestern University has plans for $151 million in projects along Lake Michigan. While critics concede that some of the construction is justified—at jam-packed community colleges, for instance, where enrollments are rising—they contend that many new buildings are going up on campuses because donors want their names immortalized, university presidents like to leave legacies of brick and mortar, and admissions directors are battling for applicants they’re convinced are lured by shiny new amenities. After a two-year dry spell, millions heading to Connecticut's vo-tech schools for repairs and equipment
Jacqueline Rabe Thomas,
Connecticut Mirror
April 02, 2012 CONNECTICUT: As students change classes at Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School in Groton, they sometimes have to avoid knocking over the buckets in the hallways collecting water from the leaking roof. The leak has caused the electricity to short out, which started a small fire at the school in January. It wasn't always this bad, but school officials' calls for money from the state to fix Grasso's roof and a list of other projects have been falling on deaf ears over the past few years. That all changed this year, and on Friday the State Bond Commission unanimously voted to send the 17-school system nearly $10 million for emergency building repairs and trade equipment. The schools have received $14.3 million so far this fiscal year from the state. During the previous two years, they received nothing for repairs. In total, during the past six years the tech schools received $32 million from the state, according to the State Department of Education. The schools could receive as much as $28 million this year alone. Members of the State Board of Education said last year that it will take an additional $96 million to get the schools the equipment and building repairs they need. The General Assembly endorsed $56 million of those projects, but each project first must be approved by the Bond Commission. Malloy controls the commission's agenda. AIA Committee on Architecture for Education Announces 2012 CAE Design Awards
Staff writer,
AIA Press Release
April 02, 2012 NATIONAL: The CAE Design Awards seek to identify, honor, and disseminate the projects and ideas that exhibit innovation and excellence through: the enhancement of the client's educational program through the thoughtful planning and design of facilities; the integration of function and aesthetics in designs that also respect the surrounding community and context; and a planning/design process that is educational, collaborative, and builds the capacity of the school and its community to support its students. Design Excellence Awards go to Ardmore Elementary School, NAC|Architecture; Bowdoin College Studzinski Recital Hall, William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc.; Milton Academy Pritzker Science Center, William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc.; Redding School of the Arts, Trilogy Architecture Urban Design Research.
Deteriorating Building Conditions Persist in Harford County, Maryland's Older Public Schools; Asbestos, Mold, Leaks Cited
Cindy Mumby,
The Dagger
April 01, 2012 MARYLAND: Deteriorating building conditions in Harford County’s older public schools were the subject of evocative comments by members of the public and a photo presentation by the president of the teacher’s union at a meeting of the Harford County Board of Education. Despite budget crunch, Utah universities has been able to build on in a big way
Kevin Opsahl,
Herald Journal
April 01, 2012 UTAH: A month ago, Utah State University celebrated its founding with a dinner commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act, legislation signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln that established land-grant universities across the country. It was a reminder that USU has come a long way since its founding in 1888, when it was established as the Utah Agricultural College, and Old Main was the most prominent fixture at the mouth of Logan Canyon. Today, buildings with grandiose architectural designs and state-of-the-art scientific features now seem to technologically overshadow Old Main — like the green solar panels bolstered on the side of the new Agricultural Sciences building or the towering brick structure of the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. Not too far away is the USU Innovation Campus, which houses ultra-modern buildings dedicated to research efforts. Since 2008, when the nation’s economy fell into a recession, the eight public colleges and universities within the Utah System of Higher Education lost ten of millions of dollars in state appropriations — $25.2 million of which was cut from USU alone. But even over those last four years, those institutions, including USU, have built and will continue to build more facilities. The university unveiled the $43 million Agriculture Sciences building on the Quad in February, thanks to legislation passed during the 2012 session; a $50 million USTAR BioInnovations building opened in October 2010, also with state support; and the Bingham Entrepreneurship and Energy Research Center — the flagship building for the Uintah Basin campus — opened in August 2010 thanks to a $15 million private donation. And, according to USHE figures, USU currently has $51 million worth of projects to come. The money will go to fund a $34 million addition to the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, an ultra-modern $10 facility to house USU’s Regional Campuses and Distance Education program, and a $7.5 million strength and conditioning center for Aggie athletes. Elsewhere in the state, Utah Valley University broke ground last year for a $30.6 million, 160,000-square-foot science building and the first phase of the University of Utah’s new home for its School of Business was completed last year, rising eight stories over the south end of campus. Joplin School District seeks OK for bond issue
Kelsey Ryan,
Joplin Globe
March 31, 2012 MISSOURI: Voters in the Joplin School District on Tuesday will decide a $62 million bond issue that officials say is needed to complete the $185 million building projects made necessary by the destruction caused by the 2011 tornado. District officials say that in order to rebuild Joplin High School, voters must approve the bond issue, or they risk delaying the construction of a permanent high school as well as delaying the addition of storm shelters at schools throughout the district. In order to pass, the bond issue must have a four-sevenths, or 57.14 percent, majority at the polls. But some Joplin residents, worried about the size of the bond issue, the current economy and the financial stress many families have endured since the tornado, aren’t sure whether they can afford the accompanying tax hike. The estimated rebuilding cost for all the schools and other associated projects is $185 million. Total estimated insurance, government funding and donations now stand at a total $123 million. Washington State Governor Signs School Construction Reform Bill
Staff writer,
Gig Harbor Patch
March 30, 2012 WASHINGTON: The state will stop spending money building classroom space for online, out-of-district students under a bill signed by Gov. Chris Gregoire. “The state needs to focus investments on things that make sense. When the state invests in school construction, it should invest in space for students who will actually show up in the classroom,” said Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, who sponsored the bill. “This is common-sense reform that will save $13 million this year alone and much more in the years ahead.” Senate Bill 6002 is expected to save $13 million this year by addressing an issue caused by a surge in the number of students enrolled with school districts in Alternative Learning Experience programs, or A.L.E. students. In some cases, these students are essentially studying at home, under direction and with an agreement from the school. They may never show up in the district's brick-and-mortar buildings, often interacting with the instructors only online. Many actually live outside the school district’s boundaries. Recently, the State Auditor’s Office pointed out that the state’s school construction funding formula doesn't distinguish between students who sit in classrooms and learn in laboratories and students who participate online from home. The state pays its share of construction costs as if every A.L.E. student uses the district’s buildings. SB 6002 reforms the state’s funding formula to provide construction assistance money based on the number of students physically present, and does not count A.L.E. students from other districts in that formula. “Education is an investment that pays off for our entire state, and steps like these ensure that the state is being as effective with its limited education dollars as possible,” Kilmer said. Harkin Bill Would Provide Billions to Hire Teachers, Fix Up Schools
Michele McNeil ,
Education Week Politics K-12 Blog
March 29, 2012 NATIONAL: As the U.S. House of Representatives gets ready to approve a Republican budget for 2013 that would cut taxes and federal spending, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin is offering a countermeasure that would spend more money on things like education and workforce training, and eliminate some corporate tax breaks. Harkin, an Iowa Democrat and the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, is proposing a sweeping effort to "rebuild America's middle class," which contains several elements that most teachers and school districts will cheer. (Of course, given the political dynamics in Congress these days, no one should get his hopes up.) First, his bill would provide $20 billion in formula grants to modernize, renovate, and repair early-learning facilities, K-12 schools, and community colleges. Second, it would attempt to rebuild the ranks of public employees, which suffered when cash-strapped state and local governments had to lay off police, firefighters, and teachers in the wake of the Great Recession. His legislation would provide $60 billion total over three years to hire teachers. (That is more than the $48.6 billion State Fiscal Stablization Fund from the economic-stimulus package of 2009!) The National Education Association is definitely a fan of the legislation overall. "Your bill will make sure students have the learning environments they need and deserve," the organization wrote in a letter today in support of Harkin's bill. Bill to improve California school construction safety advances
Kendall Taggart,
California Watch
March 29, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Legislation aimed at overhauling the state's school construction law sailed through the Senate Education Committee. Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, introduced the bill, SB 1271, following a California Watch investigation and scathing state audit that found state regulators charged with overseeing school construction had failed to ensure that school buildings are safe. It now heads to the Senate Governmental Organization Committee. The bill establishes a task force that would have until Jan. 1, 2014, to consider changes in the law to better protect schoolchildren during earthquakes. Following committee recommendations, the bill was narrowed to focus the task force's activities on changes that would prohibit the use of a school building where the state has identified significant safety concerns and would implement penalties for school districts that do not provide all the required construction documents. Corbett said the bill is still a work in progress pending a public hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery, scheduled for April 20. Representatives from California's Coalition for Adequate School Housing and the California Coalition of Professional Construction Inspectors spoke yesterday in support of the bill. In a letter to the committee, the inspectors coalition stressed that the current practice of allowing schools to use buildings that have not complied with state standards compromises the entire seismic safety program. “No other private or public permit department allows occupancy before the building is signed off as safe so why should schools be allowed this loophole?” wrote Skip Daum, on behalf of the organization. While the Coalition for Adequate School Housing, which represents school districts and construction professionals, supports the bill, it is opposed to preventing a school district from using a building that had not been signed off by the state. Steve Newsom, an architect and representative of the group, argued that schools lacking state approval was mostly a paperwork issue, not a safety issue. “To state that we shouldn’t let a school district use that school or that building I think is a very dangerous path to go down.” A second report from the state auditor's investigation into the Division of the State Architect is due in May. The upcoming report – focused on on the agency's process of reviewing school districts' construction plans to ensure they meet code requirements – also might affect the bill. Construction starts on Erie County's first school-based health center
David Bruce,
Erie Times-News
March 29, 2012 PENNSYLVANIA: Jackhammering has begun in the basement of Wayne School. Construction crews are transforming nearly half of the east Erie school's basement into a medical clinic that will be open to both Wayne students and the general public. "I can't wait for this to open," Erie schools Superintendent Jay Badams said. "Now that a school-based health center is going to be a reality, I look forward to seeing the impact it will have on our students." Wayne Primary Care, is scheduled to open in mid-August. It will be Erie County's first school-based health center, a medical office located inside a school that is designed to increase health-care access for children in low-income neighborhoods. School faculty and staff, and area residents will also be able to make appointments at the health center. Construction is being paid with a $470,470 federal grant awarded in 2011 to UPMC Hamot, which will operate the clinic with assistance from Community Health Net. Community Health Net is the county's only federally qualified health center and receives higher reimbursement than other providers for treating Medicaid patients. Most Wayne Primary Care patients are expected to have Medicaid, said Charles "Boo" Hagerty, Hamot's chief development officer. Uninsured patients will be able to apply for Medicaid and may be eligible for Hamot's charity care program. "The office will have a basic staff: a physician who will see patients 40 hours a week, a nurse, an office manager and a receptionist," Hagerty said. "Down the road we see adding a nurse practitioner or physician assistant." Badams is excited about the health center's opening because he believes it will improve students' health, and eventually their grades. Tampa's aging schools projects exceed budget by $288 million
Ronnie Blair,
Tampa Bay Online
March 29, 2012 FLORIDA: Schrader Elementary School, built 40 years ago, needs $10 million worth of renovations. Bayonet Point Middle School, right next door, needs $14.5 million. Land O' Lakes High School could use $20 million in upgrades. The list goes on. Across the county, aging school facilities in Pasco are expected to need about $1.1 billion worth of repairs and improvements over the next 12 years, school district officials say. That leaves the school board with a problem. The district projects it will have $812 million over the same dozen years to pay for the work, leaving the district about $288 million shy. "There is going to have to be some balancing between what the projects are and what our revenue is," Chris Williams, the district's planning director, told the school board at a workshop last week. The district's projected revenue of $812 million also comes with a caveat. That figure is dependent on voters agreeing to renew Penny for Pasco, the extra one-cent sales tax that was originally approved in a 2004 referendum, but expires at the end of 2014. The school district shares Penny for Pasco proceeds with the county commission and municipalities. The district uses its portion to build schools or renovate old ones. Without the penny tax renewal, which could be on the ballot in November, the school district would have about $250 million less to spend on its 12-year capital plan, a district report said. The planning department decided to develop a 12-year plan because a 10-year renewal of Penny for Pasco would carry through 2024. Generally, the district works from five-year facilities plans. For some schools – such as Land O' Lakes High, Schrader Elementary and Bayonet Point Middle – the needed improvements are so extensive that the district describes them as redevelopment projects. Williams likened those to the massive reconstruction projects recently completed at Pasco Middle and Pasco High in Dade City, which cost $17.4 million and $19.1 million respectively, and the $15.6 million project underway at Richey Elementary in New Port Richey. Sanders Memorial Elementary in Land O' Lake also is being renovated and new construction is planned. A proposed priority list, as opposed to a needs list, will come before the board in May as the 2012-13 budget is being prepared, said Olga Swinson, the district's chief finance officer. New Hampshire bills would prioritize school building aid
Garrett Brnger,
Boston Globe
March 28, 2012 NEW HAMPSHIRE: New Hampshire lawmakers are moving ahead with a new school aid construction proposal that uses a ranking system to determine which projects get state aid. The Senate passed its plan Wednesday without debate, and the House did the same a few hours later on a similar bill. Both propose the state continue paying down its share of loans taken out to build current projects. Money would be awarded in lump sums to new projects based on criteria such as whether the school to be replaced is unsafe or too small for the student population. The two chambers differ on the scale of funding. The Senate bill leaves it to lawmakers to set the aid amount in the budget. The House bill would limit aid at $50 million per year, but most of that money would be used to pay the state's roughly $540 million share of 360 existing projects. Opponents argue that would leave only $7 million for new projects over the next few years. It will take 30 years to pay off the projects already in progress, but as the state pays the debt, more money would become available for new projects. The bills' goal is to target state aid to communities with the greatest need, something Democratic Gov. John Lynch has been calling for to ease the cost to New Hampshire while helping poorer communities renovate and replace schools. Lynch submitted a letter to the Senate Education Committee in February supporting "legislation that will establish a building aid budget, prioritize projects and increase the match available to school districts with the greatest needs." Lynch spokesman Colin Manning said the governor supports the concept proposed by the two bills. The ranking system would end the state's current blank-check approach to funding local aid requests. The state would instead choose projects that meet criteria such as unsafe conditions; obsolete, inefficient or unsuitable facilities; enrollment shifts; and any other conditions the state thought necessary. Lawmakers also want to be sure communities maintain buildings built partly with state aid. Children At Risk From Pesticides, School Bans Debated
Lynne Peeples,
Huffington Post
March 27, 2012 CONNECTICUT: The Connecticut state legislature's ban of pesticides on elementary and middle school grounds is in effect. While child-health advocates work to corral support for a repeatedly thwarted federal bill that would extend a similar rule across the country, a lobbying blitz by lawncare industry members, with the support of some local officials who argue that a blanket ban goes too far, now threatens to undo the Connecticut law. Using both organic strategies and synthetic chemicals is a "responsible approach utilizing the best of all worlds," says Gregory Foran, parks superintendent for the town of Glastonbury, Conn. Scientists caution, however, that many key elements of pesticides' effects on human health and development remain largely unknown. Throughout the United States, most athletic fields are likely treated with at least one of the 20,000-odd pesticides registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, according to Robyn Gilden, a professor at the University of Maryland's Environmental Health Education Center, who conducted her doctoral research on the issue. While pesticides are by nature designed to be poisonous, different chemicals seek different living targets. Humans, especially children, are particularly vulnerable to some commonly used products, including organophosphates, which belong to the same chemical family as sarin, a nerve gas classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.
New Jersey schools go green to save green
Barbara Rothschild,
Courier Post
March 27, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Energy savings continue to be the key to cost-cutting in school districts strapped for cash. One of the latest initiatives, a $300,000, three-year pilot program underwritten by the New Jersey School Boards Association, will strive to find both financial and academic benefits of greening schools once it begins this summer. The New Jersey Sustainable Schools Project, conducted by the Mullica Hill-based Educational Information and Resource Center, is now in the planning stages. Funded through the Alliance for Competitive Energy Services — the statewide energy-buying cooperative for schools coordinated by the NJSBA and known as ACES — the project will be piloted by 20 districts across the state, including Cherry Hill, Collingswood, Medford, Swedesboro-Woolwich and Barrington in South Jersey. Funds come from energy savings through ACES, with no cost to districts. Each district has a project team made up of five members who can be teachers, board members, administrators and facilities staff. They will take part in a Green Schools Leadership Institute to kick off the program at the end of June. Cherry Hill Superintendent Maureen Reusche said her team hopes to emerge with a green strategic plan chock full of action steps, lesson plans and resources. “It’s a commitment the district is ready to make. It will help us look at sustainability in a comprehensive manner,” Reusche said. NJSBA Executive Director Marie Bilik said the ACES program has saved New Jersey taxpayers more than $62 million in electricity costs over the past three years, so it’s only fitting that part of that money fund a grant that will continue to contain costs while impacting curriculum in a positive way. She also said the study will look at the academic benefits of a healthier environment. “The New Jersey Sustainable Schools Project will assess the financial benefits of converting older schools to green energy, the contribution of a healthier physical environment to student achievement and the opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education that a green school can provide students,” Bilik said. Nevada School District To Save $5 Million with Energy Upgrades
Sohn, Tim,
THE Journal
March 27, 2012 NEVADA: A Nevada school district has turned to an energy efficiency company to save thousands of dollars in costs. Lyon County School District, based in Yerlington, NV, has signed a 15-year, $3.6 million contract with Framingham, MA-based Ameresco to make 23 buildings, comprising more than 1.2 million square feet, more energy efficient. Overall, the upgrades to 19 schools and four administrative buildings are expected to save the district more than $345,000 a year for 15 years. New light installations alone are projected by the district to trim the maintenance budget by approximately $25,000. In addition to monetary advantages, the improvements will cut the amount of carbon dioxide by 1,928 tons annually. The energy upgrades, which are slated to be finished by October, include: Programmable thermostats; Demand-controlled ventilation; Trash compactors; Computer power management; Vending machine controls; and Lighting systems. Under the contract, Ameresco guaranteed there will be energy cost reductions for the life of the contract, and the school district will pay up-front costs with money saved during the contract's lifespan. The district also qualified to receive $77,000 in rebates from local gas and electric companies. New York City Will Add Seats to Schools, but Still Fall Short of Demand
Yasmeen Khan,
New York Times
March 26, 2012 NEW YORK: The New York City Education Department plans to add 5,000 seats to its plan for city schools, but will still fall short of what is needed to reduce crowding in parts of the city. In an amendment to its capital plan, the city said it would add a total of 34,000 seats in five years, from 2010 to 2014, primarily through new building and the addition of annexes to existing sites. But the School Construction Authority estimates that city schools actually need 50,000 more seats, according to its Five Year Capital Plan for fiscal years 2010-2014. City Council members examined the amended plan on Monday at a hearing on the Education Department’s capital budget, which covers school facilities. Council members raised concerns about various issues, including updating inadequate school bathrooms and getting more iPads in the hands of students. School capacity, however, was of top concern. Population shifts in the five boroughs have created what education officials call “pockets of overcrowding,” even though the city’s overall enrollment has hovered around 1.1 million for the past 10 years. The increasing demand has contributed to larger class sizes, waiting lists and the co-locations of more schools, council members said. “We have had two re-zonings in two years in my part of District 2,” said Councilwoman Jessica Lappin, who represents the Upper East Side. She said Public School 59 Beekman Hill International, a kindergarten through fifth grade school that opened in 2010, had a kindergarten waiting list of 41 families. “When a family who literally watched this building go up from their living room, because they live across the street, is told they can’t go there, that’s not acceptable,” Ms. Lappin said. Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, who testified on behalf of the Education Department, said city officials were constantly monitoring the issue. “We’re having this problem because we’re having more parents who are not moving to Westchester, who are staying here, who are going to our schools,” she said. Education officials concede that the school district with the most overcrowding is District 24 in Queens, which covers several neighborhoods, including Corona, Maspeth and Elmhurst. That district has an estimated need of 7,000 new seats. The Capital Plan allocates funds to create about 5,000. New seats financed in the Five Year Capital Plan will not necessarily be ready by June 2014, the end of that fiscal year. The School Construction Authority estimates that nearly 22,000 seats will actually become available by September 2014. So far, facilities for a bit more than 9,000 are either completed or under construction. For Schoolyard Gardens, a Global Network
Tamir Elterman,
New York Times
March 26, 2012 NATIONAL: There are more than 40,000 participants in the Edible Schoolyard Project, a hands-on educational effort founded in 1995 by the chef Alice Waters at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley. The program has since officially expanded to six other schools and community centers nationwide and linked up with projects in countries including New Zealand, China and Denmark. The program enlists children and adults in planting, harvesting, cooking and eating sustainable organic food, often as part of a fully integrated school curriculum. The aim is to incorporate food into education in much the way that physical education became part of the curriculum in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. The project is lauded for its role in combating childhood obesity and promoting health education over all. This month the Edible Schoolyard Project, formerly the Chez Panisse Foundation, marks a milestone with the introduction of a social Web site that makes all the program’s resources public. The new site gathers and shares the lessons and best practices of school gardens, kitchens and lunch programs worldwide in the hope of supporting new start-up gardens around the globe. The creators hope to democratize edible education and make it accessible to all communities regardless of available resources. California Schools Recognized for Contributions to Solar Energy
GetSolar Staff,
Get Solar
March 26, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Two Manhattan Beach, California, schools were recently nominated for the new federal Green Ribbon Schools Award. The Environmental Charter High School and Grand View Elementary School are the two Manhattan Beach schools nominated for the award, which recognizes schools for their green energy production in the state. The two schools join Longfellow Elementary School in Long Beach and the Athenian School in Danville as the learning institutions nominated for the award. Winners are scheduled to be announced the week of Earth Day in April and both schools are making the necessary adjustments to be most attractive to the judges. “[Grand View] Principal [Rhonda] Steinberg and her entire school community are incredibly deserving of this award," said Ellen Rosenberg, president of the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees. "Grand View has developed model programs that have resulted in high energy savings, a sizable reduction in costs, and engaging curricula that provide students with hands-on lessons during which they learn how to protect the environment.” The nominations were announced March 22 at the Environmental Charter campus in Lawndale by Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction. The Green Ribbon Award was created to recognize public and private schools that are taking comprehensive approaches to increasing California solar installation and otherwise improving the green energy use in the schools. The award is given to schools based on three criteria: environmental impact and energy efficiency; healthy school environments; and environmental and sustainability education. In order to be nominated for the award, schools were required to apply to their respective education agencies. Forty-nine schools in California applied to its department of education, which will pass on the finalists to the U.S. Department of Education. The federal agency will select approximately 100 schools nationwide to receive the award and be recognized at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., in May. According to a press release from Torlakson, all of the schools have made their marks to reduce their carbon footprints. Environmental Charter High School has won numerous environmental awards and is called a "living campus" as a result of 70 varieties of fruits and vegetables that are being raised at the school.Longfellow Elementary School has also received a significant number of awards for its green energy use, reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent with changes such as turning off all unneeded electrical equipment and lowering the thermostat. Any leftovers from lunch considered cold food like milk or fruit is donated to the local food bank so refrigerators can also be turned off by the end of the day. Grandview Elementary participates in Grades of Green Schools and Growing Great Schools, both organizations that help to reduce carbon emissions. The school reduced its lunch trash from 40 bags to two and only uses certified green cleaning products. The Athenian School has also won awards, including the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partner Recognition. The school receives 65 percent of its electrical power from an array of solar panels located near the school and 60 percent of the school's waste is recyclable content. California led the way for solar energy in the United States last year, doubling its solar installations and remaining the nation's largest solar market. Proposal to Expand New York University Riles a Village
Michael Kimmelman,
New York Times
March 25, 2012 NEW YORK: The storm over New York University 2031, as this latest expansion proposal is called, has escalated into one of the city’s most acrimonious land-use battles. No wonder. The plan is so clearly oversize that it’s hard not to see it as a stalking horse for what school officials figure they can get permission from the city to build. The proposal envisions constructing some 2.5 million square feet (the rough equivalent of the Empire State Building) over the next 20 years on a pair of superblocks owned by the university below Washington Square Park. The blocks are now dominated by midcentury tower-in-the-park faculty residences called Washington Square Village and University Village. Common sense and the billions of dollars that the project would cost suggest the university would be hard pressed to build half of what it’s outlining during the next decade or two. The question is which half of NYU 2031 ought to get a go-ahead, if either. The school, meanwhile, is expanding its satellite campus in Brooklyn and its medical center in Midtown. Universities in the city move their campuses from time to time. Columbia did it in the 1890s, quitting Midtown for Morningside Heights. N.Y.U.’s ultimate development may lie beyond the Village. In any case, this latest proposed expansion should not be the start of some new open-ended phase of growth in the neighborhood but the end of it. What does N.Y.U. want? Urban universities, like hospitals, are engines of civic economies, and the best ones have to keep up with new technologies and expanding programs in a competitive marketplace: they need state-of-the-art facilities to attract top talent. The city has been banking a good part of its future on intellectual capital: Cornell’s prospective campus on Roosevelt Island, Columbia’s in Manhattanville. N.Y.U. contributes to the cultural lifeblood of the Village, adding, among other things, ethnic diversity to an area that celebrates its historic reputation as America’s bohemian capital but is increasingly home for the super rich. The school needs to upgrade and consolidate its core. And what does the neighborhood need? Among other things, open space, green space. The debate over the development of the two superblocks has turned a fresh spotlight on the underrated urban virtues of Washington Square Village and University Village — examples of how tower-in-the-park architecture, descended from Le Corbusier and widely discredited, can benefit an old neighborhood of brownstones and low-rise loft buildings if the city is dense, healthy and vibrant enough. The task is balancing necessary development with a local ecosystem. The most radical part of what N.Y.U. wants is to construct two tall, crescent-shaped towers, 400,000 square between them (the architecture is still notional) on the 1.5 acres of open space between the two apartment slabs of Washington Square Village. Beneath that open space, in lieu of the current parking garage, the university wants to dig several floors down to create 770,000 square feet of underground classrooms. Joplin schools seek support for $62M bond issue
Associated Press,
Statesman
March 23, 2012 MISSOURI: Tax hikes of any kind are rarely popular with voters. That's especially the case in conservative southwest Missouri. Throw in a stagnant economy, rising gas prices and the struggles of countless families still recovering from one of the deadliest single tornadoes in the country's history, and Joplin civic leaders are noticeably worried about the April 3 bond vote, which is dubbed Operation Rising Eagle for Joplin High School's mascot. "Certainly we're nervous because there's a lot at stake," Superintendent C.J. Huff said. "You just never know until Election Day what the outcome is going to be." The tornado killed 161 people, including seven Joplin students and one employee, and damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings. The Joplin schools expect to receive nearly $86 million in insurance, and another $35.4 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or its state counterpart. Another $1.7 million in donations have been set aside for rebuilding. But that still leaves a sizable gap voters will be asked to help finance. The bond issue would add $65 to the annual school district property tax on a $100,000 home. By law, it must pass with slightly more than 57 percent of the vote. Five years ago, voters in the Joplin R-8 School District narrowly approved a $57.3 million bond issue to renovate or build three middle schools with a 59.4 percent majority. But voters rejected a similar bond measure in 2005. "It's the Show-Me State, Huff said. "Until their questions are answered, for some we won't get their votes." Huff and other school boosters hope to turn tragedy into opportunity by not just replacing what was lost but using the new physical spaces to embrace innovative educational approaches. Plans include building a combined high school and vocational school near the former site of both schools, which were among six completely destroyed by the tornado. A new elementary school would be built on donated land near the former site of a hospital destroyed by the storm. "This is a tremendous opportunity for us as a district," he said. "You just don't get the opportunity to recreate a vision for teaching and learning like we have now, and build projects around it." Joplin High School seniors and juniors are temporarily taking classes in a converted big-box store at the city's only shopping mall, while freshmen and sophomores are in a building across town. LEARNING BY DESIGN Announces Education Design Award Recipients In Spring 2012 Edition
Press release,
Stratton Publishing
March 23, 2012 NATIONAL: LEARNING BY DESIGN has released its much-anticipated Spring 2012 edition, which showcases the nation’s best education design and construction projects, from pre-K to 12 to college and university facilities. Of all of the outstanding design projects chosen for publication in LEARNING BY DESIGN’s Spring 2012 issue, 14 were selected for Grand Prize, Citation of Excellence, Honorable Mention, or Publisher’s Commendation Awards. This year, three Grand Prize Awards were selected: DLR Group for Marysville Getchell Campus; NAC|Architecture (Seattle, WA) for Machias Elementary School; and SHW Group (Houston, TX) for Gloria Marshall Elementary School. A distinguished jury of architects and school/university leaders reviewed and selected the outstanding projects that appear in the Spring 2012 edition and named this year’s honorees. The judges noted that the three projects honored with Grand Prize Awards, while very different in terms of size, location, and student population, share an innovative design approach that prioritizes transparency within a school building to create connectivity among the students, teachers, and community. The three Grand Award- winning educational facilities provide a variety of breakout spaces to inspire students to think differently and achieve more. Going green a hit at Des Moines schools
Andrea Melendez,
Des Moines Register
March 23, 2012 IOWA: Efforts to make Des Moines schools more energy-efficient in the past three years have resulted in $1.7 million in savings, an amount equal to the salary of roughly 47 first-year teachers, district officials said. Under a 10-year “Students First” plan, the district has used money collected through the statewide 1-cent sales tax to upgrade school buildings’ heating and cooling systems, replacing many with geothermal systems. Officials updated lighting systems, windows and doors in more than half of Des Moines’ 65 schools. In addition, the district has set standard temperatures for all buildings, which vary depending on the type of school. Elementary schools are kept warmer than high schools, for example. Also, some staff have done away with personal microwaves, refrigerators and coffee pots. Officials are also in the beginning stages of a push to do away with personal printers for teachers and others and to reduce paper usage, said Bill Good, chief operating officer for the district. The result has been an overall annual savings of nearly $600,000, money from the general fund that can now be used for other expenses.Schools have seen a 40 percent savings on their utility bills, Good said. Those savings are despite an increase of air-conditioned schools. Fifty-eight percent of schools were air-conditioned prior to the district’s efforts, compared with the current 92 percent. “We’ve been hitting it hard because we’ve been in such dire straits with the budget,” Good said. “We had no choice. It was a necessity because we had people losing their jobs.” The district’s efforts have earned it numerous awards, including the most recent, in which it was named 2012 Energy Star Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The agency typically selects one to two education entities for the award each year. The district is part of the organization’s Energy Star program, which provides energy management strategies that mirror the steps taken by Des Moines. In Des Moines, 43 schools are Energy Star-rated, with four others expected to be added to the list by the end of the school year, district officials said. USGBC Launches the Green Classroom Professional Certificate
Staff writer,
environmental design+construction
March 22, 2012 NATIONAL: The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released the Green Classroom Professional Certificate (GCP). This certificate program provides pre-K-12 teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators and parents with the knowledge and skills to support environmentally healthy, resource efficient and sustainable schools and classrooms. The GCP has been officially endorsed by the National Education Association (NEA). "It goes without saying that teachers, principals and of course parents always have our children's best interests at heart. But in many cases our educators and caretakers don't have the information and education to diagnose environmental and health challenges in the classroom and implement practical solutions," said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. "The Green Classroom Professional Certificate aims to empower educators and decision makers to dramatically improve the learning environment, increasing comfort, health and performance for students and teachers alike." Educators with a Green Classroom Professional Certificate are engaged with the green building community; have learned about school energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction and improved indoor air quality; and work to provide the best environment for student success. With the skills gained from the program, teachers will help foster an attitude among youth and future generations to appreciate and model green practices. "The National Education Association is proud to endorse this exciting program, which creates an opportunity for educators to learn about sustainability and implement real change in their classrooms," said Jerald Newberry, Executive Director, NEA Health Information Network. "We recognize that teachers operate best when working in a healthy, sustainable environment, and the Green Classroom Professional Certificate equips educators with the skills to begin making changes in their own classrooms ... changes that foster student well-being and success, while making it easier for them to teach." The GCP program guides participants through 12 modules covering key topics on classroom health. Modules focus on topics such as indoor air quality, water efficiency, materials and resources. Once the modules are completed, the final assessment is made up of animated and narrated scenarios, along with multiple-choice questions, guiding teachers through possible examples they may encounter in their classroom. The online course takes 2-3 hours to complete, and certification is valid for five years. The course will be available at a promotional cost of $75 until April 1, 2012 and includes the modules and the assessment. For more information on the GCP, please visit centerforgreenschools.org/greenclassroom.
Money for University of Iowa arts campus OK'd
Emily Schettler,
Des Moines Register
March 21, 2012 IOWA: Members of the Iowa Board of Regents saw firsthand the sites for several new buildings under design on the University of Iowa’s fine arts campus. After the tour, the regents approved more than $404 million worth of new construction for the U of I’s fine arts campus. They also approved schematic designs for a new Hancher Auditorium, Art Building and School of Music replacement. Funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, will cover about 65 percent of the replacement costs. West Virginia school supers seek $170 million for building projects
Amy Julia Harris,
Charleston Gazette
March 21, 2012 WEST VIRGINIA: School superintendents throughout West Virginia asked the state School Building Authority for more than $170 million to build new classrooms and renovate crumbling public schools. The SBA considered building proposals from 23 counties jockeying for a portion of the $40 million the SBA will award in a meeting next month. Frank Blackwell, superintendent of Wyoming County schools, was among the dozens of superintendents who approached the SBA. He asked for about $7.6 million in state funds to build a new school to replace flood-prone Huff Consolidated Elementary School in the state's southern coalfields. Blackwell said Huff Elementary, squarely in Wyoming County's flood plain, has been flooded twice in the last three years. "The question is not if the school will be flooded again, but when," said Blackwell. He said the elementary school was stripped and remodeled after being flooded in 2009 and 2010, but the water seriously damaged the foundation on the southwest side of the school and has deteriorated the masonry walls. Authority President Mark Manchin said deciding which schools to fund is always an issue, particularly during this and next year's funding cycle, which he called "extremely lean." "There's nearly $2 billion worth of needs in West Virginia schools' 10-year plans for facilities alone," said Manchin. "The SBA can only identify about $800 million of that. Needless to say, there are certainly not enough funds to address all the needs out there. But we'll do our best to give money to the schools that need it and look at alternative funding plans." Kanawha County school officials will present their request for more than $2 million in state funds to add six classrooms and renovate the food service area at Andrews Heights Elementary School. The SBA denied Kanawha County's request for $1 million in December to build four classrooms at John Adams Middle School. Putnam County did not ask for any money for grants during this funding cycle after being awarded $1 million in funds and receiving a $1.5 million bond in December to build seven new classrooms, restrooms and a sprinkler system at Conner Street Elementary School. On Monday, the SBA approved a bond sale of $57 million over the next two years to help finance school construction projects. The SBA will award about $40 million at their April 23 meeting and $40 million in 2013. Study Finds Correlation Between Green Schools and Academic Success
Wilson, Eric,
2nd Green Revolution
March 21, 2012 NATIONAL: A team of researchers at the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) found a small positive correlation between academic success at schools that employ environmentally conscious practices. These practices are based on a set of core beliefs that have been devised by the Green School National Network (GSNN). The research consisted of a survey sent to more than 350 primary and secondary schools that self identified as “green.” Funded jointly be the GSNN and UCD, the study looked at the five GreenPrint core practices (as set forth by GSNN). The principles are as follows: Curriculum that advances environmental literacy and sustainability; Stewardship and service learning; Sustainable facilities design and management; Health and well being; Strong partnerships and networks. The research team, comprised of Assistant Professor Bryan Wee, and two of his students Hillary Mason and Jason Abdilla, received responses from more than 100 schools implementing the GSNN core practices. While the researchers point out that the responses represent the perception of how well the schools follow the principles, the university’s press release points out “The results of the survey suggest that as schools implement GreenPrint core practices at higher levels, student achievement in science tends to show improvement.” California schools that responded to the survey showed the greatest positive correlation (more than 0.9, with one being the highest). However, it is unclear from this study just how much of a role the core practices play given the number of variables at play. In an interview with 9 News, Wee made the case for further research to help solidify the connection between the green schools and improved test scores. Geothermal at Ball State a green success
Rick Yencer,
Muncie Free Press
March 20, 2012 INDIANA: Physicist Amory Lovins of Rocky Mountain Institute was on the Ball State University campus 30 years ago when coal-fired boiler belched black smoke into the Muncie sky. On Tuesday, Lovins was back helping dedicate the first part of the country's biggest geothermal heating and cooling system that the university will use and replace those coal-fired boilers that are non-renewable energy power that Lovins says has to be replaced by wind, solar, geothermal or other renewable energy. More than 350 people including students, faculty, board of trustees, contractors and others interested in renewable energy joined the celebration in the $45 million improvement with another project already underway to make the campus totally geothermal. The achievement is just "another bold day at the office," said Gora, who lauded the commitment to the environment besides the economic impact the project has for Hoosier companies."Ball State is a place where ideas are transformed into action," she added. More than 50 firms and 2,300 jobs are created by the multi-million energy project that will heat and cool 47 buildings and save about $2 million in energy costs. And the university's carbon footprint is cut in half. USGBC Looks To Refine the Green Classroom Concept
Bridget McCrea,
THE Journal
March 19, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Intent on increasing the number of green classrooms in California's K-12 schools the Orange County chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is retrofitting a Costa Mesa classroom that it hopes will serve as a model for a more widespread, national effort. The Davis Magnet School classroom will be gutted, insulated, and equipped with high-performance lighting that "harvests" daylight, environmentally friendly flooring and furnishings, wireless submeters (for monitoring utility usage), and a new ventilation system. All paints and finishes used during the process will have high recyclable contents and low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Wendy Rogers, chair of the USGBC's green school committee and a design principal at integrated design firm LPA Inc. in Irvine, CA, said the retrofit is being funded through in-kind donations. "So far we've had very good support from the contractor and business community in the area," said Rogers. "We're pretty optimistic about the project based on the number of people who have told us that they want to get involved with it." Rogers said she hopes the classroom retrofit will raise awareness of the value of environmentally friendly classrooms in a county where just seven schools in 38 total public school districts are considered green. "That's pretty good, but we know that we can do better," said Rogers. "We want this model to demonstrate energy savings and sustainability in a way that makes other school districts get involved with similar projects." San Mateo at the center of school-renovation boom
Aaron Kinney,
Contra Costa Times
March 19, 2012 CALIFORNIA: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act may be winding down, but there's another economic stimulus taking place in and around San Mateo, where two school districts are spending hundreds of millions of dollars overhauling their facilities. The San Mateo Union High School District and San Mateo-Foster City elementary district are engaged in a building and renovation frenzy fueled by voter-approved bonds. Similar activity is occurring throughout the county and elsewhere around the Bay Area, as districts seek to make their schools safe, technologically up-to-date and more energy-efficient. Nowhere is the mid-Peninsula boom more evident than at San Bruno's Capuchino High School, which is undergoing an overhaul of around $45 million. The gyms and theaters are being refurbished, and workers are putting the finishing touches on a new building with 24 classrooms and two computer labs. The money is coming from Measure M, a $298 million bond measure passed by voters in 2006. Measure D, a previous bond, paid for an earlier set of upgrades at Capuchino in the 2000s. By the time this latest project is completed in 2013, every building of the Spanish-style school will have been revamped. "The school, inside and outside, has gone through a major transformation -- every corner of the school," said Assistant Principal Margarita Navarro. Each high school in the district is being renovated thanks to Measure M except for Peninsula, the district's continuation school. A newer bond measure -- the $186 million Measure O, passed in 2010 -- will pay for that. District officials say the bonds were needed not because of state budget cuts but because of aging facilities, many of which were built more than 50 years ago. The schools required basic physical improvements, but they also needed to be made into places where students can learn the skills they'll need to thrive in a technology-driven world. Hence the robotics lab at Aragon High School, the green-tech classroom at Hillsdale and the animation studio at Capuchino. "We're transforming the schools into 21st-century learning places," said district Superintendent Scott Laurence. "When I was growing up, it was woodworking and auto shop and things like that. We continue to offer students those things, but we also have to give them the tools related to what's going on around them now." Other Peninsula districts are pursuing the same goal. County voters approved more than $700 million in bonds since 2008 for schools' capital improvements. That includes San Mateo-Foster City's $175 million Measure L, which is funding major upgrades at Baywood Elementary and other schools. And the construction boom is not limited to San Mateo County. In Santa Clara County, the Campbell Union School District just finished projects at Blackford Elementary School and Rolling Hills Middle School, using money from $150 million Measure G, and will construct new multiuse buildings at eight elementary schools over the next several years. And in the East Bay, Emery Unified School District will spend $80 million of the $95 million Measure J to expand Emery Secondary School into the K-12 Emeryville Center of Community Life. Besides paying for new buildings, the money is putting people to work in the midst of a poor economy. Greystone West Co., managing the Measure M projects, estimates the work has employed an average of 110 trades workers over the past five years. The San Mateo County Community College District calculates that its $468 million Measure A, approved in 2005 and just now finishing up, created about 3,000 jobs. School Construction's Back in New Haven
Melissa Bailey,
New Haven Independent
March 19, 2012 CONNECTICUT: After a two-year hiatus, Mayor John DeStefano is asking the city to borrow $42.3 million for three new projects next year: renovating New Haven Academy, adding Hyde magnet school onto Hillhouse High, and rebuilding the Helene Grant as centralized pre-K hub. DeStefano made those proposals in the capital projects section of his budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Aldermen have the final say on the package, which they’re hashing out in a series of public hearings over the next two-and-a-half months. The three projects represent an unfreezing of the mayor’s $1.5 billion school construction initiative, according to Will Clark, the Board of Education’s chief operating officer. The initiative, which began in 1998, used state money to rebuild or renovate nearly every public school in New Haven’s district. Construction never stopped. It continues every week at East Rock Magnet School and Hill Central Museum Academy. But in tough budget times, the city declined to add any new projects to the past two years, Clark said. The three projects were put on ice during those years. Now the city has come up with new versions of the proposals, in some cases scaled down from prior plans. If local and state approvals fall into place, construction could begin on the three projects in June of 2013, he said. The projects are outlined in the city’s revised master plan for school construction, which was released earlier this month. Green Education Foundation (GEF) Launches New Website
Press Release,
Green Education Foundation
March 16, 2012 NATIONAL: Green Education Foundation (GEF) has launched a new website to showcase its sustainability education programs, curricular resources and tools, and professional development opportunities. GEF, a non-profit organization committed to creating a sustainable future through education, was established in 2008. With the release of its new and improved website, the organization reaffirms its resounding leadership in sustainability education in the global marketplace. Victoria Waters, CEO of GEF, shared her enthusiasm about the new website and what it means for the organization’s future: “With the enhanced capabilities of GEF’s new website we are more excited than ever to share our high quality sustainability education with the world using a first-class platform. We are confident that this site will provide an even more engaging user experience as well as match the exceptional design and delivery quality of our new online courses.” In April, GEF Institute, a division of GEF, will launch two new online sustainability courses for educators, students, and adults. These courses are part of its Sustainability Concepts Certification, a new offering that meets the market demand for certification opportunities in sustainability. Building on the overwhelming success of its 2011 pilot course, Sustainability Education Concepts and Teaching Methods, the courses will feature similar delivery methods and content quality. One of the most innovative features of these courses are the video narrations interspersed throughout the text, creating a unique and engaging learning experience. Other features include pre and post unit assessments, lively discussion forums, and application based activities. The Institute is offering early bird enrollment through March 20. Visit www.greeneducationfoundation.org/institute to learn more or enroll. GEF is best known for free sustainability programs for grades K-12 that teach the important principles of sustainability while incorporating hands on activities, contests, and STEM based lessons. National Green Week, the organization’s flagship program, kicked off its fourth year on February 6. National Green Week is the nation’s largest waste reduction campaign for schools and calls on students, faculty, and staff to implement strategies to reduce waste for at least one week. By measuring waste generated before and after green week, students are able to see the power of collective action. Schools can choose any week between February 6 and Earth Day, April 22 to be their green week. For more information or to enroll for free, visit www.greeneducationfoundation.org/nationalgreenweeksub. University of Iowa arts facilities expected to cost $405 million
Emily Schettler,
Iowa City Press-Citizen
March 16, 2012 IOWA: The cost of replacing the University of Iowa’s fine arts campus, which was devastated by the 2008 flood, is pegged at $404.9 million, according to information released Thursday by the Iowa Board of Regents. The price tag for a new Hancher Auditorium, art building and music facility is about 5 percent higher than the preliminary estimate of $386 million. The total damage to the U of I campus from the 2008 flood is expected to top $1 billion. Federal Emergency Management Agency funding, nearly $267 million, should cover about 65 percent of the replacement costs for the three fine arts buildings. In addition to the FEMA money, the projects will be paid for with flood insurance proceeds, revenue bond proceeds, university gifts and earnings, and university building renewal funds. California's public universities plow ahead with billions in construction despite tight budgets
Jon Marcus,
Hechinger Report
March 15, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Construction cranes sprout from the campus of the University of California at San Diego like towering palm trees in the Southern California sun. There’s a new engineering building under construction, and a new addition to the school of management. A new office building is now open, along with a new parking garage, biomedical research and marine labs, cardiovascular center, $400 million student apartment and dining complex, and $55 million music center. Construction on new clinical-research and biological and physical-sciences buildings is scheduled to start next year. In all, $2 billion worth of new facilities are in the planning, design or construction stages at UCSD. The broader University of California system has more than 200 projects under way at its 10 campuses and five medical centers, together valued at $8.9 billion. “The cement never dries on a UC campus,” one faculty member observed wryly. All of these new buildings seem an odd contradiction in a state that has cut billions of dollars in operating costs from its public universities, which have responded by reducing enrollment, dramatically increasing tuition and laying off employees. But it’s part of a nationwide building boom at universities that shows no signs of abating—despite budget shortfalls, endowment declines and seemingly stretched resources. America’s universities and colleges have spent more than $11 billion on new facilities in each of the last two years—the depths of the economic downturn—which is more than double what they spent in 2000, according to the market-research firm McGraw-Hill Construction. “What you’ve seen in California you’ll see in other places, too,” said Mary Vosevich, director of physical plant at the University of New Mexico and president-elect of APPA, previously known as the Association of Physical Plant Administrators, whose members oversee campus buildings and grounds. Critics are seeing it, and they’re not happy. While they say some construction is justified—at jam-packed community colleges, for instance, where enrollment is increasing—these observers contend that many new buildings are going up on campuses because financial donors want their names immortalized, university presidents like to leave legacies of brick and mortar, and admissions directors are battling for applicants they’re convinced are lured by shiny new amenities. “You can go into any community and talk to somebody whose son or daughter either can’t get in or can’t finish [college] because they can’t get this or that course,” said David Wolf, cofounder of The Campaign for College Opportunity, which lobbies for higher education in California. “Meanwhile, they go on campus and there’s all that fresh cement. That’s embarrassing, and it’s wrong.” University officials say that, in addition to private donations, some campus buildings are paid for by government research grants and student fees. More importantly, they say, the money for construction—often raised through taxpayer-approved bonds—is kept in strictly separate capital, not operating, accounts. “It’s a common misperception,” said Steve Springer, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Community College District, which halted $5.7 billion in construction projects—80 new buildings on its nine campuses—after the Los Angeles Times exposed waste and mismanagement. “People say, instead of putting the money into all these buildings, put it into hiring more faculty or increasing enrollment. But it’s different money.” Not entirely, said David Kline, spokesman for the California Taxpayers Association. Construction costs are ultimately bankrolled by taxpayers, Kline said. California’s public universities and colleges, for example, are now paying a staggering $1.1 billion a year in interest on those construction bonds, more than double the amount paid a decade ago, the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office reports. “People discuss bond money as if it’s free money that isn’t coming out of the taxpayers’ pockets, and that’s exactly where it is coming from,” Kline said. Once the keys are turned over, the universities also have to clean, heat, light, cool, and maintain these new buildings, the burden of which comes out of hard-pressed operating budgets. Students help pay for the construction spree through escalating fees for things like new dorms and gyms, said Richard Vedder, director of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity. “The notion that this is somehow being financed in some way that is not costing students or taxpayers money is disingenuous to the extreme,” Vedder said. “The universities seem to treat this like a birthday gift or something. But there is a pain associated with the maintenance of these new buildings.”
First-rate school now has the facilities to match
Laura Stetser,
Shore News
March 14, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Quality facilities are of the utmost importance to a school district, according to Mainland Regional High School Board of Education President John Medica, who said he was proud that the school’s structure finally matches the level of education students are getting within its walls. “When you go to school as a student or work at a school as a teacher, the environment matters,” he said. After years of budgets being defeated and bond referendums denied by the community, the board finally was able to obtain the approval to fund the first major renovation in the school’s 50-year history. In 2000, a science wing was added and other classrooms were repurposed. The library was built on top of a once-open quad. “We got rid of an antiquated facility and replaced it with very useful labs,” Medica said. The new science wing also provided for ample teacher planning spaces. The aquatic center was built in 2004. That year more classrooms were also added. In 2009 through this year, other building modifications were made, including a new roof, a renovated entrance, solar panels, refurbished bathrooms and locker rooms, he said. The main office and guidance and child study team offices were also renovated, and additional classrooms were added. The athletic spaces have been updated as well, with the addition of stadium lights, aluminum bleachers, and an all-weather track. “The student body has become so much more advanced in their abilities and needs that we need to enough space to educate them properly,” Medica said. He said having an up-to-date building also helps in attracting and retaining high-quality teachers and staff members. He said the resistance from the community was difficult during the years they weren’t able to get the money for the work. “We have only had one budget approved in the past 10 years,” he said. “We have to work much harder with every dollar we have.” He said the public ended up getting a good deal, as the renovations came at a good price in today’s marketplace, with lower interest rates and cheaper material costs. “They made a smart move in waiting,” he said. The spruced-up building brings all of the parts that make up the school into alignment, Medica said. “Today we have a first-rate student body, a first-rate faculty and a first-rate facility.” DeKalb school board buys more time on school construction problem
Ty Tagami,
Atlanta Journal Constitution
March 13, 2012 GEORGIA: he DeKalb County School Board voted Monday night to buy a little more time on tough budget-cutting decisions involving the school construction fund.More than $30 million in school improvement work may be stopped because of a newly-discovered budget shortfall. The projects were at the end of a five year sales tax-funded construction program that expires this summer. The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that began in 2007 was to generate $513 million, but, because of accounting oversights discovered recently, will actually come to around $508 million. That's only a small part of the problem. The biggest problem: no one set aside money to cover $21 million in bond debt interest payments that will soon be coming due. Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson proposed scuttling three dozen projects at scores of schools to cover that deficit and to pay for another problem -- a $10 million overrun in projected costs for a new Chamblee High School. Previously, Atkinson was asking to kill the projects, but late into a caustic debate Monday, she offered a temporary compromise: give her time to find out which of them she can legally move into the next tax-building program. She hopes to free up $11 million over the next five years by issuing no bonds with the next sales tax, which begins this summer. Money that would have gone toward interest payments could conceivably go to the unfunded projects, she announced. The projects that are in jeopardy include upgrades for the disabled, air conditioning systems, new toilets and numerous other small projects. There is also work at several high schools that could stop. Build Schools For Today's Learners
Margaret Sullivan,
CBP Articles
March 13, 2012 National: The early 21st century is an exhilarating, yet demanding, time in education. Student learning is evolving from memorization and the passive transfer of information from teacher to students to collaboration, active learning, and mentoring, with a focus on problem solving, critical-thinking skills, and personalized instruction. Technology tools; social media; and the recognition that the dated, industrial-learning model is leaving American students at an international disadvantage are changing our approach to learning. School construction costs stay high in North Carolina
Morgan Josey Glover,
News & Record
March 13, 2012 NORTH CAROLINA: his month, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction finally posted an updated list of new school construction in the state, after a six-month hiatus. View the list here by clicking on "construction costs" on the left and then "cost of recent N.C. school projects." The spreadsheet so far lists six projects for 2011, with an average cost of $153 per square foot. So far, that's $13 per square foot higher than the previous year. The outlier for 2011 is the $61.4 million Rolesville High School in Wake County; it came in at almost $175 per square foot. Notice that the lowest average square foot cost was $128 back in 2009. Construction has definitely slowed down over the past two years. The spreadsheet gives you a pretty good idea of how much North Carolina districts are paying to build new schools, but the data isn't perfect and you have to account for some variables (i.e. will the school house mostly students with disabilities or a technical program?). For example, the list doesn't yet include the completed Haynes Inman Education Center in Jamestown. Groundbreaking green school prepares for groundbreaking green building
Judi Meighan,
MyCentralJersey
March 12, 2012 NEW JERSEY: The Willow School will give new meaning to the phrase "groundbreaking" when it commences building its new Health, Wellness and Nutrition Center this year. When finished, it will be the first time in the country that a building of such a large size (almost 20,000 square feet), with a full commercial kitchen, will meet the standards of both the USGBC LEED Platinum Standards and the Cascadia Living Building challenge. "This is about more than just sustainability, it's about regeneration; about how a building can actually give back more than it depletes," said Kate Burke Walsh, The Head of School at Willow. She explained that when the Health, Wellness and Nutrition Center is complete it will produce more energy than it uses, harvest more water than it consumes, and generate no waste that is not used for other processes. "We're very excited about this building. It will help us to accommodate the growing number of students that we have, and attract new students," said Ms. Walsh. "The focus on health, wellness and nutrition is a natural extension of our commitment to educating the whole child. We teach wellness in terms of well-being and incorporate our gardening program to help children understand the importance of place, to preserve and even better, to regenerate our natural environment. " Classroom doors opened safely to students after very concerning structural condition in Newmarket
Andrea Bulfinch,
Foster's Daily Democrat
March 12, 2012 NEW HAMPSHIRE: Reopened for the first time in seven weeks, classroom 106 of Newmarket Junior Senior High School welcomed students and teachers to class this past week without the threat of the ceiling falling onto students heads. On Friday, principal Chris Andriski and assistant principal Dave Williams gave Foster's a tour of the portion of the school affected by structural concerns discovered after a ceiling tile was noticed sagging in early January by a custodian as he made his routine classroom checks. What was found after that, caused a handful of classrooms to be shut down by the state fire marshal while crews worked to address the issues with new and safer construction in those areas. Since then, courses have been held in the gymnasium and cafeteria to accommodate students uninterrupted education. Every student in the school, Andriski said, uses each of the classrooms affected. In addition to room 106, the classroom for math, rooms 100, the French room and 101, the art room, were the first to be closed on January 20, following an inspection by structural engineers midmonth. When plaster was found to be pulling away from the ceiling in that first room, a structural engineer was brought in who determined the situation to be unsafe. In addition to the plaster crumbling and its own weight dragging it down, electrical wires were found, some live, and the ceiling in the boy's bathroom was cracked in half. In some places of the ceiling, the lattice work was supported by the sprinkler system. And where construction is still being completed, an open portion of the ceiling near the senior hallway, an area between classrooms 102, 103, 104, 105, all shut down during this process, reveals the horsehair plaster ceiling from the 1920s construction nailed to support beams where a suspended ceiling was later added and nailed to the plaster. Schoolhouse: Rosenwald Schools In The South
NPR Staff,
NPR News
March 11, 2012 NATIONAL: Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington came from vastly different backgrounds. Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Co., was one of the richest men in America; Washington rose out of slavery to become a civil rights leader. But their meeting led eventually to the construction of thousands of schools for black children in the segregated South. Stephanie Deutsch tells the story of their friendship in her new book You Need a Schoolhouse: Booker T. Washington, Julius Rosenwald, and the Building of Schools for the Segregated South. When Rosenwald decided to start giving his money away, he started within the Jewish community — funding schools and hospitals. But Deutsch tells Guy Raz, host of weekends on All Things Considered, that a 1908 race riot in Rosenwald's hometown of Springfield, Ill., made him think twice about the treatment of African-Americans in the United States. "In one of his speeches, he said, 'We like to look down on the Russians because of the way they treat the Jews, and yet we turn around, and the way we treat our African-Americans is not much better,'" Deutsch says. After they met, Washington suggested to Rosenwald the idea of constructing the new schools, Deutsch says. "His big belief was that education was the building block on which people would build better lives and stronger lives," she says. Beyond serving students, the schools became civic centers for the communities they served. Deutsch says they were built to be flexible. "At a time when blacks were excluded from public libraries, public playgrounds, and many other public facilities, the Rosenwald school was really theirs," she says. Building the schools was a joint effort. "The idea of partnering with the community was very much in keeping with Rosenwald's thinking," Deutsch says. Many of the communities served by the schoolhouses were already trying to get schools for their children, she says. So, they often contributed labor and materials. Deutsch says when segregation ended, the consolidated school was usually placed in the formerly whites-only building. She says many of the schools were boarded up or left to fall apart. One even became the county dump. But Deutsch says there has been interest in recent years in renovating and restoring the schools. "Alumni are looking at their schools and saying, I want to preserve that school that was such an important part of my life," Deutsch says. Editorial: End Colorado's all-in-one school building deals
Editorial staff,
Denver Post
March 11, 2012 COLORADO: The trail of school construction deficiencies that the Neenan Co. has left in its wake is unfortunate for many reasons. Chief among them is that the errors could have been caught had school districts made a key decision at the front end. These districts, many of them rural and lacking personnel who are well-versed in construction, should have made it a point to give one piece of the plan-design-build-oversight process to an entity other than Neenan. In saying that, we don't mean to disparage Neenan, which has stepped up to fix its errors. And we understand the enormous financial hurdles these districts faced in finding affordable bids and getting bond issues approved. But just as these districts wouldn't let schoolchildren write their own report cards, they shouldn't have allowed Neenan to control every facet of the process. Going forward, we hope other districts will take from the episode the absolute necessity to have appropriately sophisticated checks and balances. Since November, Denver Post staff writers Eric Gorski and David Olinger have written stories about problems found at schools built by Neenan. It started with Meeker Elementary, an $18.9 million building that was shuttered after a year for repairs. Engineers found the school had been designed to standards required for storage sheds and could collapse in severe weather. Neenan acknowledged the mistakes and agreed to pay for repairs. Alarmed at the discovery, Colorado officials asked for reviews of engineering at every Neenan-built school that received money through the state's Building Excellent Schools Today program. ,br> Problems of varying severity were discovered in all 15 school projects. Again, to its credit, Neenan agreed to arrange and pay for reviews of its school projects. The company also is paying for fixes at those schools. On Friday, David Neenan, founder of the company that bears his name, visited with the Post editorial board to explain the circumstances that led to problems. In hindsight, he said the company erred in "overintegrating" the processes of initial design, planning and zoning, construction drawings and structural engineering. Neenan called it a "low-cost, high-risk" strategy. Since the revelations of building problems, the company has begun hiring out its structural engineering work and having it peer reviewed. Those are wise moves. We also think school districts would do well to maintain independent oversight over the construction projects they labored so hard to get. We realize that these all-in-one deals can seem very attractive and provide answers to many thorny questions. But as the adage goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Ohio school district funded buildings without a local levy
Virginia Shank,
Tribune Chronicle
March 11, 2012 OHIO: State officials have lauded Steubenville's city school district for its fiscal savvy. The school district completed its $32 million Building Excellent Schools for Tomorrow Project without going to the tax payers for a school levy. The project was funded through the Ohio School Facilities Commission, which covered 77 percent, and Qualified Zone Academy Bonds - interest-free qualified government academy bonds - as well as a $1 million donation from the Charles M. and Thelma M. Pugliese Foundation and donations from community members. Five years ago school officials in this Jefferson County district set out to modernize their school buildings. Through the project, the school district reduced its school buildings from eight to five. A new elementary school was built, and renovations and modernizations were made at the former Garfield Elementary School and the high school downtown. A few years earlier, Warren also was planning to downsize and improve its buildings through a construction project in partnership with OSFC - but at cost to taxpayers. Warren taxpayers in 2003 approved the district's request for a 5.5-mill bond issue, plus an additional mill for permanent improvements and maintenance, and started paying on the 28-year debt in 2004. Under the funding agreement, the OSFC footed 81 percent of the district's $132 million construction project, about $105 million, leaving Warren to raise the remaining 19 percent, or $26.6 million. Bond refinancing saves Nashua $1.9 million on high school construction
Maryalice Gill,
Nashua Telegraph
March 10, 2012 NEW HAMPSHIRE: The city will save almost $2 million on the bonds that paid for building the North and South high schools eight years ago, Mayor Donnalee Lozeau announced. In February, aldermen approved Lozeau’s request to enable city Treasurer David Fredette to find bonds on the market at lower interest rates to refinance outstanding bonds that had funded the two school construction projects. The bonds were originally issued on March 15, 2004. The city received competitive bids from bond underwriters last Wednesday for a $20,840,000 12-year refunding bond issue, Lozeau said. The refinancing will generate total savings of approximately $1,919,200. The city received 9 bids on the bonds, Lozeau said, and TD Securities purchased the bonds at an average interest rate of 2.04 percent. In 1999, the city approved $143 million in bonds to completely renovate Nashua High School, which became Nashua High School South, and to build a second high school, now Nashua High School North. After studying market conditions and the bonds that could be recalled, Fredette found in February that $23 million of the $143 million in high school bonds could be refinanced, he said, though aldermen had approved refinancing up to $30 million. Prior to the sale, Fitch Ratings, a municipal bond credit rating agency, affirmed the city’s AAA underlying bond rating. Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group also affirmed the city’s AA+ underlying bond rating. Strong bond ratings allow the city to sell bonds and borrow at reduced rates.
Federal bond would help fund improvements to all 10 Bangor schools
Andrew Neff,
Bangor Daily News
March 09, 2012 MAINE: Just how far will $2.8 million go these days? According to the Bangor School Department, it will pay for 55 needed projects at all 10 schools. The Bangor City Council’s finance committee on Tuesday approved a Bangor School Department request to issue $2.8 million in bonds to pay for various construction, repairs and upgrades.If the City Council accepts the recommendation, Bangor will start the projects as early as June. “This particular bond will allow us to address a lot of things all at once, and many of them have been put off from prior years that really can use the work,” said Alan Kochis, director of Business Services for the school department. “Over time, most of them would have had to be done eventually, but you can’t defer roofs and safety issues.” At the top of the projects list is a new water main at Mary Snow School, the third-oldest school in the system. The oldest is Fairmount School, which was built in 1918. “The school was built in 1920 and the main is an old cast-iron pipe that’s about 100 years old and very thin,” Kochis said. Other projects include a new roof at Abraham Lincoln School, the newest Bangor school at 38 years old; exterior security cameras at Abraham Lincoln, Downeast, Fairmount, Fourteenth Street, Fruit Street and Mary Snow schools; a new boys bathroom and library carpet at Bangor High; new siding at Downeast School; handicapped access to athletic fields and new windows at Doughty Middle School; new bathrooms at Vine Street; and a new roof at the William S. Cohen School. This is the last year of the federal Qualified School Construction Bond program, which allows the school department to issue Qualified School Construction Bonds, which are sold to investors. The federal government will reimburse the school department all or most of the interest cost. Last year, Bangor got a $5.5 million Qualified School Construction Bond at 0.01 percent interest. The money was used to replace Bangor High School’s roof with a new rubber membrane roof warranted for 30 years and do $3.6 million in heating, ventilation and air conditioning work at all 10 schools. “The opportunity to borrow money at a zero interest rate doesn’t come along very often,” Kochis said. “The other nice thing about this bond is we can structure the debt service to meet our needs.” The bond is paid back over a 15-year period. “We’re structuring the debt service so that as our existing debt pays off, we pay more on this bond, and the city’s overall debt service doesn’t increase,” said Kochis. Wyoming's Natrona County School District gets $175M for high school projects
Jeremy Pelzer,
Star-Tribune
March 07, 2012 WYOMING: The Natrona County School District’s massive school construction request obtained the binding signature of Gov. Matt Mead. The 2013-14 school capital construction funding bill sets aside more than $175 million for district schools, including $119 million to renovate historic Natrona County High School. The allocation, along with the more than $108 million already appropriated for planning and design, should also be enough to complete the renovations of Kelly Walsh High School and NCHS, as well as the construction of a new campus to house alternative Roosevelt High School and a shared Center for Advanced and Professional Studies, or CAPS. Natrona County School District Superintendent Joel Dvorak said some issues still need to be worked out, including the timing of the construction projects and whether the district should kick in money to expand the high schools’ enrollment capacity beyond what the state envisions. CAPS, as envisioned, would offer upper-level career and academic courses to all district high school students through four academies: business, agriculture and natural resources; architecture, construction, manufacturing and engineering; health science and human services; and creative arts, communication and design. As part of the renovations and possible expansions to Kelly Walsh and NCHS, Natrona County’s high school student capacity would rise to handle the projected enrollment of 3,527 in 2016. However, Natrona County officials have said the state should plan for and pay to build the high school system for 4,100 students — the number of ninth- through 12th-graders projected to enroll in 2020 — so the buildings will last at least 50 years and to avoid future construction with a higher price tag. Another issue has been whether to start construction on all three high school projects at once or to stagger start times. Dvorak said Tuesday the decision on when to begin construction won’t happen until the district gets halfway through the design process for the three high school projects. What will it take to build a new elementary school?
John Mays,
Daily Journal
March 07, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Back to square one. That seems to be the modus operandi for the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District when it comes to contending with its ever-growing enrollment problem that was first discussed in 2008. In 2009, the school district identified several sites in the city that had the potential for housing a new school. Boothbay Park, Port Royal Park, 3.9 acres at the terminus of Halibut Street and Beach Park Boulevard and portions of the 15-acre site adjacent to City Hall were all on the list. Turns out many weren’t willing to give up park space for a school, some land was not stable enough for such construction and the city wasn’t willing to give up a portion of the 15-acre site for a school since it wouldn’t generate revenue. Park space doesn’t work. Other land isn’t stable enough to build upon. The city doesn’t want to give up a portion of its 15-acre site. Adding second floors to current schools is expensive, has challenges with accessibility and would add traffic to neighborhoods. Buying a shopping center with current businesses won’t fly. What is becoming clear is that squares two, three, four and five have been less than smooth, with many spending too much time reacting rather than lending their support to the cause. Perhaps the community overall doesn’t really want to make the necessary compromises it takes to make a new school happen. Then the students will remain crowded in current schools, and perhaps young families won’t find Foster City such an appealing city in which to live. And that’s really square one. Newark Project Aims to Link Living and Learning
Alison Oregor,
New York Times
March 06, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Work has begun on an education-centered community featuring three charter schools and affordable housing for teachers in the city’s decayed downtown, with much of the design work done by the noted architect Richard Meier. The development, called Teachers Village, is expected to cost $149 million when it is completed two years from now. It will consist of eight low-rise buildings clustered around the intersection of William and Halsey Streets, in Newark’s Four Corners historic district. As such, Mr. Meier has designed buildings to reflect the historical nature of the area. Teachers Village is receiving millions of dollars in government subsidies in various forms, with $14.2 million being provided in equity by the developers. Two of the buildings, together about 134,000 square feet, will be leased to the charter schools and day care while offering retail space on the ground floor. The other six buildings, totaling about 289,000 square feet, will contain as many as 220 rental apartments for teachers with retail space on the ground floor. Teachers Village received its final approval at the city level in March 2011, but did not break ground until last month with a ceremony that included Mayor Cory A. Booker, Gov. Chris Christie and several private developers and investors. The school spaces have been leased to two established Newark charter schools, Team Academy and Discovery Charter School, and a new charter, Great Oaks Charter School. The schools, with a charter school that abuts the site, are expected to accommodate about 1,360 children. They and their families are potential customers for the stores that will occupy the 64,000 square feet of retail space being built, Mr. Beit said. So are the residents of the 220 apartments, which are not restricted to teachers, he said. The residences in Teachers Village will be marketed toward Newark educators in charter schools, traditional public schools, private schools and universities, Mr. Beit said. About 40 studio apartments must be kept affordable according to government requirements, but Mr. Beit said the public subsidies involved in the project will enable developers to keep all their prices low — about $700 a month for a studio; $1,000 to $1,100 for a one-bedroom; and $1,400 for a two-bedroom apartment, he said. Mr. Beit said the project was first presented as being partly publicly financed. Teachers Village is receiving subsidies that include $22.7 million in Qualified School Construction Bonds; $5.3 million of Redevelopment Area Bonds; Federal New Market Tax Credits worth about $38 million and New Jersey Urban Transit Hub Tax Credits from a New Jersey Economic Development Authority allocation of $39 million. The project is also receiving $12 million in loans from Newark, the Brick City Development Corporation and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, Mr. Beit said. PBA Donates Magnets for Faster School Lockdowns
Jake Remaly,
Montville Patch
March 05, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Instead of fumbling for keys, locking classroom doors will be as simple as pulling a magnetic strip. Montville PBA Local 140 has donated magnets for doors at Montville Township schools that are designed to make locking doors in the event of an emergency easier, without the need for teachers, substitutes or students to look for keys. Alfonse Imperiale, directory of county critical infrastructure for the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, said the measure is valuable. Imperiale visits schools around Morris County and evaluates security at the buildings, looking to keep schools as safe as possible in the event of an emergency. He said the recent school shooting in Ohio shows how important it is for schools to remain secure. One of the recommendations he makes is that doors should be kept locked at all times to keep the classrooms secure, but he hears from the schools that's not convenient or practical. The magnet helps address that issue, Imperiale said. Created by Christopher Ambrosi of Denville, the magnet prevents the door from locking, even though it's in the locked position. When the magnet is pulled off and the door is shut, the door locks. Ambrosi demonstrated the magnets on Friday morning at Lazar Middle School. Principal Sharon Carr said she always is eager to work with law enforcement to keep the school as safe as possible. Ambrosi, who owns a locksmithing company in Denville, Master Grinding and Security, was asked by Denville schools if he had a way to keep the classrooms more secure while limiting any inconvenience. He came up with the magnets. Montville Police Capt. Edward Rosellini saw the magnets at Morris Knolls High School one day. When he learned what they were, he thought they should be brought to Montville and the PBA agreed. Rosellini said getting into lockdown faster could give police more time to arrive to a scene and possibly save lives. There was a concern students might take the magnets, but Rosellini said officials believe students will recognize the magnets are there for their safety. Ambrosi said the magnets also can be positioned to designate which rooms have been evacuated during alarms. Totally Green Inc : American Schools At Head Of Class In National Sustainability Efforts
Silvio Marcacci ,
4 Traders
March 05, 2012 NATIONAL: Businesses are often cited as the standard for turning sustainability efforts into profit margins, but two recent developments suggest schools are at the head of the class in reducing emissions reductions and turning energy efficiency into cost savings. As government budgets tighten, places of learning are turning into places of sustainability. This trend is most apparent in America's public schools. Dedicated funding for the nation's K-12 education system seems to get further reduced with every federal, state, and local government austerity measure. Faced to do more with less, schools are turning to energy efficiency in large numbers. To that end, 84 percent of the 210 U.S. organizations recently recognized in the Environmental Protection Agency's 2011 ENERGY STAR Leaders program are listed in the "K-12 education category." To receive this recognition, school districts must have either achieved at least a 10 percent increase in overall energy efficiency, or have their entire portfolio of buildings ranked within the top 25 percent of energy performance nationwide. Most promising, the movement toward high-efficiency education is found in almost every state. ENERGY STAR Leader school districts are located in 36 states and every region of the country. Minnesota is the surprising leader of the pack, with 31 school districts, followed closely by more traditional efficiency leaders New York State and California. The single biggest efficiency leader was Indiana's Decatur County Community Schools, which reached the remarkable 60 percent efficiency improvement level in 2011, the first organization of any kind to hit that mark. The school's actions have already saved over $1 million in energy costs and 3,000 metric tons of CO2 - equivalent to the annual emissions of 600 vehicles. ACUPCC efforts have significantly reduced participant carbon footprints. Of the participating schools, 599 have submitted greenhouse gas inventories, which reported collective emissions of 28 million metric tons. 451 have submitted climate action plans, 306 institutions have set a climate neutrality target by 2050 or before, and 93 have pledged neutrality by 2030. In addition, the ACUPCC network has purchased nearly 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable energy credits, the third-largest single buyer in the U.S. "This is the first major U.S. sector to commit to climate neutrality, and the first time since WWII that higher education in the U.S. has collectively stepped forward to take on a major societal challenge without waiting for some external entity to request it or fund them," said Dr. Anthony Cortese, president of Second Nature, the lead supporting organization of the ACUPCC. Indeed, well-established alumni and funding networks have had a major impact - ACUPCC signatory schools have secured an average of $2,343,787 from outside sources to fund sustainability efforts. Utah universities facing billion-dollar nightmare from deteriorating buildings
Brian Maffley,
Salt Lake Tribune
March 05, 2012 UTAH: A $63 million request to replace a 1969 science building is on the bubble as lawmakers firm up the state budget this week. But this building is just the tip of a billion-dollar iceberg waiting for taxpayers in coming years as dozens of college buildings continue to deteriorate. The problem is compounded by design and structural standards that scraped rock bottom in the 1960s, just as campuses around the country embarked on a massive building spree to accommodate the baby boom surge in college-age adults. These buildings have now reached the end of their relatively short design lives, and proposals are stacking up to replace and renovate them. Over the past decade Utah schools, particularly the University of Utah, have been grappling with the high cost of cheap construction that was endemic 40 to 50 years ago. Chronic problems include leaky water lines and inefficient ventilation systems that drive up utility and maintenance costs and render buildings uncomfortable, even unusable. The U. and other schools have been spending millions on temporary fixes and repairing leak damage. Editorial: School buildings are well worth the cost
Editorial writer,
Lancaster Eagle Gazette
March 04, 2012 PENNSYLVANIA: Voters once again are being given the chance to approve new elementary schools for the Lancaster school district, and we believe they should take it. The 37-year bond issue will cost local voters about $61.5 million -- not exactly chump change. The state then would kick in another $27 million, allowing for the full replacement of the district's eight active elementary schools and the vacant North Elementary with five modern elementary schools. District officials say simply maintaining the existing buildings for another 25 years would cost about $55 million; if that's true, this bond issue actually could be the cheaper option in the long term. There's no question the existing buildings are antiquated. They have no room for expansion and desperately need new technology that kids in neighboring school districts already can access. The district has shown it's capable of helping its kids get good grades, earning an excellent rating from the state; however, that doesn't mean the buildings are in good shape. Children are in school to prepare for success in the job market of tomorrow. While it's possible to do that in aging buildings, the lack of ready technology can't help their odds. Student comfort is a consideration, too; kids learn better when they're not crammed in like sardines. And the spending on the project alone will benefit the city. An $88 million project would be among the largest in the city's history. Some of that work will be done by local labor; all of it will be subject to Lancaster's income tax. But to us, the strongest argument is in the money. If it'll cost $55 million to maintain these elementary buildings for 25 years, we're sure the cost will shoot past $61.5 million by the end of 37 years. The bond issue also includes a 0.5 mill continuing levy specifically to fund maintenance of the buildings, which frees up money now being spent on maintenance for actually educating children. That would raise $440,000 per year for maintenance. Combined, the bond issue and levy would cost voters about $125 per $100,000 in property valuation. We think the expense is well worth it to provide the children of Lancaster with modern schools. Big campaign contributors land lucrative Colorado school building contracts
David Olinger and Eric Gorski,
Denver Post
March 04, 2012 COLORADO: Every year from 2007 through 2010, Adams County voters in the Mapleton School District were asked to approve a massive reconstruction of their school buildings. During those school-bond campaigns, a single construction company and its employees kicked in more than $30,000 in cash to help persuade voters that these projects were needed. When the bond issue finally passed, that contributor — The Neenan Co. — was handed a $53 million contract to build five new schools and expand a sixth. The Mapleton district also chose Neenan to carry out $5 million worth of smaller projects. During the same campaigns, one bond underwriter, George K. Baum & Co., also contributed $30,763 in campaign services. After voters said yes, the Mapleton district paid Baum $416,173 to sell its bonds — seven times the rate on other recent school bond sales. Together, those two companies gave 40 percent of all the donations for four years of Mapleton bond campaigns. Arizona school facilities funding gap grows between have, have-not districts
Bob Ortega,
The Republic
March 03, 2012 ARIZONA: The cracks in the school walls are still spreading. The fire alarms sound too often or don't sound at all. Mechanics struggle to keep old school buses running one more year. Budget managers try to figure out where the money will come from to fix leaky roofs, wheezing air-conditioners and broken vents. Across Arizona, school districts struggle to find the funds to fix and maintain their buildings, in large part because state lawmakers over the past decade have countered laws and legal rulings meant to help all public-school facilities meet or exceed a basic standard. Nearly 20 years ago, four cash-strapped Arizona school districts launched a landmark legal battle against the state's system of relying on local bonds to pay for building and maintaining schools. They argued that leaving it to local property owners to foot the bill for school facilities through bonds left poor and rural districts scrambling to get by in run-down buildings that fell far below the promise, carved in Arizona's Constitution, to provide a "general and uniform public-school system" for children across the state. Arizona's Supreme Court agreed. Under court pressure, in 1998 the Legislature passed the Students First law requiring the state to pay for and manage construction of most new schools and school renovations. It created the School Facilities Board to oversee the process, and budgeted $1.3 billion to begin fixing or replacing the shabbiest schools. It set minimum standards that school facilities had to meet -- in effect, bridging the canyon that had separated the "have" from the "have-not" districts. But almost immediately, the supports for that school-financing bridge began to crumble. Lawmakers balked at providing funding, calling the building-renewal formula too generous. The School Facilities Board has built more than 300 schools across this fast-growing state since 1998. But the funds to maintain and fix those buildings and hundreds of older ones have proven harder to come by. Meanwhile, even districts that can turn to voters for bonds often struggle. Their ability to pass bonds that raise money for school repairs and new construction has been hampered by the years-long plunge in Arizona property values and by lawmakers' decision in 1998 to slash school-bonding capacity by two-thirds. Broader budget cuts to education in the last few years have added to the pressure. The result is that the divide between the "have" and the "have not" school districts is widening. An analysis by The Arizona Republic of school bonding and School Facilities Board financing over the past decade shows that the inequities that led to the Schools First lawsuit 20 years ago are returning. It shows that for over a decade, more than half of the 218 school districts in Arizona haven't or couldn't use bonds to fix or replace their deteriorating schools, and that nearly as many districts have essentially no building-renewal funds left. It also shows that by cutting state building-renewal funds while reducing bonding capacity, lawmakers have increasingly left property-poor districts to fend for themselves, and have hamstrung even large and relatively well-off districts that need money to keep their school buildings in good repair.
Vacant D.C. school buildings could house public charters
Bill Turque,
Washington Post
March 03, 2012 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Four vacant D.C. public school buildings could become new homes for public charter schools under a proposal by city officials. The District’s Department of General Services announced Friday that it will consider offers from charters for leasing the former J.F. Cook, Langston, Rudolph and Young elementary schools. Cook, Rudolph and Young were closed for low enrollment in 2008 under former Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee. Langston was shuttered in the mid-1990s. As the city’s charter sector continues to grow — it serves 41 percent of the city’s public school population — the reuse of empty buildings has been a source of tension between the District and charter advocates. The law requires that charter operators receive “right of first offer” on surplus school properties. And while a number of charter schools have gained access to buildings, supporters say they too often end up in the hands of developers or housing other city agencies. In other instances, the city has yielded to neighborhood opposition to the schools. Twenty-one of the city’s 98 charter campuses are in former D.C. public school buildings, according to the D.C. Public Charter School Board. Emerson College is building a new West Coast campus in Hollywood
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times
March 02, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Construction is underway on a potential Hollywood landmark, a high-rise college on Sunset Boulevard where students will live and study the arts. Boston-based Emerson College, which has trained many in the entertainment field, is erecting a striking see-through building that will be its new West Coast campus. The $85-million tower, designed by Los Angeles architect Thom Mayne, is intended to make a statement to the community and the entertainment industry, President Lee Pelton said. "Emerson College has a very strong brand in arts and communication, and this is an opportunity to strengthen and expand that brand in Los Angeles," Pelton said. The school is being built at Sunset and Gordon Street on a site that had been a parking lot for Tribune Studios. When the studios were sold in 2008, Emerson bought the parcel for $12 million from the new owner. By 2014, the building is expected to provide housing, classrooms and training facilities for 200 students, double the number now studying in rented space on West Alameda Avenue in Burbank. Students are housed in a nearby apartment complex. The design of the 10-story building echoes the boxiness of a mid-century office tower, but minus significant chunks of the interior; breezes will pass through the complex via an outdoor terrace. The shape of the new building was made possible by recent advances in computer-aided design, Mayne said. "It allows us to design much more complicated forms, closer to the way blenders and cars are done," he said, "with softer and much more fluid language." The terrace, open to the sky, will include a 50-foot oak or sycamore tree among other greenery, he said. "People will wonder how that tree got up there." Among the buildings designed by Mayne and his Culver City firm Morphosis Architects are the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art building in New York, the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Caltech and the Caltrans district headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. Emerson College's Hollywood outpost will have 224 rooms in which students and staff will live. There will be three levels of underground parking and a cafe and shops at street level. Pelton put the full outlay for the new building at $110 million, which includes land acquisition, design and other costs. New Bedford, MA school system struggles to maintain aging buildings
Charis Anderson,
South Coast Today
March 01, 2012 MASSACHUSETTS: Between aging buildings and diminished resources, maintaining the school district's facilities has become an ever bigger challenge, with many buildings across the district in need of some work, said school officials. "There are growing maintenance concerns throughout the school system: buildings that have leaky roofs, others with old boilers, and others still with various maintenance challenges," Mayor Jon Mitchell said Tuesday. He continued later: "We have old school stock, and try as we might, we're not going to be have brand new schools tomorrow, so we have to do a better job of maintenance." It's a job easier said than done: The number of maintenance staff in the district has dwindled from upwards of 30 a few years ago to about 10 or 11 employees this year, said district officials. Increasing the maintenance load facing the district is the advanced age of many of its schools: The average age is about 61 years, and seven city schools are at least 100 years old, according to records from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The MSBA conducted a needs assessment in 2010 that ranked building conditions at schools across the state on a scale of 1 to 4, with one being best. Eleven of the city's schools received a three or a four on that scale. "Because of the cuts in the budget year after year, the most likely place to cut, cut, cut was in the maintenance department budget," said School Committee member John Fletcher. He continued later: "If you don't repair the minor things that need to be fixed, then they become major, and I think that's what's happened over the years." The school system is constantly juggling planned projects with repairs that come up on a day-by-day basis, according to School Superintendent Mary Louise Francis. "It's an excruciating balance," she said. Within the past school year, the district's safety officer toured all of the schools to determine what maintenance issues existed and which needed to be prioritized, said Francis. Among the issues catalogued were lighting or electrical issues and roofing issues, according to Deborah Brown, the district's business manager, who said that a number of district buildings also needed repointing. "It would appear as though we need to do some work on getting a plan in place to address these issues," said Brown. "We're constantly prioritizing with the limited funds that we have, but it would be nice to be a little bit more proactive," she said. According to Francis, there has been talk about sharing a maintenance department with the city, but there is no final decision on that idea yet. School Committee member Larry Finnerty said a decision on whether to combine the two departments needs to be made before the fiscal 2013 budget cycle, which starts shortly. "I can't see us going forward with a new budget without some kind of answer on that," he said. He added later: "It's not going to go away. It's only going to worsen Green schools and students' science scores are related
Erika Matich,
EurekAlert
March 01, 2012 COLORADO: A nationwide survey shows a positive correlation between Green School practices and student achievement in science. The study was conducted by the University of Colorado Denver's Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences. And presented Wednesday at the Green Schools National Network conference in Denver. Schools that took part in the survey observe GreenPrint core practices as defined by the Green Schools National Network (GSNN). The core practices are: Curriculum that advances environmental literacy and sustainability; Stewardship and service learning; Sustainable facilities design and management; Health and well being; Strong partnerships and networks. The results of the survey suggest that as schools implement Green Print core practices at higher levels, student achievement in science tends to show improvement. Approximately 100 schools from 28 states took part in the survey. Student achievement data was gathered from most recent state and district assessment scores in science via state department of education websites as well as the survey. Participating schools were divided into four regions based on the United States Census Classification system. The regions are West, South, Midwest and Northeast. An average survey score was calculated for each region. Schools from the Midwest had the highest average survey score at 64 percent. The score for schools in the West, including 16 from Colorado, was 55 percent. Schools from the South scored 58 percent and schools in the Northeast scored 49 percent. "The green movement is relatively young when it comes to schools," said Bryan Shao-Chang Wee, PhD, assistant professor of environmental science education. "We learned several things that will be valuable in continuing to collect data and validating this preliminary online survey." In order to help establish the importance of green schools in the United States, Wee and his team of researchers would like to do further research by refining the survey and obtaining a larger sample. Researchers would also like to visit green schools for data collection and to evaluate whether the GreenPrint core practices have any correlation to subjects such as reading, writing, social studies and math. "One more important element moving forward is refining the GreenPrint core practices. We need to accurately define the criteria for measuring these practices so schools can accurately report and gauge their success on the survey," said Hillary Mason, a graduate researcher on the team. The study was presented at the 2nd annual Green Schools National Network conference in Denver and was collectively funded by the GSNN and CU Denver. A Coming of Age Moment for Green Schools
John Grath,
Homeroom
February 29, 2012 NATIONAL: Secretary Arne Duncan visited the Green Schools National Conference in Denver yesterday, where he praised the 1,500 educators in attendance for their commitment to greening our schools, developing environmental literacy, and nurturing stewardship and an ethic of sustainability in our students. Arne called the gathering “a coming of age moment for the green movement in our schools,” declaring that the movement had matured to the point that environmental concerns were no longer viewed as anything less than essential. “In the past, skeptics of green schools and the value of environmental literacy have claimed that reducing our ecological footprint and increasing understanding of the environment was a kind of zero-sum game,” Arne said. “Green schools and environmental literacy in fact complement the goals of providing a well-rounded education for the 21st century, of modernizing schools at reduced costs, and of accelerating learning.” The conference attendees included principals and teachers, school board members, facility and energy managers, school nutrition professionals, students, and others, as well as representatives of environmentally-focused national organizations. Arne thanked them for their advocacy and support for the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools program, which he noted has inspired a variety of federal and state agencies to work together in innovative ways to help schools reduce their environmental impact, save energy, promote better health, and develop environmental literacy. Baltimore Mayor, School Chief join to seek new school construction approach
Julie Scharper,
Baltimore Sun
February 29, 2012 MARYLAND: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and city schools chief Andrés Alonso, who have pushed separate plans to renovate Baltimore's crumbling schools, presented a united front Tuesday in Annapolis as they asked state legislators to radically alter the manner in which school construction funds are provided to the city. But the bill on which they testified — which would guarantee the state's contribution to city school construction, allowing the city to leverage bonds with the proceeds — could be in jeopardy. Legislative analysts and the state's top school construction official cast doubts on the measure. "We have demanded that our students improve their academic performance, and they have. We have demanded that our teachers provide more quality education, and they have. Now it's time for us to ensure that the quality of Baltimore City schools facilities meets the quality of these achievements," said Rawlings-Blake. Testifying before the House Appropriations Committee, Rawlings-Blake and Alonso said that if the state's annual contribution were provided as a block grant, the city could use the funds to float large sums of bonds to address the estimated $2.8 billion in needed school construction and repairs. "We believe what we're asking for is an effective and responsible use of state money," Alonso said. The two were accompanied by a phalanx of students, parents and activists who are part of the Transform Baltimore campaign, which is spearheading the cause of repairing the city's schools. "As one of the wealthiest states in the nation, it's inexcusable that our schools should suffer from inadequate physical facilities," said Marietta English, head of the city teachers union and a coalition member. The mayor, who has laid out plans to float $300 million in bonds to fix schools, introduced a bill Monday in the City Council to increase in the city's bottle tax. She says the revenue would fund a large portion of the debt service on the bonds. Alonso has pushed a proposal that goes further, leveraging the city and state's annual contribution to school construction to float as much as $1.2 billion in bonds. The bill discussed Tuesday, which was introduced by Del. Keith Haynes, a Baltimore Democrat, would require the state to pay the city $32 million annually, which is less than the average amount provided to the city for school construction over the past five years — although significantly more than the average paid over the past 20 years. But the state's chief of school construction raised concerns about a component of Alonso's plan. David Lever, the executive director of the public school construction program, said that the if the state's funding for school construction dropped considerably, the city would receive a far larger share of the funds than other jurisdictions. "We don't think that's fair," Lever said. Lever also said that devoting most of the state's contribution for debt service would hinder the city's flexibility to pay for emergencies. The state Department of Legislative Services raised concerns that the use of the state funds to leverage bonds could "negatively affect the state's credit rating." "The commitment of State funds is open-ended and may prompt bond rating agencies to conclude that the debt issued by the corporation and repaid with State funds is State tax-supported debt," the department wrote in a fiscal note attached to the bill. Lever also said that devoting most of the state's contribution for debt service would hinder the city's flexibility to pay for emergencies. The state Department of Legislative Services raised concerns that the use of the state funds to leverage bonds could "negatively affect the state's credit rating." "The commitment of State funds is open-ended and may prompt bond rating agencies to conclude that the debt issued by the corporation and repaid with State funds is State tax-supported debt," the department wrote in a fiscal note attached to the bill. Impact of School Buildings on Student Health and Performance is Topic of New White Paper
McGraw-Hill Construction,
Market Watch
February 28, 2012 NATIONAL: The McGraw-Hill Research Foundation and the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), today released a new white paper entitled, The Impact of School Buildings on Student Health and Performance: A Call for Research, at the 2nd Annual Green Schools National Conference in Denver, CO. The Green Schools Conference is dedicated to growing green schools across the nation. The new white paper, co-authored by Lindsay Baker, Researcher, PhD Candidate, University of California, Berkeley (on behalf of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC) and Harvey Bernstein, Vice President, Industry Insights & Alliances for McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, sheds light on the critical need for research around how the school building--through its design, maintenance and operations--impacts the health and performance of the students in those buildings. The paper explored research from two perspectives: from the lens of the child's experience with their built environment, and from how different stakeholders could play an important role in bringing that research to light. "We looked at what students experience in their classroom environments and linked that to six types of experiences--how students hear, breathe, see, feel, move, and think and learn," said Harvey Bernstein, Vice President Industry Insights & Alliances for McGraw-Hill Construction. "There are ways that we can design new schools, and invest in improving existing ones, to help improve a child's experience and enable that child to learn, and feel, better." Schools are a critical part of our society. They are where our children spend their time, where they learn and where they play. And, they also make up the largest area of construction spending. This white paper demonstrates what stakeholders--from teachers to parents to government agencies and more--can do to improve the student learning environments of the future, making a case to use those dollars of construction spending to create the best environments. "With so many of our country's schools in disrepair, it is critical to highlight the importance of providing our children with healthier, more sustainable educational environments that enhance learning," said Rachel Gutter, Director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. "This paper highlights studies that present clear evidence that the way we build and maintain schools affects how students and teachers breathe, hear, see and learn. At the Center, we're working with partners around the country to facilitate future research that will help us to improve our nation's schools and the well-being of the students who attend them." JISD sets sights on $7.2 million dollar bond issue
Staff writer,
Beaumont Enterprise
February 28, 2012 TEXAS: The Jasper Independent School District Board of Trustees approved and called for a $7.205 million dollar bond issue during a special meeting Thursday, Feb. 23. "We decided to move forward with the $7.2 million dollar figure and look over different options on what to do with this money," said JISD Assistant Superintendent and Human Resources Director Chris Coleman. "We don't want to lose the $6.2 million that is on the table right now and we just felt this figure was the best fit for us at this time. "We know the economic climate is not good right now but we just didn't want to lose the money being offered by the federal government," Coleman said. Of the total amount, JISD will be accessing $6,205,000.00 with little interest or interest free funds from the Qualified School Construction Bond program thus the total increase in the school tax rate is only $0.01. The proposal centers on a Qualified School Construction Bond that is being offered with federal funds through last year's stimulus package. The bond is a federal pool of money that was given to the state of Texas to help struggling school districts with building projects. The package is based on a formula based on the size of the school and Jasper ISD is eligible for $6.2 million from the federal government, in the form of a no or low-interest loan. Also, repayment of this bond issue would not begin until 2022 when the 1997 Few bond issue would expire. Baltimore Mayor to introduce bill to raise bottle tax for school construction
James Briggs,
Baltimore Business Journal
February 27, 2012 MARYLAND: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake plans to introduce legislation on Monday to raise the controversial bottle tax from 2 cents to 5 cents. The proposal is part of the mayor’s Better Schools Initiative, a plan announced in November to raise money for school construction. In addition to Monday’s proposal, Rawlings-Blake wants to use 10 percent of revenue from the proposed Video Lottery Terminal facility land lease, as well as capitalize on additional state contributions to teacher benefits, to accumulate up to $300 million in bond funding for school construction and renovation. Projects could begin as early as next year, the mayor said. “Baltimore needs to build new schools and renovate others,” Rawlings-Blake said in a statement. “This is a big problem that requires shared sacrifice. The City Council should support these measures to improve our schools and help get Baltimore growing again.” The city passed legislation in June 2010 that tacks a 2-cent tax on bottled beverages. The move came after months of pleas from retailers and bottlers to axe the bill. Opponents of the bill held a rally on Monday, following the news of Rawlings-Blake's plan to increase the tax. The bottle tax fee exempts milk, juice and dairy products, as well as larger soda containers such as two-liter bottles. Rawlings-Blake estimates the proposal would raise $10 million a year for school construction. Green cleaning may save dollars, improve health in Clarke schools
Lee Shearer,
Athens Banner Herald
February 26, 2012 GEORGIA: Clarke County school workers are trading in the pungent smell of chlorine and ammonia for the smell of outdoors as the school district begins a green cleaning program, reducing the use of chemicals and perfumes in favor of new techniques using small amounts of basic cleaners like hydrogen peroxide or plain old water. “We’re judged by what people see, but we’re trying to clean for health as well as appearance,” said Leo Scott, the school district’s director of custodial operations. The change in cleaning methods not only will bring healthier air to the district’s schools and other buildings but also will save money, administrators believe. “It’s just good business,” said David Stubbs, director of facility planning and construction for the Clarke County School District. School workers began using some of the green cleaning techniques years ago, but not so much for health reasons as to save dollars, Scott said. Custodial workers now use plain water and high-efficiency microfiber cloths to clean windows, for example, he said. But the green cleaning effort is moving into high gear now that the school district has hired Kimberly Thomas as its executive director for plant services and custodial operations. Thomas came from the University of Georgia, where she was one of the architects of UGA’s nationally-recognized green cleaning program, which replaced some 500 different cleaning chemicals with two basic cleaners in more than 200 campus buildings over the past few years. UGA spends far less on chemicals now than a few years ago, and the change seems to be good for employees’ health, said Deb Massey, a UGA training specialist. One custodial worker in UGA’s Old College Building was plagued with asthma before UGA made the change. But last year, the employee missed work just once, she said. One other school district already has followed UGA’s lead. Floyd County’s public school system also has developed a nationally-recognized green cleaning program. Clarke’s program still is in its infancy, however. The green cleaning program now applies to just two administrative buildings and one school — Whitehead Road Elementary, where custodial workers began using green cleaners and techniques last month, Thomas said. Custodial workers in new school district buildings also will use green cleaning methods, which require more training than old-fashioned ways using commercial cleaners laden with scents and harsh chemicals, said Thomas at a conference the school district sponsored this week on indoor air quality. About 170 administrators, consultants and others from Georgia and a few surrounding states came to Athens for the daylong conference. Architects and designers actually are choosing building materials and furniture that will improve indoor air quality in new buildings, Scott said. When workers removed carpet from Howard B. Stroud Elementary School a few years ago, absenteeism went down, he said. Even when regularly cleaned, carpet can trap dust and chemicals, he explained. But a newer kind of carpet has an underlying base that will prevent any kind of contamination from seeping very deep, allowing for better cleanup, he said. School custodial workers are re-educating themselves, as well as teachers and parents, about what a clean environment should smell like, Scott said. Many people still associate the smells of ammonia, bleach or perfumes with cleanliness, he said. “We’re getting away from that,” Scott said. The custodians’ goal now is to make sure the air inside buildings smells like the fresh air outside, he said.
Scottsdale district installs solar-paneled shade structures
Mary Beth Faller,
The Arizona Republic
February 25, 2012 ARIZONA: The Scottsdale Unified School District is getting ready to flip the switch on its newest solar-power-generating projects -- shade structures at Chaparral and Desert Mountain high schools. Eventually, 11 campuses in the district will get the shade structures, and the rooftop photovoltaic panels will convert sunlight into a total of about 5.5 megawatts of power. That will be about 23 percent of the power used in the district, according to Superintendent David Peterson. The project will cost $26.4 million, paid for through Qualified School Construction Bonds, a federal program of interest-free bonds intended to stimulate the construction industry. Over the next 25 years, the solar-shade project is expected to add $22.4 million back into the district's general fund after paying back the bonds, through a combination of utility bill savings and rebates from Arizona Public Service Co., according to Peterson. About $400,000 will be saved in the first year. APS pays the district a rebate of 8.5 cents per solar kilowatt-hour. Chicago Public Schools Board Approves 17 School Closings, Overhauls,
Staff Writer,
Huffington Post
February 24, 2012 ILLINOIS: The Chicago Board of Education unanimously voted Wednesday to close, phaseout or otherwise overhaul 17 Chicago Public Schools following hours of impassioned testimony urging the board to arrive at an opposite decision. The vote was met with a chorus of boos, shouts of "Shame on you!" and "Rubber stamp!" after teachers, parents and community activists had gathered all day for the dramatic showdown at CPS headquarters, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The approved school actions, first proposed last fall, include the closing of some schools, "phasing out" of others and the "turning around" of 10 schools, six of which will be taken over by the politically-connected charter operator Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL). The changes impact some 7,500 students at schools outlined by the Chicago News Cooperative. Meanwhile, legislation in the Illinois Statehouse introduced by state Rep. Cynthia Soto (D-Chicago) would place a one-year moratorium on Chicago school closings and "turnarounds," the Chicago Tribune reported. The closures will also be fought in court, as school council members at the impacted schools have filed a lawsuit aimed at keeping the board-approved actions from going through, according to WBEZ. The teachers union has already filed a civil rights lawsuit with the same aim. FEMA allocates $19 million to help rebuild Louisa, Virginia high school damaged by earthquake
Staff writer,
Times-Dispatch
February 23, 2012 VIRGINIA: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded $19 million to help rebuild Louisa County High School, which was damaged during the Aug. 23 earthquake. "This news could not come at a better time. Today is the six month anniversary of the devastating earthquake, and these funds will help Louisa County take a big step on the road to recovery," said Gov. Bob McDonnell said in a statement. It will cost an estimated $43 million to rebuild the school. The governor's statement said a combination of insurance and state and local funds will pay for the balance of the new school's construction. On Feb. 3, FEMA awarded $3.2 million to Louisa County for the rebuilding of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. Baltimore Teachers & Students Call On Lawmakers To Fix City School Buildings
Staff writer,
CBS Balltimore
February 23, 2012 MARYLAND: Broken doors, hot classrooms and cracked floors. It’s what Baltimore teachers and students say they deal with everyday. But the city’s proposed bottle tax increase could change that. Gigi Barnett explains, students plan to take their requests to lawmakers in Annapolis. On an unseasonable warm winter day at Patterson High School in Southeast Baltimore, the cooling system is just one problem with the 50-year-old building. “It’s hot in here, there’s only one window that works and half of these classrooms are beat-up– a mess,” Asjuanae Duboyce, a Patterson High student, said. Students rolled out their plan to rally city and state lawmakers in Annapolis on Monday asking them to support a proposed bottle tax hike from two to five cents. That would boost Baltimore’s school construction budget by 140 percent. Some council members are all for it. “I challenge the taxation and finance committee to come out here and walk through this school, stand in these classrooms, see what these students have to go through,” Baltimore City Councilman Edward Reisinger said. “In the state of Maryland, Baltimore has some of the oldest set of buildings,” Terrell Williams, a member of Baltimoreans United In Leadership Development (BUILD), said. Williams is with one of the groups pushing for new schools. He’s also a teacher and and says the next step is changing state law to allow the city more control over its school construction budget. “What we are advocating is that you give us the block $32 million. You give it to us and let us take that money and leverage it, and borrow $400 million,” Williams said. With that added cash, supporters of the bottle tax say Baltimore can fix all of its crumbling school buildings at once instead of piecemealing it over a number of years. Baltimore needs nearly $3 billion to repair or rebuild all of its schools. Teachers Village / Meier & Partners
Karen Cilento,
Arch Daily
February 21, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Back in 2010, Meier & Partners shared their vision for a new Teachers Village for the city – a four block-long mixed-use development aimed at attracting young professionals who work in the educational system to reside in the downtown area. This past week, we are happy to share that the Village, which includes two school buildings with three charter schools and a daycare center, 70,000 sqf for retail space, in addition to the rental apartments for Newark teachers, has broken ground. As the Teachers Village occupies a large area south of Market Street and west of Broad Street, each new building of the project is site specific and is designed relative to its context to provide a rich variety of street conditions. The new Halsey Street retail corridor is at the heart of the development and offers a mix of venues for vibrant street life. The residential spaces and schools are designed with generous windows that are open to the light, energy, and activity of the streets below. And, a portion of the roofs and elevated courtyards will serve as green terraces with gardens. [Includes renderings,] Gov. Christie's N.J. schools construction plan unlikely to conclude during his term in office
Jessica Calefati,
Star Ledger
February 20, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Thirty schools are now slated for construction or renovation by the Christie Administration in the state’s poorest cities, but it’s unlikely any of those buildings will open their doors to students by the end of the governor’s term in office, law makers and school officials said. Last week, Christie announced plans to start construction on 20 projects serving students from New Brunswick, Phillipsburg and West New York among other districts. Progress on 10 projects he announced last year, however, has been sluggish, leaving the time line to complete the new projects in question. The Schools Development Authority must construct and repair school facilities in 31 low-income districts across the state formerly known as Abbott districts. When Christie took office, he put all construction on hold for more than a year before unveiling the first 10 projects he planned to start. Those projects are advancing "on schedule," said Kristen MacLean, a spokeswoman for the authority. She said significant planning, design, environmental testing, real estate acquisition and site work was needed before the construction projects could be advertised for bids. "The SDA is proud to have kept its promises on schedule and will continue to not overpromise and under deliver as was done in the past," MacLean said. "The start of construction is not the start of a project." No work was done to advance construction of Newark’s Oliver Street Elementary School for at least eight months after Christie’s announcement that construction was imminent, said Steve Morlino, Newark’s executive director of facilities management. "I’m happy it appears we have the governor’s attention about the need for these schools, but it doesn’t change the fact that not a single school will be completed during the Christie Administration," Assembly Education Committee Chairman Patrick Diegnan said. "This is not some discretionary situation. It’s court mandated, and it’s a travesty." Rosenwald schools’ history being preserved with building, program
Charmaine Smith-Miles,
Independent Mail
February 19, 2012 SOUTH CAROLINA: Building construction student Frank Kay has worked on framing a building before. But the one he’s helping build on the Tri-County Technical College campus in Anderson is different. Kay, 41, is proud of this building, because when it is finished, it will teach the local community something about what his ancestors went through to be educated. This one-room schoolhouse will be a replica of a Rosenwald school that was built for the local black community in the 1920s and 1930s. “Anything to do with education and our heritage is good,” Kay said. “Maybe these younger kids will see what their ancestors went through to get an education. Maybe that will inspire them to go on and get an education. Because everybody needs an education these days.” In this schoolhouse, people will see that those who went to class in a Rosenwald school made the most of natural light instead of using a lot of electricity. They did not have indoor plumbing. Books for the classroom were scarce, and often were worn and ragged after they were passed on from the local white schools. There were 5,357 Rosenwald schools from Maryland to Texas, funded by Julius Rosenwald, the president of Sears, Roebuck and Co. and contributions from the local black communities. The schools were built between 1910 and 1932. Of those 5,357 schools, 500 were in South Carolina. Nineteen of them were in Anderson County. Three of them still stand in Anderson County. That’s why this building means so much to Kay, and especially to those who learned about math, reading and writing in the Rosenwald schools. “This was all we had,” said Genevieve Smith-Brown, who attended two of the Rosenwald schools in Anderson County. As those schools fade from the local landscape, local historians, educators and community leaders are trying to pass on what the Rosenwald schools represented to a future generation. A permanent exhibit, By the Book, on display at the Anderson County Museum details the history of the local Rosenwald schools. Tri-County Tech has joined in a partnership with the Anderson County Museum to build the Rosenwald replica, using the college’s building construction technology students, said Tim Bowen, head of the college’s Anderson campus. By the end of the year, the one-room school house will hopefully be open to the public for various educational programs and gatherings, Bowen said. “This is a part of our history that is quickly slipping away,” Bowen said. “So the more we thought about it, the more this project made sense. It was about education, cultural and historical preservation and connecting this campus to the community we serve.” Education shackled to school buildings’ past
Nick Kotsopoulos,
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
February 19, 2012 MASSACHUSETTS: Few would argue that a high quality education system begins in the classroom. But as Brian Allen, chief financial and operating officer for Worcester’s public schools, put it last week: “To be able to offer 21st-century educational programs, a school system needs 21st-century facilities.” That is a point well taken when you consider that Worcester’s public school buildings average 70 years in age — not exactly 21st-century-like facilities. Yes, many folks marvel at the new Worcester Technical High School and the new North High School, but out of the school system’s 44 elementary, middle and high school buildings, only 11 have been built or renovated since 1990. Those school buildings are “kids” in terms of age compared to some of the others. One school was built in the 1980s, five in the 1970s, five in the 1960s, four in the 1950s, two in the 1930s, five in the 1920s and five in the 1900s. And there are even six school buildings built pre-1900, with the oldest one 133 years old (Grafton Street No. 1, built in 1879). At a joint meeting last week of the City Council Education Committee and the School Committee Standing Committee on Finance and Operations, Mr. Allen said the Worcester public school system loses about 400 students a year to other school districts through the school choice program. Of that, about one-third of those students attend the Wachusett school district, he said. One would be in total denial if they did not believe the condition of some of Worcester’s school buildings and facilities have something to do with that, especially when you see what is happening in some surrounding towns. Wachusett Regional, Shrewsbury and Auburn have all built impressive high schools in recent years that resemble college campuses with state-of-the-art facilities. Grafton and Tahanto Regional (Boylston-Berlin) are also building new high schools, while Shrewsbury is building a new middle school and studies are under way for building and facility improvements to West Boylston Junior-Senior High School and Leicester Middle School. “It’s time for us to really look seriously at our facilities and work very closely with the city on improving our buildings and infrastructure,” said School Superintendent Melinda J. Boone. Mayor Joseph M. Petty has made school building improvements and renovations, especially at Doherty, Burncoat and South high schools, one of his top priorities. Mr. Petty will host state Treasurer Steve Grossman on a tour of some city schools Feb. 29. Mr. Grossman oversees the state School Building Authority. A growing number of city councilors seem to have taken a greater interest in the issue as well. District 1 Councilor Tony Economou, who is a Realtor, said the two biggest things parents look at when considering moving their families into a community are the schools and neighborhoods. While acknowledging that shiny new school buildings with all the bells and whistles don’t make a school system, he said they can become a key selling point. “The importance is there,” Mr. Economou said in reference to school facilities. “It’s also disheartening to hear about (Worcester) parents sending their children elsewhere because our schools may not have all the facilities they are looking for.” That’s not to say that little is being done to bring many of Worcester’s long-in-the-tooth school buildings into the 21st century. On the contrary, public school officials have put together an ambitious multifaceted plan to address the issue. For starters, the city provides $3 million annually for school rehabilitation projects, but most of that money is often eaten up on costly boiler replacement and upgrades. Some of that money is also spent on other projects, such as roof, window and HVAC system replacements. In addition, a $7.7 million investment has been made to undertake much-needed cosmetic repairs at a number of school buildings, and $16 million in building renovations are being planned through a program with the Energy Savings Company. The purpose of that program is to install energy-efficient upgrades and renewable energy technology in school buildings. Public school officials are also in the process of developing an aggressive $1.3 million interim strategy to remove, encapsulate and manage likely PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) containing building materials that were used on new and renovated schools between 1950 and 1978. Twenty schools were constructed during that period, while nine had major renovations. Finally, the School Committee is looking for state reimbursement for 11 school replacement or major renovation projects, including Nelson Place, and accelerated repair projects at 20 other schools. Florida charter schools seeking cut of school districts' construction dollars
Kathleen McGrory and Scott Hiaasen,
Sun Sentinel
February 18, 2012 FLORIDA: A legislative plan to give charter schools a cut of local school districts' construction money would steer millions of additional dollars to large charter-school networks that are already sitting on tens of millions of dollars in cash, records show. The charter-school industry is lobbying hard to gain a share of tax dollars raised by school districts to cover the construction and maintenance costs of traditional public schools — tax revenue that has dropped dramatically in recent years with plummeting real-estate values. School districts say the proposal could cost them as much as $140 million a year statewide and cripple their ability to repair aging buildings and pay debts for past construction. But charter school operators say the lesser funding for their students is unfair, and argue that withholding construction money has stifled charter schools' growth. The proposed legislation would allow charters to spend the new tax dollars on construction and related expenses, and facility leases. Many South Florida charters lease their school buildings from companies with ties to their for-profit managers. Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville, a sponsor of the proposal, said charter schools receive less money per student than traditional public schools. While some schools have large cash reserves, "the mom-and-pops have nothing," he said. But opponents say the measure will mainly benefit the large charter-school operators with high enrollment and robust balance sheets. "These are not the mom-and-pop charter schools that are pushing for this. These are the big management companies," said Georgia Slack, a lobbyist for the Broward County School District. The fate of the proposal remains uncertain. A Senate education committee approved Wise's bill. But the sponsor in the House of Representatives was unable to tack on similar language to the House version of the bill last week. Observers believe the provision will resurface in a later draft. Slack said the proposal would cost the Broward school system at least $20 million a year. The school districts say they can't afford to lose the tax money, most of which goes not to construction costs but to pay the debt on bonds. Nearly one-third of Florida's school districts use all of their construction taxes to pay down debt. Overall, the capital budget of the Broward school district dropped more than 70 percent in five years, as sinking property values dragged down tax revenues. The Broward school system, which has $1.8 billion in capital needs, can't buy new computers for classrooms and has stopped "cosmetic painting," Slack said. The Fitch bond-rating agency has warned that diverting local tax money to charters would put a significant strain on school districts — a hint that districts' credit ratings could suffer. Charter school operators have little sympathy for school districts, which both oversee charter schools and compete with them for students. Facility costs are also a major burden for charter schools. Several South Florida charters have paid more than 25 percent of their revenue toward lease costs — and schools tend to pay more when the management company has ties to the landlord, a Herald review found last year. In 2010, 30 percent of Broward's charter schools reported a net loss, with some schools citing lease costs as the main reason. But critics say the proposal will increase public spending on facilities that would remain in private hands — even after a charter school has shut down. In Florida, about one in four charter schools shuts down, usually for financial reasons, records show. Illinois Governor Quinn announces $623 million in school construction funding
Associated Press,
Chicago Tribune
February 17, 2012 ILLINOIS: More than two dozen Illinois school districts will get around $623 million in capital funds to update and repair schools. Gov. Pat Quinn announced the money at an elementary school in Hazel Crest, a suburb south of Chicago. Quinn says the funding will help improve students' educational experiences. State officials approved 31 districts for the funding. The districts' proposed projects had to be approved. The funding includes about $114 million for Chicago Public Schools, and about $34 million for Peoria schools.
State reimbursement cuts could undermine Pennsylvania school construction projects
Evan Brandt,
The Mercury
February 16, 2012 PENNSYLVANIA: Hidden in the fine print of Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed 2012-13 budget is a funding freeze for Pennsylvania’s program to reimburse school districts for construction projects. Both Pottstown and Pottsgrove school districts — each in a different phase of construction — grappled with what that might mean. For Pottstown, it may mean a whole different plan for renovating its elementary schools; whereas for Pottsgrove, it means the potential loss of $3.2 million in reimbursement for the renovated Ringing Rocks Elementary School, which just re-opened in January. And they’re not alone. Phoenixville Area School District has three building projects in various stages of state reimbursement and the Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center in Limerick is trying to close out its $40 million expansion and renovation project. Officials in all of these districts are scratching their heads, trying to figure out what it all means. “Some things we thought were engraved in stone may turn out not to be,” said Pottsgrove Business Manager Dave Nester. He said the 2012-13 budget he is now working on anticipates a $686,000 debt payment, of which the state would be responsible for 20 percent, or roughly $137,000. With questions surrounding PlanCon, as the state reimbursement program is known, the possibility exists that Pottsgrove taxpayers will have to make up that difference, Nester said. He said the decisions made about the Ringing Rocks project were made with the belief that the state reimbursement would be available. “The PlanCon process is pretty cumbersome and the only reason you go through it is to get that reimbursement,” Nester said. “We knew we needed to upgrade Rocks, but if we had known there was a possibility that state reimbursement might not be there, or be delayed, we might have done some things differently.” Pennsylvania schools have new worry. Governor's budget may cut funds for construction
Brian Wallace,
Intelligencer Journal
February 15, 2012 PENNSYLVANIA: School officials are worried that the state is reneging on a promise to fund its share of school construction projects, which could cost school districts — and local taxpayers — millions of dollars in unplanned expenditures in the coming years. Buried within Gov. Tom Corbett's 2012-13 budget proposal is a provision calling for a one-year moratorium on accepting new applications for state reimbursements for school construction and renovation projects. Corbett earmarked $296 million next year for the reimbursements — the same as this year — but his budget indicates there are more projects awaiting approval than available funding. As a result, current projects "in the pipeline" will be funded "to the extent funds are available," according to the state Department of Education. What that means is unclear, but school officials are concerned it will delay or eliminate reimbursements for projects under construction or well into the planning stages. Adding to their financial worries, some districts are already experiencing backlogs of a year or more in payments of state reimbursements for projects that are finished or nearing completion. School District of Lancaster, for example, has yet to receive $1.7 million in reimbursements for construction bond payments dating as far back as 2007 for projects at Wharton, Ross, Washington and Lafayette elementary schools, said Matt Przywara, the district's chief financial officer. Now Przywara is concerned that a proposed new construction project — Martin Elementary School — won't get the $4.5 million in funding the district was counting on from the state. "It's going to kill our debt service," he said of that prospect. "We're going to be in a crunch in two years." For decades, the state has been paying a percentage of the cost of school construction based on the type of project and makeup of the school district. Percentages range from about 5 percent to 60 percent, with the larger shares going to less wealthy districts. The money is doled out annually as districts pay off their construction bonds. AASHE Launches Campus Sustainability Data Collector
Staff writer,
AASHE
February 15, 2012 NATIONAL: AASHE is excited to announce the creation of the Campus Sustainability Data Collector, a tool that will allow higher education institutions to report and share sustainability data with The Princeton Review, Sierra magazine, and the Sustainable Endowments Institute. Gov. Christie announces recommendations for New Jersey school construction projects
Staff writer,
Star-Ledger
February 15, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Gov. Chris Christie announced recommendations for school construction and renovation projects through the Schools Development Authority. The plan includes 10 recommended projects for 2011, according to a statement released by the governor's office. Under Christie's proposal, the Authority will approve school projects using a standardized selection process. The new review process will factor total project cost, cost per student and efficiency of construction, the statement said. “The prior program was associated with the absolute worst kind of government waste, mismanagement and lack of supervision, where much was promised, too much was spent, but too little was returned,” Christie said in the statement. “I could not responsibly or in good conscience let that history repeat itself at this agency." Christie's plan would also replicate designs in multiple school projects, which the administration says would result in an estimated savings of $4 million per project. The Authority has been allocated an additional $100 million for emergent projects. The agreement to construct or renovate 10 schools is far fewer than the 51 projects that had been approved before Christie took office and shelved by the governor last year. The SDA includes 31 districts, including Newark, Phillipsburg and Elizabeth. The proposed list must be approved by the authority board at its next meeting in March. Solar-powered schools
Scott Stringer,
Downtown Express
February 15, 2012 NEW YORK: At a time when middle-class families are working harder than ever to make ends meet, New York City could be taking bold and innovative steps to create thousands of new green-collar jobs, generate clean energy and cut our monthly utility bills. All we have to do is look up. The roofs of our public schools are a vast, untapped source of new jobs and energy, and if New York embarks on a campaign to install solar roof panels on them, as I’ve just recommended in a new report, “Rooftop Revolution,” we could transform the life of the city and dramatically boost a new economic sector. Schools and solar power are a perfect match, an idea whose time has come. All it takes is leadership to make this a reality in Manhattan and the four other boroughs. Consider the data: Using the City University of New York’s N.Y.C. Solar Map, we estimated new solar installations could generate 169.46 megawatts of clean, renewable energy and eliminate 76,696 tons of carbon from the air each year — the equivalent of planting more than 400,000 trees. This would also increase solar capacity in the five boroughs by more than 2,500 percent. Just as important, the installation of solar panels on New York City’s public schools could create an estimated 5,423 green-collar jobs and give a dramatic economic boost to a new energy sector, according to an analysis by New Energy New York, an advocacy group. This is not rocket science. Solar energy programs are underway in New Jersey and California, plus numerous school districts across the nation. Globally, solar programs have also been launched in Germany and China. Here’s what we need to do: I’m calling on City Hall to develop a long-term plan to install solar panels on public school roofs, where feasible. I’m also urging the legislature to pass The Solar Jobs Act, which would establish a system of renewable energy credits, stimulate investment and create new jobs and revenues — all at an estimated cost of 9 cents per month to New York ratepayers. That’s not just a good deal. It’s a blueprint for strong economic growth and smart environmental policy. Taken as a whole, there are 2.7 million square feet of usable space for solar panels in our public schools — enough space to cover 57 percent of Central Park. Here in Manhattan, there are over 2,776,951 square feet available, or more than 13 percent of the city’s total public school roof space. And schools could be just the beginning. If every rooftop in the city were properly fitted with solar energy installations, CUNY experts estimate we could generate half of New York’s peak energy supply. We would also create a powerful new teaching tool for our students, so they could learn about sustainable energy, climate change and other sciences. New York state districts looking to close or consolidate local schools
Will Dendis,
Saugerties Times
February 14, 2012 NEW YORK: Nearly every local school district is looking at closing a school or drastically reconfiguring its district to save money. Closing a school, no matter how small, is a difficult, highly emotional process for a community. But they voted to do it in Kingston. In Onteora, they’re talking about closing an elementary school and totally reorganizing the other two. Districts in the southern part of the county — New Paltz, Highland and Marlboro — haven’t talked about closing a school. But the change they’ve mulled is no less dramatic: a mega-district including all three. On the north end, Saugerties seemed poised last year to grapple seriously with closing one of its four elementary schools, but the effort seems to have died. An ad hoc volunteer committee looked into the issue last year, and based on its recommendations, the district concluded that closing an elementary school wasn’t “feasible.” But some felt the volunteer approach was unsatisfactory for such a complex issue, and the district should have sprung for a consultant to produce a report. The issue is being forced by larger trends. Just as a housing bubble was inflating over the last decade, so too was a kind of state aid bubble. Many school districts built new buildings, renovated, expanded administration and inked generous contracts with employees during this period. When the recession hit, stimulus money from the federal government helped districts meet their obligations. But that’s gone now. With the passage of last year’s two-percent state property tax cap and the state’s newfound stinginess when it comes to education aid, property-taxpayers expect school districts to tighten their belts in the poor economy. Districts generally can’t hold the line on spending in the face of contractually guaranteed increases to salary and benefits for personnel (about 70 percent of any school budget), unfunded education mandates from Washington and Albany and aging buildings that need to be renovated to the highest safety and energy efficiency standards. Something’s got to give, and it appears nearly every local school district believes there are savings to be had through consolidation. Southern California School Construction Unsafe?
Staff writer,
KTLA News
February 14, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Some Southern California schools may not be as safe as they're touted to be and the students who attend them may be in danger. An inside source told KTLA that the foundation beneath Diamond Ranch High School in Pomona had been cracking for years and a there are concerns over what will happen when the next big earthquake strikes. Built on a Pomona hilltop, Diamond Ranch High School has won several architectural awards. It was also featured in hit films, including Bruce Willis' "Live Free or Die Hard." A source with knowledge of the school and the Pomona Unified School District told KTLA the school's campus is crumbling around its students. "There's a lot of cracks," the source said, wishing to remain anonymous. "A lot of cracks that are on the buildings. A lot of cracks that are on the ground." Photos provided to KTLA show the asphalt splitting and walls and columns cracking. An anonymous source said teachers and former principals complained about the cracks for years but Pomona Unified officials have done nothing to fix the problem. "You have two buildings that are supposed to be together but you can see it's pulling apart," the source said. And sources close to the investigative group California Watch believe the problem lies in the soil beneath the school. Pomona Unified bought the land in 1993 from the City of Industry for one dollar. City of Industry officials even kicked in an extra $5 million for extensive soil grading. An environmental impact report warned there was potential for slope failure and ground failure due to a landslide. Pomona Unified officials began noticing cracks in 2008 and 2009, after the school opened. They asked two engineering firms to look at a large crack school officials tried to patch near a second-floor walkway. An examining engineer wrote in a report that, "?two parts of the structure are not positively tied together." He was referring to a crack the width of a quarter. "it is obvious that there is some lateral movement at the structure," the engineer wrote. "?With concrete ready to fall." And Diamond Ranch High School isn't the only campus in Southern California that caught KTLA's attention. On Wednesday, Hitt will explain why one of the largest schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District has been flagged for not meeting current earthquake safety standards. Schools on Military Bases Could Close Under Defense Cuts
James R. Carroll,,
USA Today
February 13, 2012 NATIONAL: If massive Defense Department cuts go through next year, little-noticed potential victims on the chopping block include the schools on military bases in the U.S. and abroad.The cuts could close some of those schools, cut employees and possibly increase the size of classes in those schools that remain open, according to an analysis of the cuts prepared in September by the Republican staff on the House Armed Services Committee. The analysis did not name any specific schools. Parents potentially could pay $2,200 per student for enrollment in the remaining schools, the analysis said. In addition, the Defense Department would no longer pay school districts for the impact of large numbers of students from military families attending local schools, according to the report. If Congress and the White House fail to stop the automatic cuts, the schools would be among numerous programs where reductions would be required, according to the House armed services panel's GOP staff analysis. The Defense Department Education Activity operates 120 schools overseas, with 64,000 students and 7,800 employees. The department also has 70 schools in the United States, with 34,000 students and 4,600 employees. The on-base schools already have attracted bipartisan attention from the presidential debt commission and from lawmakers looking for ways to reduce government spending. In November 2010, the co-chairmen of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsility and Reform issued a "list of illustrative savings," although they conceded not everything on the list was backed by the other commissioners. But Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Alan Simpson said that moving the children of military personnel out of base schools and into local schools should be considered because it would save the Defense Department $1.1 billion by 2015."These domestic schools exist despite the fact that nearly all military members live off base and send their children to local schools," the co-chairmen wrote. "The program was initially established when schools in the South were segregated, however it is no longer clear why the system is still necessary…" Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., proposed an amendment to the defense authorization bill in November that would have closed all schools on U.S. bases, essentially embracing the Bowles-Simpson recommendation. The amendment was never taken up by the Senate. Coburn pointed to a series last summer by the Center for Public Integrity's iWatch News that found that three out of four military-run schools were beyond repair or required major renovations. Pentagon report cards sent to Congress in 2008 and 2009, obtained by the center, revealed that almost 40 percent of Defense Department-run schools were in the worst category of "failing," which meant it cost more to renovate than replace them. An additional 37 percent were listed as in "poor" condition, requiring major renovations or replacement. Baltimore Mayor questions School Chief's school-construction plan
Julie Scharper,
Baltimore Sun
February 13, 2012 MARYLAND: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake expressed concerns about her schools chief's proposal to borrow $1.2 billion to fix Baltimore's crumbling school buildings, touting her own more modest plan as realistic in her State of the City address Monday. The mayor said she would introduce legislation to increase the city's bottle tax from 2 cents to 5 cents in 2013, a source of revenue that is key to her plan to leverage $300 million in bonds to address an estimated $2.8 billion in needed repairs to schools. "This is a big bump-up for our schools, and it's real," she said of her plan. She had harsh words for Alonso's plan, which would combine both state and city funds to leverage $1.2 billion on bonds – a proposal that has been pushed by Transform Baltimore, a coalition of education advocacy groups spearheaded by the American Civil Liberties Union. "It's false to say that we can borrow a billion dollars, but that we won't have to pay it back one way or another," Rawlings-Blake said. Rawlings-Blake cited concerns raised by state fiscal policymakers about the plan, which would use bond proceeds to float additional bonds. Alonso has been lobbying state lawmakers to pledge $32 million annually to city schools – the average amount of money provided for school construction and maintenance in recent years – and to remove requirements that dictate how the money can be spent. The state currently funds specific projects, such as a new cafeteria or playing field. Under Alonso's plan, Rawlings-Blake's revenue package would be combined with the $32 million in state funds and $17 million in bond proceeds that the city dedicates to school construction each year. Foes of the bottle tax, such as retailers and beverage lobbyists, are likely to push hard against the bill in the council. And the educational advocates, who had rallied around Alonso's $1.2 billion plan, are likely to be lukewarm advocates for the bottle tax. Catonsville Elementary Strives to Go Green
Penny Riordan,
Catonsville Patch
February 10, 2012 MARYLAND: From reducing trash to turning off the lights to walking or biking to school, students in Catonsville Elementary School are paying attention to how their school impacts the environment. The school is in it second year of becoming a Green School, which is a state program that recognizes schools that have activities and curriculum meant to educate students about the environment. One way the school is becoming more environmentally friendly is by choosing one day a month when students are encouraged to walk, bike or take the bus to school.Nancy Henderson, one of the co-chairs of the green committee and an instructional assistant at the school, stood at the front door on Wednesday morning giving out tickets to students who walked, biked, carpooled or took the bus. The school has also set up a more specific recycling program in the cafeteria, with different bins and examples of what can be recylced and what is trash. The school's cafeteria and custodial crews keep track of how many bags of trash they put out every day. Students also made covers for light switches as reminders to turn off lights when leaving a classroom. And there are recycle bins in all the classrooms. While the initiative is still new, the school has already seen tangible results in some areas. During the 2010 school year, the school spent $67,000 in energy conpared to the previous school year, when $76,000 was spent for the same purpose, according to facilities records.
Energy costs push schools to save
Travis Fain,
Winston Salem Journal
February 10, 2012 NORTH CAROLINA: Duke Energy's rate increases, which went into effect Feb. 1, will cost the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system about $528,000 more a year in electricity costs, the system said this week. Electricity and other utility costs represent a rising part of the system's $466.6 million annual budget. In the coming year, the system expects to spend 2.5 percent more for natural gas and 7.6 percent more in water and sewer costs, in addition to the roughly 8 percent bump for electricity. Electricity alone has already cost the school system more than $6 million for the current fiscal year, which began July 1 and runs through the end of June. The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system has several energy-saving programs in place, but it is considering a new one that would let individual schools keep some of the money they save on utility bills. The idea came from the Iredell-Statesville school system, where the principal of one of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County's most energy-efficient schools, North Hills Elementary, worked before coming to Winston-Salem. In Iredell, schools that came in under their energy budget could use some of the savings on capital projects at the school, said Rob Jackson, Iredell-Statesville's director of construction. The program worked because "principals got on their staffs," Jackson said. The program was phased out during a recent budget crunch, though, Jackson said. System officials decided to spend the savings on other things, he said. Energy-saving habits tend to linger, though. North Hills Principal Karen Roseboro brought a conservation philosophy with her from Iredell County, and her custodial staff has embraced it, she said. The school recently became Winston-Salem's first to earn the federal government's Energy Star label, a designation that requires energy-saving steps. Other Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools are working to get the rating. Howard Moore, who oversees energy usage for the school system, said he hopes all of them will eventually. Several schools are in North Hills' range on energy usage, and a few incur lower — by a penny or two — per-square-foot energy costs. North Hills' efforts boil down to vigilance, Roseboro said. Signs in the classrooms remind teachers to turn off lights and computers before they go home. A schoolwide end-of-day announcement repeats the message, Roseboro said. If teachers forget, evening custodian Kevin McDowell leaves them a note. McDowell is "the sheriff who pops the whip at night," North Hill's lead custodian James Wallace said. Some lights are on a timer. When a community group meets after hours at the school, only the lights they need are on, Wallace said. Surrounding hallways are left dark because "anyway we can save money, that's what we gotta do," he said. At North Hills and most other WSFC schools, the heating and cooling systems are controlled from the central office, meaning school administrators have to request a temperature change. This program started in the early 1990s and has worked well, Moore said. Heating systems at all the schools are set back to 55 degrees overnight, and up to 85 degrees in hot months, Moore said. Outside lights are on timers, and some buildings use motion sensors to turn lights off and on. Wallace said it's a daily team effort to keep energy costs down, but the philosophy is simple. "Where I don't need lights, I don't turn lights on," he said. "We've got to treat this place like it's our house." Oregon students will compete to try to save the most electricity and water.
Christina Williams ,
Sustainable Business Oregon
February 09, 2012 OREGON: Students at the University of Portland and Oregon State University are joining a national competition this month, going head to to head with students at schools around the country to reduce their electricity and water use. The Campus Conservation Nationals competition will run from February 6 and April 23 — schools pick a three-week window within those dates to run the program on their campus. Building dashboard software by Lucid, an Oakland, Calif.-based software company, will track each university's progress including individual dorm performance and a national goal to save one gigawatt hour of electricity through the competition. A total of 250,000 students are expected to participate in the competition. On the University of Portland campus, individual dorms will compete against each other for a $500 prize. The school also has laid down a challenge to its sister school, Notre Dame University. The competition is organized by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. Officials at UP say the efficiency competition is just latest in a stream of sustainability efforts. The school was the first college on the West Coast to discontinue the sale of disposable plastic water bottles on campus, has set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2040 and has reduced food waste by 70 percent in its dining halls. Oregon State University also brings considerable sustainability cred with it to the competition. The school was last month named No. 4 in the nation for its green power use and last year received a gold designation from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System. Newark to break ground on long-awaited Teachers Village
Sarah Portlock,
Star-Ledger
February 09, 2012 NEW JERSEY: Elected officials, real estate developers and international investors will gather in the heart of downtown Newark to break ground on the city’s most ambitious project since the Prudential Center, one Mayor Cory Booker says will transform the entire downtown. Teachers Village is a nearly $150-million mixed-use development that will rise along four blocks of Halsey Street, between the Prudential Center and University Heights. Once completed, the site will have eight buildings, including three charter schools, a daycare center, more than 200 apartments for teachers and 70,000 square feet of street-level retail and restaurant space. The project is largely being built through public financing, and funding for the first building — which includes two schools, a gymnasium and retail — closed last Friday. The idea to incorporate teachers came after the developers realized many of the city’s current educators worked long hours and lived far away. By living closer, they would in turn would bring energy and ideas to the area, and possibly attract more business. The project was awarded nearly $40 million in Urban Transit Hub tax credits from the state Economic Development Authority and allocated $60 million in federal New Markets tax credits for the school portion. Other public financing came from the city of Newark, the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, and federal Qualified School Construction Bonds, according to an EDA memo. Private financing came from Goldman Sachs, Prudential Financial Corp., TD Bank and New Jersey Community Capital, Beit said. In the early months of the recession, Beit said, Berggruen’s unwavering commitment to the project — Berggruen said he considers his investment "long-term" — brought everyone else together. Detroit Public Schools to close 16 buildings as part of latest round of downsizing
Chastity Pratt Dawsey,
Detroit Free Press
February 09, 2012 MICHIGAN: The latest round of downsizing to hit Detroit Public Schools will leave the district with as many as 35 fewer schools, including four fewer high schools, and an enrollment below 50,000. DPS emergency manager Roy Roberts announced 16 school buildings that will close permanently at the end of the school year and four that could become charter schools this fall. An additional 15 schools -- among the lowest-performing 5% in the state -- will be transferred to the statewide reform school district in the fall. Roberts called the changes a response to a school crisis that is unmatched in the country and said talking to parents at the closing schools was one of the worst days he has had on the job. DPS has lost about 100,000 students in the past decade, and 2012-13 enrollment is expected to be about a third of what it was a decade ago. "We're working our way through a phenomenon," Roberts said. "No school system has gone through what we've gone through." 4 new Detroit public schools will replace more than a dozen that will close
Corey Williams,
Crain's Detroit Business
February 08, 2012 MICHIGAN: More than a dozen Detroit Public Schools buildings — including several high schools — will close before the start of fall classes as the district continues to slash costs and consolidate programs to improve learning. In addition to the closures announced today by state-appointed emergency manager Roy Roberts, four newly constructed schools will be opened. City, Kettering, Finney, Southwestern, Crocket and Mumford high schools are among the buildings that will close. Finney and Crocket students will attend the new East English Village Preparatory Academy. Mumford students will move from the old building into the new, $50.3 million Mumford High. All of the closures and consolidations are expected to save the district about $9.1 million annually in operating costs, Roberts said. The district also will create individualized learning plans for each student. “We have been using an outdated educational model that we must discard,” he said in a release. Maryland alcohol tax funds schools’ building projects
Matthew Bieniek,
Cumberland Times-News
February 08, 2012 MARYLAND: The Maryland Board of Public Works awarded grant money raised by the sales and use tax on alcoholic beverages to Allegany and Garrett County schools. The money came from a supplementary appropriation of $47.5 million to school construction projects. The 2012 supplementary appropriation allocated to the western region is $750,000. The western region comprises Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett and Washington counties, according to Board of Public Works documents. Locally, the awards were made to Allegany County’s Northeast Elementary School in the amount of $124,125 for an entrance canopy and Broad Ford Elementary School, in Garrett County, for exterior repairs in the amount of $48,675. The Northeast project is designed to eliminate a conflict between school buses and parents dropping off their children. The Broad Ford project will stabilize the building envelope and improve both its weather-tightness and insulation characteristics, according to BPW documents. Projects were considered based on benefit to older school buildings, the benefit to schools with high proportions of students on free and reduced lunch programs, and projects that could be completed in one year and eliminate or reduce the use of portable classrooms, among other factors. “The bill created a pot of money of $750,000 for Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick and Carroll. There was no designation per county and no directions on how the money would be split up. It would be entirely possible that Allegany could receive nothing,” said Randall Bittinger, chief business officer for the Allegany County school system. “Counties submitted proposals and requests for this money and, as expected, the amounts requested far exceeded the amount of money,” Bittinger said. Bittinger credited Facilities Director Vince Montana with working out an agreement between the western counties for allocating the funds. “The money was not budgeted. It will be received and accounted for in the school construction fund as will the expenditures for the project at Northeast Elementary,” Bittinger said. The hidden impediment to school renovation
Mark J. Rozell and Paul Goldman ,
Baltimore Sun
February 06, 2012 MARYLAND: A major reason many Maryland jurisdictions — especially Baltimore County and Baltimore City — confront a growing problem of aging, obsolete school buildings is an obscure bit of Internal Revenue Service bureaucracy called the "prior use rule." It applies in a limited number of circumstances, one being projects to renovate certain old public school buildings. Since 1986, this rule has forced Baltimore and other localities into one of three unpalatable choices: grossly overpay for modernizing their oldest schools; build new, often much more expensive ones; or push the problem onto the back burner, guaranteeing any eventual solution will be even costlier. This costs Baltimore and Maryland billions of dollars over time. Baltimore's schools CEO Andrés Alonso wants to borrow $1.2 billion to modernize run-down schools, although a recent study found it will take $2.8 billion to do all that might ultimately be necessary. Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Howard counties combined have even greater modernization needs. Architectural historian Margaret Roberts found the number of run-down schools 50 years or older in Maryland, along with other states she is studying, far exceeds previous estimates. She concluded "this unfair IRS 'prior use rule' is costing us big time. America's schools are really old. You can't get a true 21st century education in a building designed for a 20th century curriculum." Due to the age of the city's school buildings, nearly half might qualify for the type of purely private capital modernization solution that saved 33 percent for Richmond, Va., on the cost of fully renovating a dilapidated, 60-year-old high school facility. But the "prior use rule" denies this proven solution to Baltimore Baltimore may soon have a chance to save itself huge sums of money. House Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Democratic Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner, all Virginians, have joined in a bipartisan push for S. 1685, which would eliminate the prior use rule for K-12 modernization projects that meet certain criteria. This legislation is now before the Senate Finance Committee, on which Maryland's Sen. Benjamin Cardin serves. Last month, the National Education Association endorsed S.1685, saying, "It offers a common-sense approach ... based on a 100 percent private capital investment model enacted in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan and a Democratic Congress but blocked by a little known IRS 'prior use' rule." As Mr. Cantor noted, "a simple update to the tax code … will allow schools to leverage private capital to ... ensure that our children have the best opportunity to learn and succeed." The bill doesn't require any appropriation of funds; indeed, it offers a way to reduce long-term federally subsidized government debt now totaling in the trillions of dollars. How does the prior use rule harm Baltimore's schoolchildren? Old buildings often have unexpected modernization costs. So under the "federal rehabilitation tax credit" law, investors can earn tax credits up to 26 percent of the cost of a full renovation for those "historic" buildings. K-12 schools that are 50 or more years old often meet the flexible "historic" designation. But investors aren't interested in school modernization projects. The reason is that an entrepreneur can earn credits by turning an old school building into a new use — a luxury condo, for example — but not to modernize it, because that is a "prior use." Consider the Catch-22: Education Secretary Arne Duncan came to Baltimore and lamented the number of run-down old schools. But the federal law created to encourage rehabilitation has been undermined by another part of the tax code. This has forced localities to use the more expensive "borrow to build" approach based on issuing school construction debt. In turn, Uncle Sam has been obligated to pay a generous, long-term federal subsidy to get Wall Street's best clients to buy the bonds. S. 1685 offers localities a new option. With a few tweaks to make it fairer to Baltimore and other long-penalized localities, the savings — based on the market value of all tax credits earned — can approach the 33 percent achieved by Richmond using its option of sale/leaseback with an option to buy. In addition, this gives further savings to Uncle Sam, since the project doesn't require new bonds. This K-12 construction initiative would also lead to an educational instruction initiative. Scarce local resources can be redirected to classroom needs, and communities will be able to afford 21st century schools offering the latest in learning to their children. What the schools of the future could look like
Bridget Borgobello ,
Gizmag
February 06, 2012 AUSTRALIA: The winners for the "Future Proofing Schools" design competition were recently announced, where designers where invited to submit their ideas for the next generation of relocatable classrooms. The competition, sponsored by the University of Melbourne, the Melbourne School of Design (MSD) and the Australian Institute of Architects, seeks to "elicit innovation, creativity and blue-sky thinking" and may just give us a peek into the future. The competition focuses on new ideas for relocatable classrooms, which in recent decades have commonly been used around the globe. These types of classroom facilities are generally a response to rapid growth in schools, remote community needs or a quick solution to cope with natural disasters. Although the classrooms are often described as cheap and miserable, the winners for this year's competition are anything but drab and dreary.[See article for photographs and descriptions of winning projects.] U.S. Green Building Council and Lucid Launch Campus Conservation Nationals 2012
Staff writer,
PRNewswire
February 06, 2012 NATIONAL: The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), through its USGBC Students Program and in partnership with Lucid, Alliance to Save Energy and the National Wildlife Federation, is pleased to announce the official kick-off of Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN) 2012, a nationwide electricity and water use reduction competition among colleges and universities. With more than 150 schools, a quarter of a million students and 1,700 buildings participating, CCN is the largest student electricity and water reduction competition in the country. Starting today through April 23, students will compete to achieve the greatest reductions in their residence halls over a three-week period, working toward a collective national challenge goal of saving one gigawatt-hour. Students will organize in their dorms and online to demonstrate sustainable occupant behavior, proving that the buildings they live in do not need extensive renovation to be greener. Through committing to taking shorter showers, using the stairs instead of the elevator and other simple tactics, students across the country will serve as important examples of how we can all do our part to make a difference in the way our buildings consume electricity and water. USGBC Students, the Alliance to Save Energy and the National Wildlife Federation have worked tirelessly to help students organize on campus around the competition, creating more than 100 student led teams who will educate and motivate their peers, said Pat Lane, USGBC Students program lead at the Center for Green Schools. We are honored to work with students across the country who are addressing environmental issues in a new and positive way. Through action, organization and education, these students will help schools produce enough energy savings to effectively take an average coal-fired power plant offline for four hours. Schools participating in the competition have chosen to compete against buildings on their own campus, or against a select group of peer institutions. Using Lucid’s Building Dashboard, participating schools will be able to instantly compare performance, share winning strategies and track standings among the leading schools and buildings. With generous support from United Technologies Corp, founding sponsor of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC, Sloan, Sterling Planet and Constellation Energy, CCN is an opportunity to organize students and staff to make immediate and lasting impacts on a school’s carbon emissions and campus culture. CCN 2012 will reach close to 250,000 students living in participating buildings, making this the largest ever energy and water competition of its kind,” said Andrew deCoriolis, director of engagement at Lucid. “This competition shows that students can be empowered to make smarter resource use decisions. Changes in students’ behavior impact resource use now but also affect their daily lives, helping to build a lasting culture of conservation. Florida charter schools seek construction money
Kathleen McGrory,
Miami Herald
February 06, 2012 FLORIDA: The charter school movement flexed its legislative muscle, taking a big step toward winning more funding from the state. After an hour of intense debate, the Senate Education Committee approved a controversial bill requiring local school districts to share their construction and maintenance money with charter schools. Under current law, only traditional public schools can levy property taxes for building and maintenance. Charter schools — which receive tax dollars, but are run by independent governing boards — cannot. Florida school districts fought hard to defeat the bill, saying it would all but kill their ability to pay down debt on existing construction projects. Parent groups chimed in too, saying public dollars should not go to charter school facilities, which are often owned by private companies and are not part of the public domain. Broward County schools lobbyist Georgia Slack called the bill “a disaster to our capital outlay program.” “This will cost us $20 million” a year Slack said. “We don’t have it.” Miami-Dade officials said they would likely lose out on about $45 million yearly. But in the end, the charter schools won the round, arguing that children enrolled in charter schools deserve the same amount of tax dollars as children in traditional public schools. “This is an issue of fair and equitable education for all students,” said Doral Academy Charter Middle/High Principal Doug Rodriguez, who spoke on behalf of the bill. “What, in essence, not sharing the millage has done is put a cap on our schools.” When the charter school movement began more than a decade ago, charter schools vowed to do more with less. But when the economy tumbled – and all public schools underwent dramatic cuts — charter schools began asking for equal funding. Much has changed between then and now. Miami-Dade and Broward are now home to more than 200 charter schools. Their enrollment accounts for 10 percent of all children in South Florida public schools.
Philadelphia's school district will close buildings early to save money
Kristen A. Graham,
Philadelphia Inquirer
February 05, 2012 PENNSYLVANIA: Starting next week, the Philadelphia School District will cancel all weekend programs and shut school buildings an hour early during the week to save $2.8 million. The efficiencies are necessary to close a $61 million budget gap by June, officials said. Spokesman Fernando Gallard on Saturday confirmed that the district was "planning on closing the schools on the weekends" and at 8 p.m. on weekdays and said an official announcement would be made early this week. The closures will affect many non-district programs. City Recreation Department activities often take place in city school buildings. The changes mean that all weekday extracurricular activities and programs - including Recreation Department activities, school programs, and athletic events - will now end by 7:30 p.m. so buildings can close by 8 p.m. Organizations that pay the district to use its buildings will still be able to use them. It is unclear if these groups will be able to pay to keep the buildings open longer. In a letter Friday to elected officials, a district official wrote: "These organizations will be billed for the cost of keeping the school open for their activities. Organizations that currently have payment agreements with the district will be grandfathered into those agreements, but all new activities will be paid for according to the district's payment schedule." The changes "are being enacted to create a substantial savings in utilities, personnel and overtime spending," the letter said. The decision to shut buildings early was "difficult," the district wrote in its letter. Oklahoma Gets First LEED Gold K-12 Building
Susan DeFreitas,
Earth Techling
February 02, 2012 OKLAHOMA: Green schools have been cropping up all over the country in recent years, some of them far from noted green building centers. Such is the case with the the Jenks Math and Science Center in Jenks, Okla., (a suburb of Tulsa) which recently became the state’s first LEED-certified K-12 building. The project was built by Tulsa-based Manhattan Construction and designed by Tulsa-based GH2 Architects, and Michigan-based TMP Architecture, and has garnered LEED Gold certification. Encompassing 91,580 square feet, the Jenks Public Schools Math and Science Center includes ten math classrooms, fourteen flexible science teaching studios, a student health center, a 200-seat multi-purpose meeting room and a 105-seat planetarium. Located in the center of the main Jenks high school campus — creating a visual and physical link between the Freshman Academy and senior high classroom buildings — the building was designed to encourage collaboration between math and science and also between the different grade levels. Green features of the new Jenks Math and Science Center include a wind power system comprised of via four vertical axis wind turbines, as well as groundsource heat pumps that use the steady temperature of the earth to heat and cool the building (and generate hot water). The electricity generated via the building’s wind power system is monitored remotely, with data integrated into the school’s renewable energy study program; the groundsource system pumps water through 217 vertical wells, which are each 400 feet deep, using around 33 miles of piping. The building makes use of an energy efficient heating and cooling system, high efficiency appliances and high efficiency plumbing fixtures. Its high-performance building envelope incorporates insulated metal panels and high-performance windows, which are protected by fixed vertical and horizontal sunshades to reduce glare and solar heat gain during the summer months. These same windows also flood the classrooms with an abundance of natural light, helping kids to stay focused during their studies. Cleveland's 1932 John Marshall High School to be razed, rebuilt at current site
Patrick O'Donnell,
The Plain Dealer
February 01, 2012 OHIO: The end of this school year will likely mark the end of the existing John Marshall High School, after much-delayed plans to demolish the old building and put up a new one cleared a major hurdle. The Cleveland school district won approval last month from the city's Landmarks Commission to tear down the school that has served generations of West Siders since it was built in 1932. With demolition scheduled to begin this summer and continue through next winter, district officials will ask the school board this month to approve close to $7 million in work to prepare two other schools to host John Marshall's students in the fall. The new John Marshall High School would open at the same site on W. 140th Street in the fall of 2015. The Landmark Commission's narrow 5-4 vote to allow demolition of the designated landmark highlights the mixed feelings among city, school and community leaders about a project that comes with advantages and drawbacks. The school board voted in 2008 to build the new school, but delayed plans partly because of community opposition. More than 2,300 residents signed petitions circulated by resident Satinder Puri and his Save John Marshall campaign, urging the city and school board to keep the school and preserve its heritage. The school's alumni association also voted in support of renovating the school. In addition to sentimental reasons for wanting the school to survive, demolition opponents note that the old building has a swimming pool, an auditorium and an underground running track -- none of which is included in the proposed new building. Puri has repeatedly asked the school board to renovate the school, as it did with similar landmarked schools like John Hay and Rhodes high schools. School officials say the state's rules for paying for school construction is driving their choice to build a new school. The state won't cover any of the $1.3 million it would cost to renovate the auditorium and, because the school is bigger than needed for its students, the district would have to pay millions on its own to renovate. Renovating the entire school would cost $45.5 million, officials estimate - less than $1 million more than the current plans to build a smaller school. Demolishing part of the school, renovating part and building a new addition would cost $46.8 million. But under the state formula, the cost to the district for the different options varies. Cleveland taxpayers would pay a $21 million share for a new school, $27 million for a partial renovation and $32 million for a full renovation. Flawed study mis-rates potential DC school closings
Steven Glazerman ,
Greater Washington
February 01, 2012 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: DC would likely close some successful schools while expanding failing schools if it relies upon a study released last week. The much-anticipated study, which the Deputy Mayor for Education commissioned to help plan school closures and charter school policies, is highly flawed. The goal of the study was to help DCPS balance out near-empty buildings in some locations with overcrowded ones in others, taking into account the quality of the schools. For all its colorful charts and maps, the report uses a faulty measure of school quality and does not make any serious attempt to predict how families and schools might react to the changes it proposes. With such important decisions at stake, the Deputy Mayor should insist upon more rigorous analysis. The report authors crunched a lot of numbers in an admirably short period of time and produced some very interesting descriptive statistics, like the percentage of students below 185 percent of the poverty line in charters (75) versus DCPS (67). The study counts, within each of 39 neighborhood clusters in the city, the number of "performance," or high quality, seats in schools and compares that to the number of school-age students living in that cluster. The difference is called a service gap. It recommends schools for closure, or in some cases investment, to reduce these service gaps. But it doesn't justify the type of investment. Is it facilities? More teachers? Better teachers? The authors define a "performance seat" as a seat in a school in the top tier of a 4-tier rating system they devised. Each school's tier comes from estimated percentages of its students who were judged "proficient" on the state assessment test in recent years, projected 4 years into the future assuming a straight line trend. This study raises a lot of questions for most researchers and even lay readers. Two big flaws stand out, which are so basic and could do significant damage if city leaders overlook the problems. The District needs sophisticated guidance to begin comprehensive, city-wide planning of school closures and investments and to help coordinate land use policy with charter school expansion. Unfortunately, this report doesn't provide enough of this guidance. Houston's Gloria Marshall Elementary School bags LEED Gold
Staff writer,
World Interior Design Network
January 31, 2012 TEXAS: The Gloria Marshall Elementary School in Spring ISD, Houston, Texas, has received LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council. The facility, designed by SHW Group, is the first public school in Houston to secure the certification. The two-level building opened in August 2011 and spans 105,000 square feet. The school employs various eco-friendly elements such as geothermal heating and cooling units. It is the first school in Houston to use the system and has reaped energy savings of 41% in the district compared to its average elementary school energy consumption. The facility sports a rectangular form which is oriented with long north- and south-facing sides. The design of all its classrooms allows natural light penetration while the south-facing classrooms imbibe daylight harvesting. The building has also been equipped with sensor-controlled lighting fixtures based on daylight levels which switch off lights in the classrooms 75% of the time. The school further features a science garden and eco-pond with an above-ground cistern and a river table. A geothermal well field with a system of tubes and valves has been installed below the parking space and playgrounds. The well field helps supply hot and cold water in and out of the facility. The facility also sports a butterfly garden along a walking trail. The building comprises a highly reflective roof in white shade, as well as an on-site wind turbine. It is also fitted with 10 kilowatts of roof-mounted photovoltaic cells which directly transforms sunlight into electricity. There is an underground cistern for storing rainwater from the roof. The collected water is later recycled in the building's toilets. Most of the materials used during the building process of the school are reclaimed. The facility has also utilised rapidly renewable resources. Reclaiming trees of the current site as desks, benches and conference room tables added to the sustainability factor. Site not fit for a new Chicago school, neighbors say
Joel Hood,
Chicago Tribune
January 29, 2012 ILLINOIS: Chicago Public Schools' plan to build an elementary school on polluted property in the shadow of the Chicago Skyway and an expiring coal-fired power plant near the Indiana border is raising the ire of parents in the working-class East Side neighborhood. CPS already has paid more than $3 million for about 2 acres near 104th Street and South Indianapolis Avenue, a triangular parcel near a heavily congested traffic corridor, train tracks and towering industrial plants. Preliminary testing at the site, which had been home to a gas station and more recently a carwash, uncovered eight underground gasoline storage tanks, one known to be leaking, and unsafe levels of the chemical benzene in the soil. But an official with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency cautioned that the true extent of the contamination won't be known until more testing is completed. No matter the level of pollution, records show CPS bought the property "as is," which means the district will cover all the cleanup costs before it breaks ground on school construction. "It's a horrible site, and it would be terrible for students," said Jose Garza, chairman of the local school council at nearby Gallistel Elementary Language Academy. Soil concerns aside, the neighborhood suffers from some of the poorest air quality in the state, thanks to a coal-fired power plant in nearby Hammond that is slated to close this year and thousands of trucks, cars and freight trains that roll through the area each day. The new school would sit about a mile northeast of George Washington High School. In 2010, an air monitor atop that school recorded the state's highest levels of toxic chromium and sulfates, pollution that can trigger asthma attacks and heart problems. The BP Whiting refinery and the ArcelorMittal steel mill, two of the region's biggest sources of air pollution, are a couple of miles away. In California, concerns over air quality prompted lawmakers in 2003 to prohibit districts from building schools within 500 feet of a freeway. Studies indicated the ultrafine particles kicked up by vehicles and noxious fumes were harmful to children's lungs and increased the risk of asthma and bronchitis. There is no such law in Illinois. Oregon school energy audits find $40 million in upgrades
Associated Press,
Argus Observer
January 29, 2012 OREGON: One of Gov. John Kitzhaber’s top priorities after taking office a year ago was his “Cool Schools” initiative to create jobs while making schools more energy efficient. Energy audit companies have taken a close look at 100 mostly small and rural school districts around Oregon to determine upgrades that are needed, how much energy can be saved, and what it might cost. Those audits, which were obtained by The Associated Press, show a potential savings of $3.6 million a year if the full complement of $40 million worth of improvements is done. With grants and other incentives, the cost to schools would total $36 million, and the state is offering low-interest loans to pay for it. The audits do not include estimates of how many jobs might be created. But governor’s aide Scott Nelson says labor studies indicate that $40 million worth of energy retrofits would typically account for 400 to 600 direct yearlong jobs. Success will depend on the confidence schools have in the potential savings, their willingness to take on new debt during tough economic times, and whether they were already planning improvements. U.S. Schools Compete to Slash Energy Use in 2012
Veronique Pittman,
Huffington Post
January 28, 2012 NATIONAL: Students in more than 116 schools across the U.S. are competing to reduce their electricity consumption by participating in the 2012 national Green Cup Challenge (GCC) during peak winter energy usage, Jan. 18 to Feb. 15. (New York City and Chicago will launch separate Challenges on March 2). The national Challenge, now in its fifth year, is a project of the non-profit Green Schools Alliance (GSA), and is designed to raise awareness about energy conservation and provide concrete action towards reduction. "Experts agree that the best way to save energy is to use less," says Peg Watson, GSA's founder and president. "You can't manage what you don't measure. The GCC teaches students that they have the power to save energy in their schools and homes, and that their actions can translate into positive change in the world," she says. According to Energystar.gov, America's K-12 schools spend more than $7.5 billion annually on energy, but as much as 30 percent of that energy ($2.25 billion) is used inefficiently or unnecessarily. The GCC has shown that, through awareness and small behavior changes, those wasteful patterns can be reversed. During the Challenge, students and school staff work together to implement energy-saving strategies; they take weekly readings of school electric meters, and compare the usage to a baseline from previous years' consumption. Data are entered weekly into spreadsheets on the GCC website, providing students with hands-on learning opportunities. The annual GCC video contest has also become a popular showcase for students' talent and environmental passions. Schools the site of more emergency shelters
Erin Ragan ,
Southeast Missourian
January 27, 2012 MISSOURI: A growing number of emergency shelters in Missouri in recent years may mean more people scramble toward the nearest school the next time a tornado siren sounds. Since 2005, 32 facilities classified as "safe rooms" by the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been built statewide in public school districts or community colleges. Nine projects are in progress, according to the most recent information available from the agency. FEMA enters into a cost-sharing agreement with schools to build safe rooms, in most cases providing 75 percent of funding through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, as long as the facilities meet emergency shelter specifications set by the agency. FEMA's requirements for safe rooms vary based on areas of the country where they are built. Areas more at risk for tornadoes, for example, require steel-reinforced, foot-thick concrete walls that can withstand winds of an EF-5 tornado, or up to 250 mph. loomfield, Mo., the school district will open bids the first week of February for a $1.6 million multipurpose building with FEMA safe-room standards. It will have classrooms, a gymnasium, locker rooms, a concession area and storage areas. "We felt like every community needed a place for the community to go, and if something happened during the school day, we are obligated for the safety of the students," said Dr. Nicholas Thiele, school superintendent. FEMA will pick up $1.1 million of the tab for the project, which Thiele said should be completed by December. Puxico, a district next door to Bloomfield, is working on a similar FEMA safe room. Entities covered by a local hazard mitigation plan are eligible for a safe room grant, said Mike O'Connell, spokesman for the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, which manages the grants. Those entities are typically counties, cities, school districts, colleges and universities. A private entity could be eligible if a city or county applied on its behalf. For example, O'Connell said, a county government could apply on behalf of a private school. School Building BIll Dead in Nashville
Lauren Lee,
MyFoxMemphis
January 26, 2012 TENNESSEE: Mark Norris confirmed to Fox13 that he will not sponsor a bill intoduced by fellow Republican Curry Todd to give school buildings to the suburbs. Norris did say that he reserves the right to sponsor similar bills in the future. The bill would have allowed for school buildings within city limits to be transferred to that city when creating Municipal School Districts. The buildings would be free of charge and the debt would stay with the county. The municipalities are ready to create their own districts so they can separate from the consolidated Memphis and Shelby county schools. Buildings would be a big financial barrier if they had to pay, and some Memphians have said they should have to be bought, but this bill would have cleared the way for that. Now that the bill is dead, the power is back in the hands of the Unified School Board. That board decides what happens to its buildings.
Safety concerns, fixes extend to 15 Neenan schools in Colorado
Eric Gorski,
Denver Post
January 26, 2012 COLORADO: Structural issues of varying degrees of seriousness have been identified in every Neenan Co. school project that has received money through a state grant program meant to make school buildings safer. "Corrective actions" are being carried out at each of the 15 school buildings at various stages of completion in eight districts across Colorado, officials said at a meeting of the board that oversees the Building Excellent Schools Today program. Although several of the issues had previously been made public, others were newly disclosed — including a project at Mapleton Public Schools in Adams County involving the largest grant in BEST history. Neenan officials described the structural issues detailed as ranging from "minor" to "moderate." A state official, however, suggested Neenan was downplaying the seriousness of the situation of a school that faces evacuations if winds reach just 25 mph. In all, schools designed and built by Neenan have received $150 million in money through BEST, which was created in 2008 to help school districts replace and repair worn-down buildings. Many public schools in D.C.’s poorest area should be transformed or shut, study says; more charters recommended
Bill Turque,
Washington Post
January 26, 2012 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: A new study commissioned by D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray recommends that the city turn around or close more than three dozen traditional public schools in its poorest neighborhoods and expand the number of high-performing charter schools. The findings of the study by the Chicago-based IFF are likely to rekindle impassioned debate about possible school closures and the future of public education in the District. The study also signals the start of an unprecedented attempt to coordinate decision making between two school sectors that have operated independently and at times competed for funding and other resources. More than 40 percent of the city’s 78,000 public students attend publicly funded, independently operated charter schools, the largest concentration in the nation outside of New Orleans. At current rates of growth, a majority of the city’s public enrollment could be in charters within three to four years. Some advocates of traditional public schools have raised questions about possible bias in the study. IFF, which provides financial support and real estate consulting to nonprofit organizations, has made more than $57 million in loans to charter schools, according to information it provided the District. The study was underwritten by a $100,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation, one of the nation’s leading benefactors of charter schools. Walton is also a major private donor to D.C. Public Schools. Company officials have said that their work looks at both school sectors objectively. The study could also eventually serve as the basis for another major round of traditional public school closures, a politically and emotionally bruising process last undertaken by then-Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee during Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s administration. Although traditional public school enrollment has leveled off at about 46,000 after decades of decline, the system still has an excess of capacity. More than 40 schools have 300 or fewer students, many of them struggling academically. City officials said that decisions about any major restructuring will not be made for at least a year and only after close consultation with affected communities. Gray (D) said Wednesday that there is no basis for concerns that he will hand the city school system over to charter schools, especially given the hundreds of millions of dollars the District has invested in renovating and rebuilding traditional school campuses. “It’s ludicrous,” he said. “I believe very strongly in both sectors, and I’m looking for the best education solutions.” De’Shawn Wright, the deputy mayor for education, said the plan is to meet with Chancellor Kaya Henderson, who heads the school system, and charter school leaders to map out a scenario for meeting the needs of underserved neighborhoods. LAVA: classroom of the future
Staff writer,
Designboom
January 25, 2012 AUSTRALIA: Sydney, Stuttgart and Shanghai-based practice LAVA has designed the 'classroom of the future'. The prefabricated and relocatable classroom unit integrates into the landscape while enhancing the learning environment, allowing adjustments for changing needs of remote schools in Australia. Transforming the stigma of unsightly and unpleasant moveable architecture, this proposal attempts to make learning fun and exciting within a sustainable, practical and cost effective structure. (Includes exterior and interior drawings.) Baltimore city schools chief wants to borrow $1.2 billion to repair city schools
Julie Scharper,
Baltimore Sun
January 25, 2012 MARYLAND: Baltimore City's schools chief told state legislators that he hopes to borrow $1.2 billion— six times more than the school system's current bonding authority — to pay for a massive and rapid overhaul of the city's crumbling public school buildings. "What is unique is the extent of the need in Baltimore City," said Andrés Alonso, the school system's CEO, ticking off a list of problems from faulty heating systems to broken windows. "This will allow us to really target, in a short period of time, huge systemic needs." Alonso told members of the Senate's Budget and Taxation committee that such a plan could save the city time and money by combining the needed repairs into a single construction initiative and that work would begin as soon as funding becomes available. But the plan hinges on financial commitments from the state and an increase in the city's bottle tax — both of which could prove tough sells. Sen. James E. DeGrange Sr., an Anne Arundel County Democrat, raised concerns about increasing the city's tax on bottled beverages, a proposal that has drawn opposition from retailers and the beverage industry and citizens weary of the city's high tax rates. "That doesn't seem to be very popular. … There's concern there might be some jobs lost because of it," DeGrange said of the bottle tax. He also urged the city to swiftly secure its funding sources before seeking a guarantee of the state's funds. "They need to have their ducks in a row before they come to us," he said. School officials and advocates have argued that needs in city schools are great. Alonso has warned that he plans to close more schools because the cost of repairing the dilapidated buildings would be prohibitive. A study commissioned by the school system, which will be released in February or March, will spell out the needs of individual schools, including those which should be closed, he said. "We're going to have to close some schools to lower the cost," Alonso said. "This is not punitive, but this is a tradeoff to give our kids the best possible environment for learning." Alonso's speech marked the first public acknowledgment that the city hopes to model its construction funding plan on a groundbreaking schools project in Greenville, S.C. Transform Baltimore, a coalition of education advocates led by the American Civil Liberties Union, has been lobbying city leaders to carry out Greenville's plan, which would require a nonprofit or other entity to float the bonds on behalf of the school system. "They really understand that this is the best way to fix our schools," said Bebe Verdery, who leads the ACLU's education project. A 2010 report by the group estimated that the schools required $2.8 billion in repairs. Alonso asked the state legislature to commit to dedicating at least $32 million a year to school construction. Those funds would be combined with more than $40 million in city money, including proceeds from a proposed bottle tax hike, to generate a funding stream would allow the school system to secure the bonds, Alonso said. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who did not attend the briefing, has said that she would devote $23 million in new funds to schools construction to allow the school system to float as much as $300 million in bonds. That includes $10 million from raising the bottle tax from 2 cents to 5 cents, $12 million in savings from a recalculation of the teacher pension plan, and $1.6 million in revenue from a planned slots casino. Marion, Ohio school official outlines how upgrades have lowered energy costs
Kurt Moore,
Marion Star
January 25, 2012 OHIO: As the public continues to scrutinize school funding, Marion City Schools told a group of business leaders that it is watching its dollars. Assistant Superintendent Roger George outlined ways the district is saving on utility costs. He attributed much of the savings to new and renovated school buildings that were a result of a $97 million Ohio School Facilities Commission project completed in 2004. He also spoke of more recent upgrades that improve monitoring of energy costs. "We are doing our best to save some nickels and dimes," Superintendent James Barney said. Marion City Schools partnered with the OSFC in 2001 to reduce the number of buildings from 15 to nine. OSFC money and revenue generated by a bond issue and 1999 tax levy funded the project. George said the district spent about $1.43 million on utility costs during the 2004-05 school year. By the 2008-09 school year, the expense had dropped to about $1.36 million, and during the 2010-11 school year was about $1.1 million. "We keep working every year to do a little better," he said. New schools have allowed for more automation of utilities and more opportunities for energy efficiency. The district's least efficient buildings, George said, are Lincoln Center and Rushmore Academy. Lincoln, located in the former Oak Street Elementary School, and Rushmore, in the former Colonial Acres Elementary School, were not renovated as part of the OSFC project. The school also has worked with the OSFC through its energy conservation program, made possible by House Bill 264 to let school districts improve energy efficiency and use savings to pay for improvements. The project, according to the OSFC website, included upgrading lights and replacing heating-ventilation-air conditioning chiller systems. The district also installed a technology system to help it monitor its energy use with hopes that the upgrades would result in about $162,566 in annual energy and operational savings. Marion Harding High School's chiller system will be replaced with a smaller one more suitable to the size of the building. The current system will be kept as a backup to prevent a loss of air conditioning, which occurred in 2010 when the chiller broke down, forcing the high school to dismiss students early. Another part of the effort has been contracting with consortiums such as the Metropolitan Educational Council and Power for Schools to pool customers and save money on utilities. George referred to the district's partnership with Sabo and Associates, a utilities consultant, and said the consultant told him Marion Harding High School is perhaps the most efficient high school in its coverage area. He also spoke about the district's decisions, such as finding a way to better control lights at the high school, which when first built were programmed to go on and stay on at night. Now, he said, the lights are on a timer, which turns them off at a certain time and back on in the morning. Celebrating the New Wayland High School. Students and staff settle into state-of-the-art facility
Carole LaMond ,
Wayland Town Crier
January 25, 2012 MASSACHUSETTS: At Wayland High School, the cramped 500-square-foot classrooms that were designed to accommodate desks set in rows no longer work in this century. The classrooms in the new building are 850 square feet and filled with natural light from a wall of windows, with room for desks and tables where students can gather for small group activities with a teacher or peers. The configuration allows access to computers and ENO boards so that a teacher can incorporate technology to foster creative learning, innovation and problem solving that often involves real world situations. The new High School is designed for learning, not only with its cutting edge technology capabilities, but with student well-being in mind. Classrooms are placed on the perimeter of the building to maximize natural light and views, which studies show boost student performance. There are meeting rooms for projects and conferences, as well as Americans with Disabilities (ADA) accommodations that enable every student an equal opportunity to access every inch of the building. In the old building some courses met on the second floor that were effectively off limits to some students with disabilities. “Everything in this building is up to code in terms of safety and also ADA compliant so every student in a wheelchair can get to where they need to be,” said Tutwiler. Hours of visioning exercises, practical expertise, and an eye to the future were involved in the school design. “Careful thought about student experience, first and foremost, was put into every square inch of the new building,” said Tutwiler. “We put a lot of thought about what we want to do now, and into the future. The key word is flexibility.” The campus went from eight buildings, each space highly departmentalized, to three buildings that can be completely reconfigured if necessary. The South Building includes the library, a lecture hall, meeting rooms and classrooms, and department offices for five academic subjects. The North Building houses two fine arts classrooms, choral and band rooms, a 600-seat theater, cafeteria, guidance and administration offices. The old Field House received a face-lift, ADA accessible locker rooms, and a new entrance foyer. Both buildings, and the newly restored Field House foyer, contain built-in display cases to showcase student work and accomplishments. A large courtyard between the South and North buildings is a landscaped area with seating that can be used as an outdoor classroom and as a social gathering space. The theme throughout the buildings is about creating a community. The design facilitates ways for students to go about the business of learning and socializing, yet during the school day a student can also find a quieter space apart, but still connected. School Without Walls Fosters A Free-Wheeling Theory Of Learning
Suzanne Labarre,
Fast Co Design
January 24, 2012 SWEDEN: Sweden loves its experimental education, but here’s a venture that’s far-fetched even by Swedish standards: It’s a school without walls. That’s right. Vittra Telefonplan, in Stockholm, was designed according to the principles of the Swedish Free School Organization Vittra, an educational consortium that doesn’t believe in classrooms or classes. So instead of endless rows of desks, it’s got neon-green “sitting islands” and whimsical picnic tables, where students and teachers gather. Instead of study hall, it has “Lunch Club,” a smattering of cafeteria-style tables on a checkerboard floor for working or eating (or both). And instead of an auditorium, it has a faceted blue amphitheater that rises up in the middle of the school like a giant floating iceberg. The place resembles a mini amusement park, only with laptops (yes, each student gets his or her own laptop). Designer Rosan Bosch points out that Vittra Telefonplan isn’t totally wall-free. “There are both smaller and larger closed rooms for different purposes, such as the sound-isolated Dance Hall for dancing, singing, and exercising, the sound isolated Multimedia Lab for working with film, sound, and music, as well as administrative areas and group rooms,” she tells Co.Design. There are also assorted interior decorations and fixtures that cleverly double as partitions, like the “conversation furniture,” a towering study nook that’s tall enough to pass for a wall. That was the trick of designing a “school without walls”: It had to be open enough to accommodate the free-wheeling aspects of Vittra’s approach to education (no set classes!). But it also had to include some spatial divisions that could promote different ways of learning--another key part of the Vittra method--such as group work, concentration work, show-and-tell, and so on. Now, the big question: Does any of this actually help kids get a better education? It’s impossible to know for sure. But as Bosch tells it, “The differentiated spaces allow the children to learn on their own terms, creating different types of learning scenarios. In that way, the design lets the school unfold its potential.” 2 new buildings at Cal, Berkeley show design challenge
John King,
San Francisco Chronicle
January 23, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Literally and figuratively, UC Berkeley's two most recent building projects couldn't be farther apart. Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences is a stout, 115-foot-tall cube near the northwest corner of campus, skinned in masonry and glass beneath a stainless steel crown that hides mechanical equipment. The addition to the School of Law on the southeast edge of campus is tucked underground, out of sight except for a small dining pavilion where the roof doubles as an artfully landscaped terrace. Each project is successful on its own terms. Neither fits smoothly into the 180-acre central campus. What they show is that smooth fits may no longer be possible - and that the smart approach from here on is to preserve the best of what survives from early decades but otherwise set out to bring life and energy to the confused terrain that now exists. The two projects lie outside the classical core revered by generations of graduates, where granite temples of learning line stately paths that frame views of the Golden Gate - "a flight of symbolic poetry" in the words of John Galen Howard, the supervising architect from 1901 to 1924. Instead, the newcomers sit along the crowded edges developed in large part after 1950, as mundane modern boxes seemingly were crammed wherever they might fit. Campus planners have worked for decades to return grace to the larger composition. The most recent vision set to paper is the 2020 Long Range Development Plan, a 2005 document that says additions to what it dubs "Campus Park" should "reflect the enduring values of elegance, quality and durability, and form a coherent and memorable identity for the campus as a whole." By that latter measure, both projects fall short. Li Ka Shing Center, which opened last week, replaced little-loved and seismically challenged Warren Hall with five floors of classroom space and laboratories. It occupies a steep site poised between Oxford Street, the traditional line between town and gown, and a small grass quadrangle framed by smaller research buildings. Under the 2020 plan, Li Ka Shing should meet Oxford Street with an active ground floor. New building facades, meanwhile, "should be composed primarily of solid planes with punched windows." Not even close. The design by Oregon's Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects has less to do with Berkeley's heritage than with current design trends for lab buildings across the nation: at once stocky and sleek, with a glass prow here and metal sunscreens there to jazz up the box. The ground floor above Oxford Street is devoted to undergraduate labs set behind dense walls of board-formed concrete. The main lobby instead faces the quad, and it invites passers-by to explore. The terrazzo floor is colorfully patterned; the lobby walls are lined by seating nooks of reclaimed wood. At the rear, a stylish staircase slides past glass walls to the secondary entrance on the downtown side. California District To Save $15 Million with Solar
Joshua Bolkan,
THE Journal
January 23, 2012 CALIFORNIA: California's Huntington Beach City School District has completed a 592-kilowatt solar power system that will save the district $15 million over the 25-year life of the project. Part of a larger project that includes lighting upgrades at nine campuses and the replacement of heating and cooling units at two campuses, the new system comprises photovoltaic panels mounted on shade structures at five schools. The system, which will meet more than 30 percent of the district's energy needs, was designed, engineered, installed and guaranteed by Chevron Energy Solutions, which will also provide operation and maintenance services. The project was funded in part through the California Solar Initiative, a program that gives cash to citizens and organizations for installing solar systems on their buildings. Real-time data about the energy being produced and the environmental benefits of the system will also be available to teachers and students for use in math and science classes. Florida schools, colleges are growing, but state construction money has dried up
Kim Wilmath and Steve Bousque,
Times/Herald
January 22, 2012 FLORIDA: An unfinished university science lab. Leaky roofs in elementary schools. Plans for a new classroom put back on the shelf. On campuses across Florida, these and other projects are stalled because the state fund that pays for school construction is broke. And it looks like there won't be any money for the next two years. Blame all those people who gave up their land lines and bought energy efficient appliances. The fund known as PECO, used by schools exclusively for new buildings and maintenance, gets its money from a tax on telephones and electricity. "We're probably never going to get back to where we were," state university system chancellor Frank Brogan told the Florida Board of Governors last week. Despite the recession, Florida schools, colleges and universities are growing, and the state expects more than 30,000 new students next fall in the K-12 system. But no construction money. All of those students will have to make do with what's there. Public Education Capital Outlay is in a deficit — and it's rare for the D-word to be spoken aloud in the state Capitol, where deficit spending is prohibited under the state Constitution. Gov. Rick Scott, who vetoed many PECO construction projects in last year's budget, has now asked the Department of Education, Florida College System and State University System to identify $250 million worth of previously authorized projects that could be put on hold. He said he doesn't have an answer to the problem. But he's open to suggestions. "I always listen to everybody's ideas. I try to," Scott said. "I am concerned about how much debt we have and I like the fact that last year, for the first time in 20 years, the debt of the state went down." Florida's education leaders are compiling lists of all the projects either under way or about to get started. Then they'll have to choose which ones should be allowed to continue and which can wait. Scott asked for recommendations by Feb. 7.
Today's high school construction more customized than text book
Molly Farmer,
Deseret News
January 22, 2012 UTAH: High school buildings these days just aren't what they used to be — and that's an intentional change by districts to benefit students, taxpayers and the environment. Along the Wasatch Front, schools currently under construction all employ new techniques and technologies that make this generation of facilities very different from the buildings they're replacing. "The focus of education has become a lot more individualized over the past decade, and our facilities reflect that," said Ben Horsley, spokesman for the Granite School District. "We don't have that factory model mentality anymore." Nothing detracts from student learning more than discipline problems, and architects have found that the very layout of a building can have a big impact on preventing cliques from becoming a problem. Long narrow hallways used to breed turf wars, said Turner said, as groups would withdraw to specific wings or hallways. "That's where you get some of the fights," he said. New high schools all include large common spaces where students can congregate before school and during lunch. While they still hang out in groups, they're more easily observed by administration. Davis' oldest high school building, Bountiful High, will likely be renovated this summer and a new commons area added. "It really helps the administration with fights and crowd control," Turner said. Building layout influences staff collaboration and student learning as well, Horsley said, and Granite's two high schools that are being rebuilt reflect that. Subjects that complement each other are housed in the same wing, as are teachers who benefit from collaborating on lesson plans. "Each wing houses certain subjects that coordinate well together," he said. Older buildings were built to fit the size of the student body, but layout wasn't as instrumental. "It was just kind of cobbled together. (Today) here's a lot more focus on how the facility can enhance education." In Davis, newer high schools are arranged in "academic houses" with courses grouped together according to what careers or degrees students hope to acquire after high school. "We have schools within a school," Turner said. Of course, today's buildings have many more electrical outlets and wiring and cables throughout to keep up with the demands of new technology. Even so, one change Turner anticipates to see in the next 10 years is computer labs shrinking and becoming obsolete. With computers in nearly every classroom and a shift to personal electronic devices like laptops and tablets, rows of monitors and towers will be phased out, he said, and students will take their technology with them. Building experts say building costs have remained pretty steady over the decades when inflation is factored in. But in some cases, districts are opting to spend money now in order to save it later. Horsley said Olympus has invested in a state of the art energy efficient lighting system. LED light bulbs will be installed throughout the building, and will only need to be replaced every 15 to 20 years. "The savings will be dramatic. … We will be able to pay off the up front costs within a few years," he said. "This is what statistics have shown us." Granger's new mechanical systems and a focus on bringing natural light into the building are expected to decrease utility costs by 20 to 30 percent. Other major cost savings are achieved by choosing when and where to build. Horsley said Granite saved an estimated $20 million to $30 million by choosing to rebuild Granger and Olympus on land the district already owned while school remained in session. It would have cost about $3 to $4 million per school to farm students out to other facilities, and several million dollars more to buy new land. With those cost cutting efforts, the rebuilding price tag for each school is about $70 million. "That's required some creative planning and architecture," Horsley said. "But in the end it saves us a tremendous amount of money." Suburban Memphis Schools Reports Conclude No Cost To Get BuildingsWhen Forming Seperate School Districts
Bill Dries,
Memphis Daily News
January 21, 2012 TENNESSEE: The local discussion about changes to Shelby County’s two public schools systems has shifted to efforts by leaders of the county’s six suburban towns and cities to form their own school system or systems. And the first public review of the reports Tuesday, Jan. 17, by the Germantown Mayor and Board of Aldermen indicated the leaders were encouraged by a report that concludes a suburban school district would not have to pay the countywide school system to get buildings within the boundaries of a separate school district they might form. The reports by Southern Educational Strategies LLC of Memphis do not recommend a course of action. Leaders of each of the six towns and cities voted last year to have feasibility studies done by SES on how such a separate school system could work for each of their municipalities. The general conclusion on the critical question of school buildings is the same in each of the three reports. “It is the opinion of SES and its attorneys that a Bartlett municipal school district has the legal authority to receive transfer of and control of school facilities now located within its boundaries and to have that transfer occur without the imposition of costs with respect to those facilities,” the Bartlett report’s executive summary reads. Identical language changing only the name of the town is also used in the Collierville and Germantown executive summaries. The reports acknowledge the amount of local spending by taxpayers in each municipal school district that would be required under state law amounts to a 15-cent increase in the city’s property tax rate. But SES concludes the same amount of revenue in each case could be raised by adding half a cent to the local option sales tax rate. There would have to be a referendum on either option and both options could not be used. The report admits there is “less clarity” about transferring school buildings on which taxpayers are still paying debt. There is no requirement in the Norris-Todd law that such debt be assumed. The attorneys conclude state law and the Tennessee Constitution as well as several cases support the idea that county government debt on schools remains the obligation of county government and county taxpayers in Bartlett, for instance, would continue to pay that debt as part of the overall county property tax rate they already pay. Review says another Neenan-built school in Colorado at risk with structural defects
Eric Gorski,
Denver Post
January 20, 2012 COLORADO: A San Luis Valley school, already plagued with other structural issues, has crafted an evacuation plan after an outside engineer questioned the building's ability to withstand winds common to the area. Students will not be allowed in Sargent Junior-High School near Monte Vista if winds exceed 25 mph before repairs are completed in the next week as scheduled, officials said. An independent review by Greenwood Village-based structural engineers Jirsa Hedrick found inadequate connections between the roof and walls in the gym and auditorium — endangering the entire building. The Neenan Co., which designed and built the school, has agreed to pay for the repairs and carry them out using the outside firm's designs. Escalating problems at Sargent are the latest blow to Fort Collins-based Neenan, which has been under scrutiny after similar reviews found serious structural defects at Meeker's $17.9 million elementary school and more minor issues at six other Colorado schools. "We stand behind the buildings we build, and when there are findings like this, where recommendations are prudent, we follow the recommendation out of an abundance of caution," Andy Boian, a spokesman for Neenan, said Thursday. Neenan already has made fixes to a section of the roof that wasn't designed to handle snow loads at the 190-student Sargent school and put in temporary supports in the library to shore up a beam, officials said. The review found a long span of roof joists over the gym and auditorium lack adequate connections where they bear on precast concrete wall panels, Jirsa Hedrick wrote in a letter to Neenan on Monday. "Effective immediately, until this repair is complete, the entire school building should not be used if the winds are expected to exceed 25 miles per hour," the letter stated. The full review is not complete. The repair calls for the joists to be welded to plates in the panels. If winds hit 25 mph before that happens, school will be canceled in advance or students will be evacuated to an old gym across the street and their parents will be contacted to pick them up, Compton said. He said the building has shown no signs of stress because of high winds. The school opened in fall 2010 and was built with a $17.6 million grant from the state's Building Excellent Schools Today program, as well as a local match. After the problems in Meeker, a Colorado Department of Education official said he requested Neenan contract with firms to carry out independent reviews of 15 schools it designed and built through the grant program — and Neenan agreed. The reviews are ongoing. The business case for retrofitting quake-deficient schools
Linda Baker,
Oregon Business
January 20, 2012 OREGON: One aspect of school facilities management has been especially neglected: the need to seismically retrofit hundreds of K-12 classroom buildings. The importance of the task cannot be overstated. More than 300,000 Oregon children attend school in buildings that could injure or kill them in a major earthquake. That major earthquake is coming. Scientists say there is a 40% probability of an 8.0 magnitude or higher seismic event striking the region in the next 50 years, a quake that is also expected to trigger a massive tsunami on the Oregon coast. In an earthquake prone region, seismically safe schools should be a categorical imperative—and I say that not only because I suffered the anxiety of having kids attend K-8 in a PPS building rated at 100 percent risk of collapse in an earthquake. And yet, as any parent knows, money for public education is in short supply, and seismic upgrades are often last on the list of a busy school district’s priorities. Enter the private sector, which is stepping up its involvement in education policy. Seismic school safety may not be, specifically, a business problem. Yet the increasingly close relationship between private business and public education raises an intriguing question: Is there a business case for seismically retrofitting Oregon’s public schools? For answers, I turned to Edward Wolf, a local seismic school safety advocate and writer. His responses provide a fresh take on Oregon's seismic school safety challenges, while also highlighting the role secure school buildings, in addition to strong school services, assume in sustaining the state's economy. OB: Does business have a stake in the problem of quake deficient schools? Wolf: Traditionally, seismic retrofits have been considered a safety investment, and for many people that is enough. But as Oregon comes to grips with the pervasiveness of the state’s earthquake risk, it’s now possible to enumerate the ways that seismic retrofit provides forms of risk reduction that benefit the broader economy. The fact that seismic retrofit projects employ a range of labor-intensive building trades, achieving significant job creation as Oregon begins to emerge from the Great Recession, is an [important] business benefit. At the Floyd Light Middle School in East Portland, a comprehensive state-funded seismic retrofit last summer employed a general contractor, six subcontracting firms, and an average site crew of fifteen workers for three months. That business case explains itself. OB: Is there a less obvious reason why school retrofits should matter to the business community? Wolf: The insurance case is less familiar. As local communities and the state make long-term investments to modernize the energy and water systems of old school buildings--for example, in the state’s Cool Schools program — and to pay off those investments from the savings realized, seismic strengthening helps ensure that the payback will not be interrupted or ended by earthquake damage. Q: What is the relationship between seismically safe schools and business continuity planning? Wolf: One key to economic recovery from a regional disaster is a functional school system. Workers cannot return to their own jobs after a disaster if their children are unable to attend school. Seismic retrofits can ensure that at least some schools within a district remain intact and functional after an earthquake, and classes can resume. A normal school routine allows commerce to resume, freeing the main engine for recovery from disaster. Schools' Never Ending Cashpot
Paul C. Clark,
Rhino Times
January 19, 2012 NORTH CAROLINA: The Guilford County Board of Education, which hasn't yet finished spending the leftover money from the rebuilding of Eastern Guilford High School, is already spending money left over from projects that are part of its current, $457 million construction program. That money is mostly to pay for other projects that have gone over budget, rather than rebidding them or eliminating features to stay within budget. The latest pool of money the school board is dipping into is $3.4 million left over from the construction of the new Jamestown Middle School, which was bid early in the program, when projects were coming in under budget. Voters approved the $457 million in school bonds in May 2008 – and the school board began the construction program after the great market crash of September 2008, in the best construction market in decades. The school board is now going great guns on its building program, but its slowness in starting many of the 27 projects, combined with its byzantine system for picking architects, program managers and project managers, resulted in Guilford County Schools reaping the benefits of the cheap construction market for only the earliest of its projects. Lately, Guilford County Schools construction projects have increasingly been coming in over budget, leaving the school board scrambling to pay for projects with money it has stashed away from earlier projects and construction programs – of which it seems to have an endless pool. In November 2011, for example, the school board approved spending $6.3 million left over from $500 million in school bonds approved by voters in 2000 and 2003. The school board apparently doesn't close out construction projects until the school that was built crumbles to dust. The school board, on the recommendation of Guilford County Schools Chief Financial Officer Sharon Ozment, approved shifting the $6.3 million from the school bond projects originally funded by voters to others. The situation with many construction projects has been complicated by school board members – the majority of whom are not involved until the times comes to approve a contract. At that point, school board members argue to add extra features to schools in their districts An Unsafe School Environment Can Affect Students’ Health and Academic Performance
Jennifer Hammonds,
Wildlife Promise
January 19, 2012 NATIONAL: In my years as a classroom teacher, I noticed an increase in the number of students who missed school due to respiratory problems. Why the increase? Was it the school itself? I wondered what secrets the building held. Considering that students spend approximately 1,239 hours in school during the course of a school year (based on 177 days of instruction, that’s almost half of a year), you might think the health of the school’s facilities would be a priority for administrators. Unfortunately, school districts nationwide face tremendous budget constraints and are often forced to make tough decisions about what they spend money on. But at what cost—or, better yet, at whose cost? New labs full of fun on the way for Mansfield students
Bryan Bullock ,
Mansfield News Journal
January 18, 2012 OHIO: City students will have a new place to learn about science next fall -- an environment where education involves seeing and hands-on experience. Mansfield City Schools Board of Education voted to seek bids for construction of four interpretive exhibits at Springmill Learning Center. The experiential learning areas are scheduled to be completed Sept. 1 at the once-vacant elementary school. Each of the four exhibits is themed around a core academic standard and will occupy its own room. The rooms will focus on chemistry, earth studies, senses and gears, levers and pulleys. "This really complements our program here in Mansfield as far as hands-on and environmental learning," Superintendent Dan Freund said. The four exhibits, he said, are estimated to cost about $80,000 to construct. Five more science exhibits are planned at the building as well as four history exhibits, said Brad Strong, an outdoor education teacher involved in the Springmill project. He said the exhibit rooms will be designed in detail around instructional goals -- including the ceilings and floors. "The ceiling in the earth studies room is going to be absolutely amazing," Strong said. He said a map of the earth will appear on the ceiling and it will be overlaid with a grid of latitudes and longitudes. "It will have fiber optic lights and students can hit a button on the wall and continents will light up," Strong said. "The lighting will also show where the population centers are." He said the earth studies room will allow students to identify rocks through a game station; interact with wall-mounted tectonic plates; and learn about earthquakes, glaciers and soil erosion on a table designed to look like a coal mining cart. Strong said every exhibit room will have unique, interactive stations designed to be fun and informative. The district has been working since spring to turn the former Springmill Elementary School into a science and outdoor education center. Mansfield students in grades four through six have been visiting the high-ropes course at the building since it opened in November. The course consists of seven obstacles of varying difficulty -- including a boulder wall, a climbing wall and a tree root climb. Strong said Springmill will open its bird study area next month. The area, which is still being constructed, includes a variety of educational displays and an outdoor nesting area. School officials say Mansfield will use permanent improvement funds, donations and grants to complete the building projects. The district hopes to generate revenue through renting Springmill facilities out to other groups. Freund said the district's repurposing of the 50-year-old building is pioneering. He said he regularly gets emails from other schools and groups interested in the project. "I don't know if there is anything like this anywhere else in the country," Freund said. University Of Vermont Building Undergoes Major Green Renovation
Mia Moran,
WPTZ.com
January 17, 2012 VERMONT: A newly-renovated building on the UVM campus is being called one of the most energy-efficient retrofits on any college campus. The George D. Aiken Center, which is home to the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, underwent a 13 million dollar construction project to make the building greener. The biggest change lies within its walls, according to the building architect, who said an air-tight enclosure now makes the structure 62% more energy-efficient. A ventilation system that can sense when people enter or leave a room was installed. There is also a solarium, zone lighting, cork flooring and 50% more windows. "All universities are doing green building but what few are doing is taking existing building stock and saying how do we make those as good as our new buildings. This building in terms of energy performance is one of the best buildings around whether new or old," said the building architect Bill Maclay. Another highlight is the eco-machine in the building's lobby. It will eventually treat the entire building's waste water and recycle it into water that can be used to flush the toilets and water the plants. New Hampshire school building aid needed now
Editorial staff,
Seacoastonline.com
January 17, 2012 NEW HAMPSHIRE: After a tour of the Newmarket Junior/Senior High School, there's no doubt in our minds the 88-year-old school is falling apart. Unfortunately, the school district and local taxpayers may have to wait until a freeze on state school building aid is lifted. On the tour, a News-Letter reporter witnessed cramped hallways. When classroom doors open, students have only three feet to travel. Plaster is falling from the walls and several of the school's 10-year-old computers are broken. Not to mention the fact some classrooms don't have heat and must rely on space heaters to keep students warm. During late spring — without any heating or cooling system — some classrooms get as hot as 97 degrees. Chemistry teacher Jim Fabiano said he took his class outside. While typical science experiments in middle school require the use of a Bunsen burner, students can't use them. The classroom is not equipped with gas. An art teacher said she doesn't even have a blackboard, so she crafted one on the back of the dark room door with blackboard paint. There's no elevator; only a lift used by disabled students. The lift, which can only fit one student at a time, takes two-and-a-half minutes to get to the second floor. In the event of a fire, the disabled student would need to be carried from the second floor by either the principal or a firefighter. This is unacceptable, and it presents a safety hazard for our local children. Last year, the state fire marshal gave the Newmarket School District four years to comply with the fire and life safety codes. According to Superintendent Jim Hayes, before the 2015-16 school year all necessary repairs must be completed; otherwise, the school must be abandoned or reconstructed. With existing fire and life safety issues at the Junior/Senior High School, it has been estimated that repairing all problems would cost approximately $2 million. At the same time, the school district is eyeing a new school, to be located across the street from its current location, where Carpenter's Greenhouse is currently located. Rather than spending up to $2 million to bring the building completely up to code, Hayes said, he would rather put the money into building a new school. An article on the 2012 school district warrant asking taxpayers to "raise and appropriate an undetermined sum to purchase four properties at 216, 218, 220 and 204 South Main St. for the purpose of building the new school." While the price of those properties has not been settled, there is $518,929 in an open space fund the school district hopes to utilize. The remaining balance would be withdrawn from the school facilities capital reserve fund. The total from these two sources is roughly $1.6 million. While we'd rather see the money going to a new school than toward Band-Aid approaches, two things have to happen. First, the state Legislature must lift the moratorium on school building aid. New Hampshire has helped pay for public school construction since 1955 without limits on who could get aid, but now the state may prioritize which projects are funded. The House is slated to vote on a pair of bills in the coming months that would create a ranking system similar to one used by Maine to determine which projects get state aid. Senate Education Chairwoman Nancy Stiles, R-Hampton, is introducing a similar bill in the Senate. Second, Newmarket voters would have to approve the purchase of the adjacent properties and then, in the future, a bond for a new school. West Virginia School Building Authority spends $750 million in new school construction
Whitney Burdette ,
State Journal
January 17, 2012 WEST VIRGINIA: The West Virginia School Building Authority has spent more than $750 million during the past three years to construct 128 new elementary, middle and high schools across the state. Mark Manchin, executive director of the SBA, told members of the House Education Committee that 75 percent of West Virginia students attend school in better facilities than what was available in 1990. The $750 million that the state has spent came from lottery and excess lottery funds and pays not only for construction but also safety mechanisms. Manchin said other states should be envious of West Virginia schools. "Invariably, we always think someone has it better," he said. "We don't have to take a backseat to anyone." Delegate Brady Paxton, D-Putnam and vice-chairman of the House Education Committee, said the SBA is "on the cutting edge of innovation and green building technology." According to Manchin, many of the state's schools are LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, certified. "Our schools are extremely energy efficient," he said. "If you go in our new schools, you'll see things you won't believe." But energy efficiency isn't the only thing the SBA focuses on. Student safety is also a top priority. Manchin said many new schools include keyless or manned entries, which means pedestrians can't enter the building. The SBA also entered a $5 million contract with Patriot Services to digitally map all classrooms in West Virginia. This will aid first responders by showing them how the building is laid out and access points where they can reach students. Manchin said many of the students killed at Columbine High School in 1999 were killed after first responders were on the scene. He said with digital maps, first responders could have known how to access the students. As a result of the contract, Manchin said, "35 counties have now been complete. By the end of next year, all 55 counties will have every single classroom digitally mapped." The SBA also is conducting vulnerability assessments to gauge school safety and show which schools need safety improvements. For example, Manchin said, Wheeling Park High School has 120 exterior doors. "How many of us actually give thought to that?" he asked the committee. Manchin did not ask the committee to appropriate any more money to the committee, but he did point out that the cost of school construction is rising. A new middle schools costs between $15 million and $18 million, while a new high school could cost as much as $50 million. Although the SBA has spent less than half of its appropriated $1.6 billion, it can't necessarily keep up with accelerating costs. In absence of a bond sale, the SBA expects to have $13.4 million available in 2012 and $15.7 million in 2014.
Are schools unhealthy?
Debbie Nicholson,
Allvoices
January 16, 2012 NATIONAL: Schools across the United States are starting to get media attention and it is not for their academic programs. Stories of schools being built on industrial land, mold in classrooms and poor air quality are coming surface and children are not the only one's affected, teachers are also plagued by health risks. Southside High School in Elmira, New York was built on land that was used for heavy industry for over 100 years. The joke of the town was the lake never froze due to the fact it was full of chemicals. This was no joke for at least two dozen current and former students have developed cancer. The school district thought the price was right a dollar price tag for an aging industrial complex to build a school. Construction of a school in Los Angeles came to a sudden halt when parents had learned its location was a former oil field. Cesar Chavez High School in Houston, Texas in 2000 the school had its opening and shortly after a group called Unidos Contra Environmental Racism protested the location of the school being close to too many chemical plants. One quarter mile down the road you will find chemical plants which include Texas Petroleum and Good Year Chemical. In Marion Ohio, two school had been built on a former military dumping ground, former students just in these schools similar to Elmira have higher than normal rates of leukemia and other rare cancers. Concrete numbers are difficult to obtain but studies have estimated that a third or more of U.S. Schools contain dust, mold and other indoor air problems which are serious enough to exasperate respiratory problems such as asthma not only in children but in teachers as well. Connecticut allergist Dr. John Santilli stated he had treated dozens of students that had been sickened from the school air. Noting that even if children do not miss school the medications taken for asthma and conditions such as rhinitis can make it difficult for them to the best of their work. Researchers and others who keep track of this problem note that school air problems have most likely been intensified in recent years due to cut backs in funding which result in less money for maintenance and upkeep. It is not just the air quality that is causing these health issues. Such as in the case of Joellen Lawson was once a special education teacher at an elementary school in Fairfield, Connecticut., that was until her health took a negative turn due to the school being with mold heavily built up. She is currently on disability with a range of health problems including COPD which had left her with 50% of lung capacity. There are no federal health standards for school air. According to experts cleaning it does not help. The source of moisture needs to found and eliminated. Dust a likely trigger for asthma found under lockers, top of bulletin boards and corners in classrooms. A New York Health Department survey found 99% of elementary schools reported dust or accumulations of dust in classrooms. Transportation for children school buses and cars produce harmful exhaust fumes. Those vehicles idling away outside the schools release fumes that can enter through school doors, windows and air intakes in the buildings. Blocked vents by papers or books in classrooms whether it is heating or cooling units decrease air flow and could possibly cause condensation which can result in mold. School districts buying pressed wood furniture that contains formaldehyde which can trigger asthma and is also listed as a possible carcinogen. A study from University of Michigan published in the May edition 2011 journal Health Affairs, had found schools located in areas with the highest industrial air pollution levels had the lowest attendance rates, an indicator of poor health along with the highest portion of students who failed to meet the state educational testing standards. The locations with the highest industrial air pollution had included Grand Rapids area, Muskegon are and Detroit Metropolitan area. Last year Assessing Outdoor Air Near Schools was listed Spain Elementary School in Detroit. Primary findings had indicated Levels of benzene and 1,3-butadiene in the air at the school were not as high as was suggested by the modeling information available prior to monitoring and are below the levels of concern that had been suggested by the modeling information available prior to sampling. However, these results indicate the influence of mobile source pollutants of concern that are the focus of EPA actions nationwide. The EPA at that time did not extend air toxic monitoring at the school. In 2000, Detroit Public Schools had made a commitment to ensure environmentally safe schools buildings when it had established Department of Environmental Safety. Prior to 2000, the land for Roberto currently located on Beard Street in Detroit, was going under environmental corrections after contaminants were found on the proposed site. The USEPA imposed the largest fine ever given against a school district in the amount of $1.4 million. The fine was for failure to monitor and maintain asbestos containing materials in schools (1999) and fined $4,000 from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for failing to abolish asbestos containing materials utilizing licensed and certified contractors. To make sure these incidents never happen again the school district complies environmental regulatory standards to provide safe and clean learning environments. Florida Officials Halt Funding for School Construction Projects
Gary Fineout,
NBC Miami
January 13, 2012 FLORIDA: Florida's schools, community colleges and state universities could be forced to halt, or put off for years, scores of new construction projects, including repairs on roofs and air-conditioners due to a dramatic drop in available state money. State officials are so worried about the decline that they took the unusual step Thursday of stopping payments to some projects, including some that may only be halfway completed. Officials were gathering information on which projects need to cease. On top of that, Gov. Rick Scott has asked that schools and colleges return as much as $250 million to the state. Scott made the request because a new forecast shows the state will have zero new construction dollars available for schools and colleges for the next two years. In order to cover projects that were already approved, the governor wants to use money that may be left over from other construction jobs. "Due to this significant shortfall, it has become necessary for difficult decisions to be made on which projects may be funded and which must be discontinued at this point in time," Scott wrote in a letter that he sent out to top education officials this past Tuesday. The governor made the request for schools to give him back construction money on the same day that he publicly urged lawmakers to increase spending on day-to-day operations for schools by $1 billion. Scott said he wants to work with state lawmakers to deal with the construction money shortfall, but it comes at a time when top Republican legislators are at already odds over the state budget. Currently the state primarily uses money from a tax charged on utilities and cable bills to pay for school construction projects, although in the past they have also used money from lottery ticket sales and even the state's sales tax. State lawmakers use part of this utility tax to pay for maintenance and repair projects at public schools as well as colleges and universities. But they also pledge part of the money to pay off bonds that have been used to pay for new school buildings. Scott last year vetoed a long list of school building projects — although not money for a controversial branch campus of the University of South Florida in Lakeland — because he worried about a sharp decline in the tax proceeds used for construction. In his memo this week, Scott said despite his veto the drop "exceeded most projections" and has left the state unable to borrow any more money. Scott asked that state education officials give him a list by Feb. 7 that spells out if there is unused money left over from older construction projects that can be shifted to cover $250 million worth of projects that have been approved but not yet funded. Meanwhile, Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson and State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan on Thursday sent out a memo telling school superintendents, university presidents and college presidents that they were suspending payments for new projects due to the shortfall. The memo says that the suspension will remain in effect until the Florida Legislature provides further direction. The suspension does not apply to previously approved contracts. New California state architect to discuss enforcement of earthquake safety requirements for public schools
Corey G. Johnson,
California Watch
January 12, 2012 CALIFORNIA: Newly appointed State Architect Chester Widom is slated to discuss what steps seismic regulators are taking to address problems with their enforcement of earthquake safety requirements for public schools. Widom will brief the state Seismic Safety Commission in Sacramento about a scathing California State Auditor report that concluded that the Division of the State Architect's oversight of school construction projects was “neither effective nor comprehensive.” The Seismic Safety Commission is made up of commissioners chosen for their expertise and experience. The group includes the state architect, a geologist, a fire protection specialist and a local building official. Established in 1975, after the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, the commission investigates earthquakes, researches earthquake-related issues and recommends threat reduction policies and programs to the governor and Legislature. The session with the Seismic Safety Commission is likely the first of several public meetings where Widom will discuss the actions of engineers, supervisors and managers at the state architect's office. Additional questions loom in the face of new revelations that state regulators routinely destroyed key documents that might have shed light on their lax enforcement of earthquake safety standards – despite a binding agreement it has with the State Archives to preserve public records. Corbett and other legislators called for the audit of the state architect's office in May after a California Watch investigation found that the agency routinely failed to enforce California’s landmark earthquake safety law for public schools – known as the Field Act – and allowed children and teachers to occupy buildings with structural flaws and potential safety hazards reported during construction. All public schools must be certified as meeting Field Act standards, and school board members, builders, architects and inspectors can be charged with a felony for failing to follow the act's provisions. More than 16,000 school projects currently lack Field Act certification, and at least 59,000 more have yet to be fully reviewed by the state architect’s office to identify their Field Act status. State auditors found that the state architect's office rarely used the enforcement tools it possesses, didn’t adequately document the safety issues it identified and didn't prioritize projects with safety concerns. The report also noted breakdowns in the state's oversight of inspectors. High marks for new Wellesley school building: latest technology, green features, historical elements
Jennifer Fenn Lefferts ,
Boston Globe
January 12, 2012 MASSACHUSETTS: Teachers and students will move into the new Wellesley High School next month as the $115 million project finishes five months early, and a few million dollars under budget. The new building is resplendent with the latest technology and green features, yet it incorporates many elements representing the history of its predecessor, which was built in 1938. In addition to featuring smart boards in every classroom, built-in sound systems in the band and chorus rooms, a rock-climbing wall in the gym, skylights for added natural light in the art rooms, and a central first-floor cafeteria with outdoor seating, the building also has many green elements.The school features a 100,000-gallon tank that will gather rainwater to be used for the toilets, for example. There is a green roof with plantings that will help with insulation and energy efficiency, and help protect the roof from sun and weather damage. Gurney said there are two geothermal wells to provide heat and cooling in the administrative offices and fitness areas, solar panels on the roof, and a shade system in several classrooms to help control the amount of direct sunlight. All classrooms are arranged on the outside of the building to make use of natural light, all lighting fixtures are energy efficient, and the library and auditorium feature displaced ventilation systems to save energy and improve the air quality, Gurney said. Other highlights of the building include historical elements that were either moved or replicated from the old school. Front and center at the base of the staircase at the building’s entrance are the eagle and weathervane that were atop the cupola of the old school. In addition, a wall in the lobby features the same “W’’ design that is on the cupola. The clock from the cupola was removed and installed at the top of a tower on the north side of the new school. There are also several old light fixtures, plaques, and other memorabilia spread around throughout the new building, Gurney said. A distinctive feature is the 1938 Room, set up in the library as a tribute to the old school. To be used as classroom space, it features cabinetry and trim from an original section of the old high school. There are wall sconces that came from the exterior of the 1938 building, and hardwood flooring from the original Wellesley High School, which later became the Wellesley Country Club. The floors were saved when the country club was demolished in 2008. “It’s a historical tribute to the existing building," Gurney said. Hot Off the Presses! The Center for Green Schools 2011 Report Card
Jenny Wiedower,
Center for Green Schools Blog
January 10, 2012 NATIONAL: The Center for Green Schools just finished its first infographic, which depicts our work since being founded in September 2010, highlighting our reach, resources and really inspiring events. Though the U.S. Green Building Council has worked to advance market transformation in the education facilities sector for years, the creation of the Center marked a moment in time when USGBC accelerated its commitment to green schools by supporting the audiences and activities that will drive us toward our vision of green schools for everyone within this generation. As this infographic shows, the Center focuses its work around engaging, equipping and deploying the people who make the case, make the decisions, get things done and partner with us.At the same time, we take a holistic approach by impacting the three components of green schools: buildings, community and curriculum. To us, proof that we are making good on our bold mission to make green schools a mainstream message is captured in this infographic. Our eight programs catalyze change at the K12 and Higher Ed level in every state in the country, and the LEED green building rating system serves as a means of transforming building stock, teaching students sustainability and preparing students, teachers and staff for 21st century jobs. How are we doing this, and in such a short amount of time? Check out the infographic yourself for some of our milestones, measurements and memorable moments! Ambitious Energy Goals in SOM Plan for NYC Campus
Fred A. Bernstein,
Architectural Record
January 09, 2012 NEW YORK: When New York City named Cornell University and The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology winners of its highly touted competition for a new “tech campus,” there were cheers in Ithaca and Haifa. Also celebrating were architects in the New York office of Skidmore Owings and Merrill, whose design for the campus, on the south end of Roosevelt Island, were part of Cornell and Technion’s proposal. Among the revelers was Roger Duffy, the partner who has been building the firm’s education practice since the 1990s. Duffy’s current projects include a project for the New School, at 14th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, and P.S. 62, a public school on Staten Island that, if all goes according to plan, will be the one of the largest “net zero” buildings in the United States. Now Duffy is making a much bigger promise: If Cornell and Technion follow through with SOM’s winning plan, the 400,000-square-foot first phase of the tech campus will also create as much energy as it uses. A solar array that will generate 1.8 megawatts at daily peak and a four-acre “deep earth” geothermal well field will provide heating and cooling and will also recharge fuel cells. According to Duffy, who tends to speak grandly—but in this reporter’s experience, delivers what he promises—the need to produce, and conserve, energy will affect every aspect of the design, with strictly formal considerations giving way to what he calls “a new aesethetic” of sustainability. Renderings released by SOM show eight silver-colored buildings arranged in a zigzag pattern on the south end of the island where a complex of hospital facilities currently stands. SOM’s buildings, which are meant to foster “impromptu meetings that lead to innovation,” Duffy says, will have large interior courtyards and will be linked by above-ground walkways. The firm’s history with such walkways has not been entirely positive. Back in the mid-1960s Walter Netsch of SOM's Chicago office designed the new campus for the University of Illinois Chicago Circle, which was hailed in part for its extensive system of elevated pedestrian walkways. Thirty years later, the walkways, widely seen as a disaster, were torn down. Dayton, Ohio district celebrates its new schools
Amelia Robinson,,
Dayton Daily News
January 09, 2012 OHIO: Like Ohio’s other urban school districts, Dayton Public Schools was saddled with school buildings on their last legs a decade ago. The average age of the city’s schools was 75 with several constructed in the 1890s. There were leaky roofs and electrical problems throughout the district. The situation was so bad at one school that turning on the microwave in a teacher’s lounge meant shutting down an entire student computer lab, then-Dayton Public School Superintendent Percy Mack recalled Sunday during the dedication of Wright Brothers PreK-8 School, the last of 26 new schools built as part of a $627 million construction project. The ceremony at 1361 Huffman Ave. marked the completion of an effort that started when voters approved a $245 million bond issue in 2002. “Sixty-four percent of the (voters) in this community said we need new schools for children and ladies and gentlemen, that should be applauded,” said Mack, now superintendent of South Carolina’s Richland One Schools. The state provided 61 percent of the project cost and the bond issue provided the 39 percent local share. Dayton is the first of the state’s eight urban districts to compete its school construction project. It was on time and budget, officials said crediting teamwork. Governor O’Malley to push $350 million for Maryland school construction
John Wagner,
Washington Post
January 09, 2012 MARYLAND: Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley will propose spending more than $350?million next year on public school construction, the second highest amount in state history, according to several people familiar with his plans. O’Malley (D) will cast his proposal as one in a series of initiatives meant to spur job creation as the state recovers from the national recession, aides said. O’Malley, whose office declined to comment publicly Monday on his plans, has sought to make school construction a priority since he first ran for governor in 2006. News of an uptick in funding was welcomed by officials in the Washington suburbs. “We have a host of schools where people still don’t have gyms, where they are sitting in closets, where they don’t get fed until 2 o’clock in the afternoon because the cafeteria isn’t big enough,” said Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda). Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) said the proposed funding would spur local job growth in the construction sector. “Of course,” he added, “you have to make certain that you get your fair share of that amount.” Since taking office in 2007, O’Malley has consistently proposed meeting or exceeding a 2004 goal of spending at least $250 million a year on school construction — most of it through borrowing. That amount has still fallen well short of what has been requested annually by Maryland counties. Last year, lawmakers approved $250 million for school construction during the current fiscal year under the state’s capital program. An additional $47.5 million was earmarked from an increase in the state’s sales tax on alcohol. Bill seeks to create funding to rebuild tornado-damaged Alabama schools
Staff Writer,
Birmingham Business Journal
January 09, 2012 ALABAMA: State Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow has pre-filed a legislative bill that would provide funding to help rebuild six schools in Alabama that were severely damaged by last April’s tornadoes that swept through the state. According to the Times Daily, the bill will make a supplemental appropriation of more than $32 million from the Education Trust Fund to the five school systems. The DeKalb County School System would receive $3.8 million for Plaiview High School; the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education would receive $2.4 million for Alberta Elementary and University Place Elementary schools; the Tuscaloosa County School System would receive $1.1 million for Holt Elementary; the Marion County School System would receive $13.8 million for Hackleburg High School; and the Franklin County School System would receive $11.6 million for Phil Campbell High School. Long Island schools go green to save money
Joie Tyrell,
Newsday
January 09, 2012 NEW YORK: Facing tight budgets, dwindling state aid and a 2 percent property-tax cap, Long Island's school districts are focused on taming energy costs. The Long Island Power Authority last year gave public and private schools nearly $2 million in rebates for energy-efficiency upgrades -- nearly double the previous year. Projects range from replacing old lights and windows and investing in heating and ventilation systems to installing solar panels and considering the purchase of natural-gas-powered buses. At Center Moriches High School, a flat-screen monitor in the hallway charts the daily energy generated by newly installed roof solar panels. On sunny days that electricity can provide 35 kilowatts to power the school's media center. The solar panels are expected to save more than $8,000 in energy costs each year and are just one facet of the small Suffolk County district's energy performance program -- an overall effort projected to save more than $2 million over the next 15 years. "Any time that we can do something that saves the district money, ultimately it saves the taxpayer money and gives us the opportunity to do more for our students," said Joseph McHeffey, president of the district's board of education. "Couple that with anything that's green. . . . It's a win-win-win for everybody." Since 2006, LIPA has provided rebates to 60 schools to install solar panels. Schools "are getting the message that energy efficiency is a savings directly for their constituents, and those savings can then be used for actual programs. Without increasing the budget, you get a double benefit. You lower your energy costs and you can utilize those savings for programs," said Michael Deering, LIPA's vice president for environmental affairs.
Wyoming Natrona County School District moves ahead in school construction fight
Jackie Borchardt,
Tribune
January 08, 2012 WYOMING: Natrona County’s ambitious high school construction plan is in the hands of lawyers. The school district intends to design high school renovations and construction for more students than what the state approved in November and can front up to $30 million to resume the process stalled since July, said Superintendent Joel Dvorak. State officials have estimated an extra $29 million to $32 million would be needed to add space for about 500 students to the plan to renovate Natrona County and Kelly Walsh high schools and build a new, shared campus that also houses Roosevelt High School. Dvorak said the district can generate the money through a lease-purchase agreement, when a project is completed with a loan paid over several years. At the end of the “lease” agreement, the project is turned over completely to the lessee. Meanwhile, the district plans to seek informal review and possibly a court hearing on the decision made by the state School Facilities Commission in November. Projects were put on hold in July by the state School Facilities Department to commission “educational specifications,” descriptions of the academic programming and space needed to deliver that programming. Ohio-based firm Fanning Howey presented several scenarios for buildings that meet the district’s new academy curriculum. The firm recommended the district’s preferred plan — renovate existing high schools and build a new facility, with all projects starting at the same time — as the “most cost-effective remedy.” The School Facilities Commission is required to accept the “most cost-effective remedy” per changes to state law in 2011, and district officials say state law requires the commission to consider community impact in the remedy. Several city of Casper officials have said the proposed plan to move students to Kelly Walsh during renovations would be a public health and safety risk. The commission’s decision also goes against the 2008 Wyoming Supreme Court decision referred to as Campbell IV, which requires the state to provide adequate and equitable school facilities, according to the school district’s attorney in the request for an informal hearing. N.J. Assembly committee OKs private school builders
Jessica Calefati,
Star-Ledger
January 06, 2012 NEW JERSEY: An Assembly committee unanimously endorsed legislation that would allow private companies to build and manage up to a dozen public schools in three of the state’s neediest cities, where school construction has otherwise ground to a halt in recent years. Known as the Urban Hope Act, the bill is one of four Gov. Chris Christie has been pressuring the Legislature to advance during its lame duck session, which ends next week. The measure could give businesses unprecedented control over public education in Newark, Camden and Jersey City, the three districts where companies could soon build and own schools. The Schools Development Authority is responsible for construction in these and other low-income districts, but dozens of projects have been stalled since Christie took office — and no schools have been built to replace those that are crumbling or overcrowded. One of the bill’s sponsors, state Sen. Donald Norcross (D-Gloucester), said he expects the full Senate and Assembly to pass the measure Monday, the last day of the current legislative session. "We have spent enough money and endured enough failure, especially in our urban districts," Norcross said. "It’s time to do things differently in a limited, focused way." Nonprofit operators interested in starting up to four new schools, called "renaissance school projects," must apply to the state Department of Education and demonstrate experience working in a "high-risk, low-income urban district," according to the bill. Those nonprofit groups are free, however, to contract with businesses to purchase land, construct facilities or manage the schools. They are not required to follow public bidding laws to select contractors. The governor unveiled the Urban Hope Act in June at Camden’s Lanning Square Elementary, a school slated for reconstruction by the school development agency. After August’s earthquake, city officials condemned the dilapidated building as unsafe for students. Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) said the SDA’s inaction has been a "major stimulus" of the legislation. "Not one school has been built under the Christie administration over the past three years," Greenwald said. "For students in Camden where the walls are falling down and students in Phillipsburg who take class in trailers, it’s a tragedy to deprive those children of better facilities." Low-income Canadian students face health risks due to location of schools, report finds
Janet Steffenhagen,
Vancouver Sun
January 05, 2012 VANCOUVER, CANADA: Children in low-income neighbourhoods are more likely than their well-to-do peers to attend schools located near major roads that are a source of air and noise pollution, according to a new study. The study, by researchers at Simon Fraser University and the University of B.C., found that about 22 per cent of public elementary schools in low-income neighbourhoods in Canada's 10 largest cities were within 75 metres of a major road, compared to 13 per cent in high-income neighbourhoods. On average, 16.3 per cent of public elementary schools had a similar proximity to significant traffic. That suggests students attending schools in low-income neighbourhoods face increased risk of health problems and learning difficulties. "Studies of children who live near major roads have found that traffic-related air pollution is associated with lower lung function, impaired lung growth, asthma, ear infections and lower cognitive functioning," SFU geography grad student Ofer Amram said in a news release. "Similar studies of traffic-related noise have found links with increased blood pressure, reduced sleep quality and cognitive deficits." The Metro schools included in the study were all within the Vancouver school district boundaries, but Amram said he could not name specific schools. "We looked generally at the data," he said. "We didn't actually zero in on specific schools." Vancouver school board chair-woman Patti Bacchus said she isn't convinced there is a significant difference between the number of schools in the east and west sides of Vancouver that are close to major roads. "There are definitely a lot of schools on busy roads, but I'm not sure I see a real difference based on demographics." Urban school districts don't have a lot of choice about where to build new schools, although they can ensure they are designed in a way that minimizes the effect of traffic on air quality and student safety, she said. But schools bring their own traffic to a neighbourhood, and Bacchus said the bigger concern about air quality around Vancouver schools is a result of cars idling in the parking lot and on adjacent streets while parents wait for their children. The researchers suggested more study is needed because they didn't review the history of school and road construction or changes in neighbourhood economic conditions. "It might be useful to explore whether low-income residents are drawn to neighbourhoods with schools close to roads [e.g., due to lower housing prices] or if low-income neighbourhoods are more likely to have schools and roads constructed in proximity to one another [e.g., due to low-income residents having less influence on community decision-making]," the study says. The study is the first of its kind to examine the proximity of schools to major roads in Canadian cities, although there has been similar research in the U.S., said Amram, who collaborated on the study with Ryan Allen, an SFU health sciences assistant professor, and colleagues from the University of B.C. In an interview, Amram said he hopes the research will persuade school officials to consider the effects of building new schools close to major thoroughfares, and might spur the provincial government to act on a report from the B.C. Environment Ministry in 2006 calling for new schools, hospitals and long-term care facilities to be at least 150 metres from busy roads. First Net Zero School in Arizona Topped Out
Staff writer,
MyGreenEducation
January 05, 2012 ARIZONA: The public, replacement school is being built on Fort Huachuca, the Army’s leading intelligence training facility at 155 Carter Avenue, Fort Huachuca, Arizona 85670. The new Colonel Smith Middle School will be the first Net Zero Energy Building in Arizona and 12th in the nation. The $17M school will generate more energy than it consumes on an annual basis through its energy-efficient design, solar potable water heating, photovoltaic panels, and wind machines. With an instructional focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), planners of Colonel Smith Middle School complex re-thought the traditional design of educational buildings. Facilities will support a project-based learning model with flexible common and collaboration spaces, and facilitate learning both indoors and outdoors. The 88,693 square foot school will accommodate approximately 350 students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Shawn Rosenberger, General Manager of Turner Construction Company,Arizona, states, “Colonel Smith Middle School defines innovation. Not only is this one of the few Net Zero buildings in the country, the design is a total transformation from the typical classrooms where most of us went to school. Turner is proud to be a part of this stellar team and this remarkable project.” Washington elementary school leads LED revolution
Gary Chittim,
KING5.com
January 05, 2012 WASHINGTON: The Everett School District flipped the switch on a technology this week that many believe will revolutionize the way we light our schools. James Monroe Elementary is believed to be the first public school to go almost entirely LED. Light emitting diode (LED) fixtures have been around for years. LEDs own the Christmas tree and home decoration markets, but were not considered suitable for reading or lighting large areas. However, technological advances have erased most of those concerns and now schools are seeing LEDs in a whole new light. They last up to five times longer than typical Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) and require a fraction of the electricity. Many teachers at the school say the LED light is a "warmer light," better for teaching and learning. One kindergarten teacher said she no longer needs her reading glasses in the classroom. The bulbs cost more at the front end, but administrators say they will make up for it in energy and replacement costs. Each panel of lights has an estimated 15 year lifetime and unlike CFLs they do not contain any dangerous mercury. Feds could fund Connecticut school renovations, Congressman says
Dan Brechlin ,
Record Journal
January 05, 2012 CONNECTICUT: n its 40-plus years of existence, Casimir Pulaski School has never received an upgrade. The windows, flooring and even thin, sliding walls in some rooms are all original. The school, like many others in the city school district, is in need of renovation. The need across the state and nation for updates combined with a lack of funds, however, has made some of the buildings even more outdated. Renovations and updates could be on their way to the buildings should the federal American Jobs Act be passed. Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., visited Pulaski School to view conditions there so he could report his findings in Washington. "Unfortunately, this is not a unique school," Murphy said. "There are thousands of schools around this country and state where teachers are making do, where educational miracles are happening on a daily basis, but where school improvements are long, long overdue." With more than 700 students, Pulaski School has about 100 more pupils than any other school in the district. Based on its 69,000-square-foot size, however, the building is average-sized compared to others in the city. Makeshift classroom space was pointed out as Murphy toured the building with Board of Education member and city officials. Several corners of hallways are sectioned off for private tutoring space. Some tutoring takes place outside of classrooms, in the hallways. "Every corner of this school has to be used," said Principal Tom Brown. Extra space, however, requires money, which neither the city nor state has available to spend freely. The proposed $447 billion jobs bill failed to receive the 60 votes necessary for passage in the Senate last year. President Barack Obama has since divided it into several parts, hoping that will make it more palatable to spending-wary lawmakers. Murphy voiced his support for the bill, which would create jobs through thousands of projects, including updating schools and roads. Under the education portion of the bill, Connecticut would receive about $185 million for projects such updating boilers, putting in new windows and making other energy-efficient improvements. With the improvements, school districts could save thousands of dollars each year, Murphy said. The first $185 million could also lead to more money for school construction and redevelopment. "It could create 2,400 construction jobs," Murphy said. With about half the state's construction workforce either out of work or seeing out the rough times with temporary employment, the jobs are also needed, said David Roche of the Connecticut State Building and Construction Trades Council, who also toured the school. Roche also applauded what the school has done with the space it has. "You've done so much with so little," Roche said. "You could do so much more though with some more space." New Hampshire House supports school construction bill
Associated Press,
Boston Globe
January 04, 2012 NEW HAMPSHIRE: The House has given preliminary approval to changing New Hampshire's school construction aid program to a system with the state prioritizing projects. The House voted Wednesday without debate to send the bill that would create a ranking system to the Finance Committee. The goal is to target state aid to communities with the greatest need, something Democratic Gov. John Lynch has been calling for to ease the cost to the state while helping poorer communities renovate and replace schools. Ames, Iowa Residents Chip in With Ideas for School Building Plans
Miller, Jessica,
AmesPatch
January 04, 2012 IOWA: There was no opposition to new schools in Ames at a forum, but many of those who took part shared what they want in facilities and how they want it done. The Ames school district's facilities committee — charged with vetting a long-range plan before a $55 million bond referendum is drafted to rebuild and renovate elementary schools — held its question and answer session at City Hall. About 25 people attended the session. Concerned parents, property owners and former school board members said they want to ensure children had places to play during construction, buildings with safe access, community gym spaces and an improved municipal pool. Currently the district shares ownership of a pool with the city. That pool is at the high school and its nearing the end of its expected lifespan. The plan currently calls for replacing three elementary school buildings — Meeker, Edwards and Fellows — and renovating and remodeling Mitchell and Sawyer. Some parents said they thought community gyms should be included in the renovations and including the replacement of the pool at the high school may make the bond project more acceptable to voters. Marti Steelman said more people would be in favor of the issue if all voters realize how new buildings might benefit them. “I think a bond issue would pass easier …. if they saw wow I could have an exercise program right here in my neighborhood,” she said. Betsy Carter, who once worked at Meeker, said she also wants to ensure that the best materials were used to construct buildings because students would be spending a large amount of time inside them. “They are breathing and they are in that so many hours,” Carter said. “That's a factor that sometimes we forget about.” The location of Fellows came up briefly. Some have suggested building it on GW Carver, but the plan currently calls for rebuilding at the same location. Mary Heindel, a concerned parent, wanted to know where Fellows Elementary students would have recess while a new school is being built in the current school's back yard. “Where will they play?” Heindel asked. Heindel said her children will attend the school for the next two years. She suggested coming with a rough drawing of the proposed building site. “I really don't care where it is. I'm just trying to figure out what's best for the kids,” Heindel said. For These Baltimore Students, It's D.I.Y. School Building
Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson,
The Atlantic
January 04, 2012 MARYLAND: In a central Baltimore neighborhood that once served as a location for The Wire, a new city public school hopes to change the way school buildings are developed. The Baltimore Design School (BDS), a middle and high school with a curriculum rooted in graphic design, fashion and architecture, has taken over a 120,000 square foot factory building with plans to transform it into a high-tech center for learning by the 2012 academic year. The structure, built in 1915, had been abandoned for decades after its last tenant, the Lebow Clothing Factory, shuttered the doors, leaving everything—racks of jackets, mammoth sewing machines, buckets of buttons and spools of thread—behind. Over the years, photos from the inside taken by adventurous trespassers captured the ghostly remains, serving as a testament to the general decay of post-industrial buildings in cities like Baltimore. BDS, which opened in a temporary facility last fall, is one of Baltimore’s new Transformation Schools, a private-public partnership with the Baltimore City Public School system. Unlike a charter school, where the board is responsible for its own facility, a Transformation School falls under the auspice of the school system’s facility management. BDS suggested a unique scenario to the school district: partner with a private developer and turn one of Baltimore’s abandoned industrial buildings back into a productive place. Construction began this winter on the $25 million renovation project, the result of a partnership between BDS, the school district and Seawall Development, a socially minded company that renovates historic structures in transitioning neighborhoods. The BDS board owns the building and was able to finance at a reasonable rate based on the credit rating of the city school system. Seawall then came to the table with experience in historic tax credit financing. “With this model, the partner figures out how to make it work and we can leverage our combined resources and look for ways in which the participation of the school system allows the partner to get a better credit score,” says Baltimore City School CEO Andres Alonso. The school district will lease the building from BDS for the annual mortgage amount (a lesser capital investment than if they had to renovate themselves), and after the building is paid off, the school system will buy it back for $1 and then lease it to BDS for $1 a year. Alonso hopes BDS will become a prototype. “We want to move away from the old fashioned model where we need to secure financing to buy or renovate through state and city funding,” he says. “That tends to be tremendously expensive for us and it means all of our dollars are tied up in one or two projects.” The new school, designed by Baltimore architects Ziger/Snead, will include four stories of art galleries, studios, classrooms, computer labs with the latest design software and fabrication facilities. The former loading dock will become an outdoor performance space for fashion shows, while salvaged dress forms and sewing machines from the Lebow factory will become an exhibition honoring the building’s previous life. A cyber café will provide a blank slate for architecture students to design their own space every academic year. “This school is about design thinking,” says architect Steve Ziger. “It’s about empowering students to see that they can participate in and change their environment.” Ziger says BDS hopes to become a place for training future designers as well as an anchor in the neighborhood. Alonso has high hopes for the experiment. “I look forward to the day when every school in Baltimore city has plans for the kind of renovations that BDS is doing.” Missouri school district lauded for energy savings
Kelly Evenson,
The Examiner
January 04, 2012 MISSOURI: Blue Springs is working toward making its schools and facilities more energy efficient, and some of those efforts are being recognized. Will Cumberford, director of Buildings and Grounds, made a presentation on the district’s energy savings at the Blue Springs Board of Education meeting. Over the last four years, the school district has saved more than $2.5 million in utility costs because of energy-efficient renovations made to the schools as well as the installation of newer heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units. “We have seven schools that are now Energy Star winners,” said Leslie Evans, public information director with the school district. “There are only 47 schools in the entire state that have this honor.” The Energy Star program was introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a way to encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through becoming more energy efficient. To receive the certification, a building must meet several energy efficiency requirements, including reducing carbon dioxide emissions and improving the overall energy efficiency through things such as improved lighting and bathroom fixtures and replacing outdated HVAC units.
U.S. Department of Education to award environmentally-friendly campuses
Staff writer,
Pasadena Star News
January 03, 2012 CALIFORNIA: California schools can now apply for the inaugural Green Ribbon Award, which recognizes the nation's highest-performing environmentally-friendly, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced. "California is proud to participate in this new federal program to recognize schools with environmentally sustainable learning spaces that have boosted student performance," Torlakson said. "Not only do green schools save districts money and energy and protect the health of students and staff, but studies also show these learning spaces actually improve academic achievement." The U.S. Department of Education unveiled the Green Ribbon Schools award in September. The program recognizes schools that save energy, reduce costs, feature environmentally sustainable learning spaces, protect health, foster wellness, and offer environmental education to boost academic achievement and community engagement. The award is part of a larger U.S. Department of Education effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about practices proven to result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, as well as a government-wide aim to increase energy independence and economic security. Applicants will be judged on their impact on the environment and if school facilities have had a positive impact on the health and performance of students and staff and whether their students are knowledgeable on Advertisement the environment and sustainability. Middle School Kitchen Promotes Health Inside And Out
Michael Gelbwasser,
Sharon Patch
January 03, 2012 MASSACHUSETTS: Sharon Middle School students now get lunch on washable trays cleaned by environmentally friendly detergent. The renovated school cafeteria strives for health in practice as well as menu, school district Food Service Director Carol Judd says. Part of the $50.5 million school renovation and addition project, the cafeteria's expanded kitchen re-opened in mid-October after six weeks of serving salads and sandwiches prepared at the Heights Elementary School, Judd says. Students now get served on heavy duty, food-safe trays that have replaced the former styrofoam ones, she says. "It cuts back on the using (of) the styrofoam trays, so it's cost effective for the department. We put them right through the dish machine," Judd said during a recent tour of the cafeteria and kitchen. "The premise of the school is to be a green school. We wanted to follow that through in the cafeteria and in the kitchen area. The initial cost of these was probably less than what we would pay for a year's supply of styrofoam. And we should get at least two, three years' use out of the tray." And the detergent comes compacted, dissolving in the dishwasher, Judd said. The detergent previously came in plastic containers."All we're doing is we're throwing away this wrapping. That's the only garbage," she said. The menu continues striving for the most "reimbursable meals," which Judd explained are "any meal that a student takes that has three of the five components.""We try to get the kids to take all five, because that's a balanced meal," she said.Such a meal includes milk, which comes in 8-ounce plastic containers; and fruit, which can include 4-ounce containers of 100 percent juice, she said."We'd rather see the kids take whole fruit. It's much better. But this is at least a way we encourage them to take it," Judd said. The middle school does offer a fruit bar, "and the fruit has really come up in consumption," she said. Pre-made salads are available as well. The school also offers a deli bar, although "we gear it toward low-sodium products, (and) we give no more than 2.5 ounces per serving, which keeps the sodium down," Judd said. Salt Lake City completes earthquake upgrades at all schools
Rosemary Winters,
Salt Lake Tribune
January 03, 2012 UTAH: Mark Catmull, a counselor at Clayton Middle School in Salt Lake City, likes the natural light and unique design of his school’s new building. He also feels better knowing that his daughter, an eighth-grade student, is in a safe place if an earthquake hits. It’s a comforting thought that parents throughout the Salt Lake City School District can share as the district wraps up an effort to make every school earthquake-resistant. Only two projects remain to be done this summer: seismic upgrades at district-sponsored charter schools Open Classroom and Salt Lake Center for Science Education. Over the past two decades, Salt Lake City School District, which has 36 schools, has spent $401 million on the seismic upgrades, including a $70 million bond in 1993, which rebuilt East High, and a $136 million bond in 1999. Both bonds were approved by voters. Twenty schools were replaced, and 16 schools underwent retrofits. “Obviously, every child ought to be protected — not just the lucky ones in a new building,” said Salt Lake City Superintendent McKell Withers. “There are quite a few school districts along the Wasatch Front that have done what they can to mitigate some of their seismic issues in many of their buildings. But there’s nothing quite like being able to bring all of them up to the current seismic code for schools.” Utah does not have a statewide inventory of how many school buildings meet seismic standards, which would help schools withstand a potential 7.0-magnitude quake on the Wasatch Fault. But a visual survey by engineers last year of a sample of 128 schools found that 77 appeared to fall short of federal risk standards. Thirty-six of those were rated as “high” hazard using a scoring system approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Rep. Larry Wiley, D-West Valley City, has sponsored legislation the past four years to create a statewide database of the condition of every school, including seismic retrofits. But the price tag — $500,000 — has been an obstacle. Wiley said he or another legislator will run the bill again this year. The database, he said, could be used to help identify which schools need to be rebuilt first, possibly with a matching grant from the state if funds are available. “Our kids are in school for six to eight hours a day, and a lot of them are in buildings that are unsafe,” said Wiley, a former building inspector. “School buildings [also] are a primary location during a disaster. If the schools aren’t safe, where do you go?” Many districts have completed engineering reviews of their own buildings. Canyons School District has identified $650 million in needed improvements. A $250 million bond approved by voters last year will help rebuild several of the district’s oldest buildings and renovate others. In Granite, voters approved a $256 million bond in 2009 to improve schools and rebuild Oakwood and Woodstock elementaries and Granger and Olympus high schools, some of the district’s oldest schoolhouses. In districts like Davis that are still growing, it’s challenging to address older buildings when new schools are being added, said Brian Turner, director of architectural and construction services in the Davis district. Five years ago, an engineering study identified $115 million in needed construction to address safety issues. About a third of Davis school buildings or additions were rated as “poor” or “very poor.” Some of those have retrofitted, Turner said. New Hampshire House voting on school construction bills
Associated Press,
Boston Globe
January 02, 2012 NEW HAMPSHIRE: New Hampshire's 57-year tradition of helping pay for public school construction without limits on who gets aid would change to a system with the state prioritizing projects. The House votes this month on legislation that would create a ranking system. The goal is to target state aid to communities with the greatest need, something Democratic Gov. John Lynch has been calling for to ease the cost to the state while helping poorer communities renovate and replace schools. The ranking system would end the state's current blank-check approach to funding local aid requests. The state would instead choose projects that meet criteria to be developed by the Department of Education over the next two years. Criteria would include: unsafe conditions; obsolete, inefficient or unsuitable facilities and enrollment shifts. Colorado school construction problems linked to Neenan Company will likely boos
Eric Gorski and David Olinger,
Denver Post
January 01, 2012 COLORADO: Companies that want to do business through a state grant program dedicated to making school buildings safer likely will face greater scrutiny because of construction problems linked to one contractor. State Treasurer Walker Stapleton told The Denver Post he will press for more thorough reviews of companies taking part in the Building Excellent Schools Today program — which provides money to mostly rural districts to replace and fix dilapidated schools — as questions continue to mount about the Neenan Co. "This situation is unfortunate and disappointing in that you're going to get a few circumstances of troublesome actors," Stapleton said, adding that he cannot say yet whether Neenan fits that definition"But I think overall, fundamentally, the program is a sound one." The talk of broader oversight comes as the structural engineer on the project that first caught the attention of state regulators — an elementary school in Meeker — is defending the building as safe and well-designed. In his first interview, former Neenan engineer Gary Howell pointed a finger at local politics and supervisors who silenced his objections to an independent review that led to the school's closure"My perspective is, engineers disagree on their philosophies and there's a lot of gray areas in structural design," Howell said. "I think what we got into here was a school board being pressured by the citizens of Meeker to have a perfect building" built above code requirements. He said one criticism of his work — that the Meeker building's earthquake resistance was designed to standards for a storage shed, not a school — was simply a misprint. "The general notes were wrong," he said, but his actual calculations "used the Occupancy 3 importance factors (the school standard) for snow, wind and earthquake." Howell said he has been given no evidence that his underlying calculations were wrong. He also said there are "absolutely no drywall cracks throughout the building" in Meeker, and that the earthquake risk there "is almost nonexistent." In Colorado, school safety is regulated by the Division of Fire Safety, an agency within the Homeland Security Division. University of Iowa ready to reopen Steven Holl-designed Art Building West for fi
Staff writer,
The Gazette
January 01, 2012 IOWA: The Art Library website perhaps best expresses the collective feeling of University of Iowa School of Art and Art History faculty, staff and students who are moving back into Art Building West for the spring semester, more than three years after it was knocked out of commission by the 2008 flood.“Yippee!” the library site declares about the move back into the Steven Holl-designed building on Riverside Drive. Numerous UI facilities reopened in the months immediately following the June 2008 flood when building repairs could be made in shorter time, including Mayflower Residence Hall, the Adler Journalism and Mass Communication Building and the English-Philosophy Building. But the reopening of Art West for spring semester marks completion of the first major campus building that was “really put out of commission” by the flood, Senior Vice President for Finance Doug True said. Movers this week stacked boxes in faculty offices and lined books on the Art Library shelves. The building will hold classes this spring semester, starting Jan. 17, for the first time since the flood. “In some ways it is bigger than a new building opening because it’s sort of an old friend and you’re meeting again, going to a class reunion,” True said. “And it is a stunning building. A lot of us have forgotten what a great building it is.” Final cost of the Art West repair came to $14.2 million, under the $14.8 million estimate due to lower construction bids, True said. Much of that cost covered the “invisible” flood wall. The removable, 900-foot flood wall around the building is designed to be built in two to three days but can go up quicker and is based on concepts used in many European cities, True said. UI officials expect to use similar invisible flood walls to protect the Iowa Memorial Union and Iowa Advanced Technology Labs on the other side of the Iowa River. Total damage, recovery and mitigation costs at the UI from the flood could hit almost $1 billion, much of which will be covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and insurance. The three major building replacement projects after the flood — Hancher Auditorium, the School of Music and the Studio Arts building — are all in the design phase and have been for months. It’s possible designs for those new buildings will be unveiled soon, within a few months, True said, but it’s not yet known if designs will go to the state Board of Regents for the February meeting.
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