Staff Promotions
Pfluger Architects in Austin, Texas, recently announced that it has appointed business leader Lauren Paver as its new Chief Operating Officer, according to a news release. In her new role, she’ll lead operational strategies for the firm’s five locations and 130 employees in Texas.
New Construction
College Station ISD (CSISD) in College Station, Texas, recently held a grand opening ceremony for the district’s new Agriculture Science Center (ASC), according to a news release. Amenities include about a hundred pens for animal housing, washing and grooming stations specialized by animal species, and a practice arena.
New Construction
The construction of a new Gateway Building at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Ga., is on track for its November 2024 completion date, according to a news release. The building will measure in at 72,280 square feet and include student services like wellness, recreation, food service, convocation, and events.
New Construction
Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction has begun on a new performing arts center for the campus, according to a news release. The David E. and Stacey L. Goel Center for Creativity & Performance will serve as the new home for the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), as well as a wide variety of performances, public gatherings, teaching opportunities, and international research.
New Construction
North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D., recently announced that construction is complete on its newest agricultural facility. The Peltier Complex will play home to research in fields like food science, meat science, muscle biology, food safety and nutrition, consumer sensory traits, and developing new agricultural products, according to a news release.
Life Safety
Commercial loudspeaker manufacturer Quam recently announced the release of its UL24 Series, a tile-replacement loudspeaker featuring both a paging speaker and a fire signaling speaker, according to a news release.
Campus Technology
K–12 virtual reality technology solutions company Avantis Education recently announced that it has received an Educators Pick Best of STEM 2024 Award, according to a news release. For the second consecutive year, Avantis’ ClassVR product won the category of “Trailblazer: Immersive Reality (AR/VR).”
Staff Promotions
Architectural planning and design firm PBK recently named Danny Berger as the new Managing Principal for its Dallas office, according to a news release. He’ll fill the role following the retirement of Rick Blan on Oct. 31 after almost 30 years with the firm.
Research
Furniture solutions manufacturer KI recently announced alongside the Center for Advanced Design Research and Evaluation (CADRE) that it will become a founding sponsor for the Coalition for the Advanced Understanding of School Environments (CAUSE). A news release reports that the coalition’s research will focus on the relationship between K–12 physical environments and educational outcomes.
Campus Technology
Digital learning company Pearson has launched several new AI-powered tools to help provide students personalized help from within their e-textbooks or study platforms.
Campus Technology
Purdue University has officially opened a new gaming lounge for students training and competing in esports as well as casual gamers. The institution partnered with Dell Technologies to outfit the 2,000-square-foot-space with Alienware gaming equipment.
New Construction
Forte Construction Corp. recently announced that it has completed construction on P.S. 487, a new four-story elementary school in the South Bronx, according to a news release. The school is open for the current academic year and will serve more than 500 students in grades PreK–5.
Dining and Food Service
The Chef Ann Foundation recently announced that it has awarded 29 grants to 15 school districts around the U.S. to go toward purchasing milk in bulk instead of single-serve containers. The Bulk Milk program is in its second year and provides recipients with the equipment, training, and materials required for schools to make the shift, according to a news release.
New Construction
Part of a whole-site modernization project at Mira Mesa High School in San Diego, Calif., recently reached a construction milestone. The final steel beam of the new classroom and student services facility was put into place, completing the building’s structural framework.
New Construction
Saint Francis University in Loretto, Penn., recently held a Blessing and Dedication ceremony for its new Aviation Education Center at the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, according to a news release. The building’s opening coincides with the inaugural year of the university’s FAA-certified Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) program.
Campus Renovations
Riverside City College recently announced the completion of a $29.3-million renovation project, according to a news release. The college partnered with Nineteen Six Architects and builder C.W. Driver Companies to convert a 1960s-era academic building into a new Business, Law, and Computer Information Systems Building.
New Construction
Multidisciplinary consultancy Pick Everard recently announced that construction is complete on a new specialist school for students with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs in Shepshed, Leicestershire, England, according to a news release. Bowman Academy will open in September 2024 and serve students ages 4–16.
Staff Promotions
Architectural planning and design firm PBK recently announced the hiring of a new Chief Strategy & Growth Officer for its office in Houston, Texas, who will lead the firm’s strategic growth initiatives like mergers and acquisitions.
New Construction
Rock Ridge Public Schools in Virginia, Minn., recently announced that construction of the district’s newest elementary school is complete. North Star Elementary cost $28.5 million and has the capacity for 600 students in grades 3–6, according to a news release.
Campus Technology
Property operations and maintenance software provider Facilio has onboarded three new education institutions, the company announced in a press release. Breck School in Minnesota, Purdue University Fort Wayne in Indiana, and Acorn Early Years in the United Kingdom will all implement Facilio's Connected CMMS suite.
Campus Technology
LocknCharge, a developer of solutions for charging, storing, securing, and managing mobile technologies, has announced the FUYL Enhanced Smart Locker System, a software, hardware, and app-based kiosk solution for authenticated self-serve access to mobile devices with integrated device management.
Renovation
Eleven schools across DeKalb County School District and Atlanta Public Schools in the Greater Atlanta metropolitan area are undergoing renovations totaling over $120 million. The districts selected construction company Balfour Beatty for the projects, which will tackle a variety of building and system upgrades.
Renovation
Colorado's Cañon City Schools has broken ground on a new construction project at its flagship institution, Cañon City High School.
Emerging Tech
Education technology company Cengage has announced Student Assistant, a generative AI tool designed to guide students through the learning process with personalized resources and feedback, now available in beta.
New Construction
Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District's newly built Eagle Mountain High School has opened its doors to students for the first day of school.
New Construction
The University of Montana in Missoula, Mont., recently broke ground on a new, 600-bed residence hall to address housing needs on campus, according to a university news release. The university has seen three consecutive years of enrollment growth against the backdrop of a local housing market less than conducive to student needs.
Sustainability
Mullen Automotive recently announced that Princeton University in Princeton, N.J., recently purchased a Mullen THREE, Class 3 electric vehicle (EV) box truck upfit for its facilities operations unit, according to a news release. The unit includes about 350 vehicles—including cars, vans, golf carts, and construction vehicles—for various transportation needs around campus.
Campus Technology
Edtech manufacturer Cyber Acoustics recently announced the launch of the AC-6014 USB-C Headset, designed for use in K–12 and virtual classrooms, according to a news release. The announcement comes on the heels of three recent USB-C products including two headsets with a microphone and one without.
Campus Technology
Global education company McGraw Hill recently announced that it has added two new generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools to help personalize learning experiences for both K–12 and Higher Ed students, according to a news release.
Campus Technology
Interior workplace solutions provider Fellowes recently announced that it is expanding two of its popular product lines. The extensions to its Sena and Rising lines will offer new degrees of functionality and aesthetic appeal to a wide variety of corporate and educational environments, according to a news release.
Campus Renovations
The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) recently announced the completion of the new Pulaski K8 School in Savannah, Ga., according to a news release. The district partnered with general contractor Balfour Beatty and architecture firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood to convert an existing K–5 school into a single learning space for elementary- and middle-school students.
Campus Renovations
The Cotulla Independent School District in South Texas recently broke ground on a series of additions and renovations to its high school, originally built in 1957, according to a news release. The project was designed by Pfluger Architects, and construction will take place in two phases scheduled for completion by 2026.
Healthy Schools
California Senate Bill 1182, the Climate Resilient Schools Act, recently passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee and will now face a vote on the Assembly Floor, according to a news release.
Campus Renovations
Integrated construction management firm Kraus-Anderson recently announced that it has completed addition projects at three schools within Marshall County Central Schools in Minnesota, according to a news release. Funding came from an $18.9-million building referendum passed by the community in August 2022 to create new space for students and school programs.
New Construction
Construction on the new University Village Housing and Dining (UHVD) facility at Cal State University San Marcos in San Marcos, Calif., recently hit a milestone, according to a news release. Project builder McCarthy Building Companies recently announced the concrete start and tower crane arrival for the 140,661-square-foot facility, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2026.
New Construction
Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new, 130,000-square-foot Academic Sciences Building (ASB), according to a news release. The facility stands three stories and broke ground about two and a half years ago. It plays home to five academic departments in the College of Arts & Sciences.
Campus Technology
Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) recently announced a partnership with edtech solutions provider Discovery Education, according to a news release. All of the district’s K–8 students and teachers will gain access to DreamBox Math, which blends curriculum and continuous formative assessments that adapt to student needs to boost achievement.
Staff Promotions
Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that Principal Dominick Roveto will serve as its new Science+Technology Leader in the higher education, workplace, and healthcare sectors. According to a news release, his specialty is creating technical, interactive environments that allow for collaboration between different scientific and academic disciplines.
New Construction
The Menifee Union School District in Riverside County, Calif., recently celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility, Sally Buselt Elementary School. The 75,000-square-foot school cost $54.5 million, and it will serve 600 students in grades K–5, according to a news release.
Podcast
Today’s guest is Devin Bowman, General Manager of Technical Glass Products (TGP) and AD Systems. We’ll talk about the relationship between school architecture and designing for safety as design aspects like natural light and floor-to-ceiling windows become more common.