Page 7 - School Planning & Management, April 2018

NEWS & VIEWS
Hot Tips
This Month
Energy Costs
REDUCING YOUR
ENERGY USE AND COST
WITH BUDGET CUTS IMPACTING SCHOOLS
across the nation, many campuses are searching for ways to stretch their dollars. Investing in renewable energy and products saves money in the long run. Not to mention, consuming energy unnecessarily can hurt your bottom line. Consider these easy ways to reduce your energy use.
Build with Efficiency in Mind
Entry doors in schools can leak both air and heat, contributing to significant energy loss. Specialized door assemblies and accessories are available to help combat these losses and improve a facility’s overall energy efficiency. Also, don’t forget about classroom doors! The simple addi- tion of self-adhesive weather stripping can reduce energy losses and improve sound proofing.
Invest in Energy Efficient Locks
Believe it or not, smart locks connected to a power source can use a lot of energy. Think of all the doors in your building. How many are secured by electrified locks? Hardware manu- facturers make locks that draw approximately 90 percent less power than other models, and they’re just as secure.
Install Self-Powered Door Controls
Door control devices are another unsus- pecting energy user in school buildings. A small number of door operators are innova- tively designed to generate and locally store energy, so they don’t even need a dedicated power source to open or close.
There are plenty of additional ways you can make your campus more energy efficient without a huge investment. Find a manufacturing partner that is invested in your success and safety; one with a wide range of progressive products, sup- port tools and services to assist you; and, one that can help you make your campus more energy efficient, secure and sustainable.
>>Amy Vigneux is director of Sustainable Building Solutions for ASSA ABLOY.
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NCTQ Releases 2018 State Teacher Policy Best Practices Guide
The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a non-partisan research and policy organization dedicated to ensuring every classroom has an effec- tive teacher has published the 2018 State Teacher Policy Best Practices Guide which highlights leading state work across 37 different policy areas that impact teacher quality. This resource serves as a guide to all states seeking concrete ideas and ex- amples of how to improve teacher policy. Despite consistent concerns regarding whether states are acting quickly and ambitiously enough to improve the qual- ity of the teacher workforce, there is great work happening across many states in important policy areas affecting teacher quality. By expanding the knowledge and awareness of these exemplary policies and practices currently being implemented, this tool provides states with a sense of what is possible, along with the necessary information to catalyze improvement, as they seek to drive positive change for their teachers and students. To view the 2018 State Teacher Policy Best Practices Guide,
visit www.nctq.org/publications/2018- State-Teacher-Policy-Best-Practices-Guide.
Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School Begins Renovation, Expansion
Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc., has begun a $7.1-million project that includes building a 31,500-square-foot addition for 14 new classrooms, new restrooms, a conference room, four new offices, a gymnasium, and gym storage, as well as a new mechanical mezzanine. The renovation also includes expanding the cafeteria and modifica- tions to the existing locker room. Miron Construction Co., Inc., in partnership with Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP, began construction to renovate and expand the school in October 2017. It is scheduled to be complete in August 2018.
Hacienda La Puente USD Announces Plans for Immersion School
Hacienda La Puente USD has announced plans to begin construction on the new Wedge- worth K-8 Mandarin Immersion School project. Hacienda La Puente USD is one of the largest suburban school districts in California, encompassing more than 19,000 students. The district’s leadership anticipates that Wedgeworth will stand as a marquee school for the community. PBK Architects was awarded the project in the summer of 2017 and has been working with the district to identify matching funds for their high school’s Career Technical Programs, as well as modernizing Cedarlane Academy, a unique Korean and Chinese im- mersionschool.ThiswillbePBK’sfirstnew,ground-upprojectinsouthernCalifornia. SPM
APRIL 2018 / SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 7