Case Studies K-12 Education

In 2015, members of the Johnson Govies, the student leadership program at Saint Paul Public Schools’ Johnson Senior High School, shared concerns about bathrooms with the facilities department staff tasked with replacing antiquated water piping and plumbing fixtures. And they weren’t talking about the facilities not being in good working order. “Students told us that […]

Stephen Lewis recently had to find a seemingly impossible solution to a prevalent problem in schools: The lack of security and monitoring measures in bathrooms, which can lead to anything from vaping to bullying. Using research and decades of experience, he and his facilities team at Monticello Central School District decided to install sensors. The […]

For 15 years, John LaBare has directed facilities and operations for Uniondale Union Free School District, leading a team of more than 100 people responsible for “everything from the curb in.” That’s included sidewalks outside schools and hallways inside them, as well as playgrounds, heating and cooling systems, snow removal and plumbing. The work LaBare […]

Trent Bosard used to go to Kearney Public Schools every day because he had to. Now it’s a choice he makes happily. “I take a lot of pride in my work here,” he says. “My whole family has gone through these schools.” While he’s now the director of facilities for the Nebraska-based district, Bosard was […]

While Colorado may be known for its snowy peaks, the state also experiences days of sweltering heat. At Denver Public Schools, classes are cancelled when indoor temperatures exceed a stuffy 85 degrees. During the second week of the 2022-23 school year, students were released early three days because of heat.  The issue isn’t just the […]

How many U.S high schools have automatic battery-operated bathroom faucets that recharge when people wash their hands? Now, how many of those schools have robotics to milk cows? Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton, Massachusetts, can boast of both—and more—thanks to a $104 million campus renovation and expansion that was nearing completion as Ryan […]

Each Friday night during football season in Texas, high school athletes take to the field before thousands of spectators, often in stadiums that cost tens of millions of dollars. It’s a tradition that began before football helmets had face bars—and  for the Clint Independent School District high schools around El Paso, it just got a […]

For more than 20 years, it’s been Frank Geyer’s mission to limit distractions for students by making sure their learning environments are in good operational order. Most of the time, that’s involved making repairs, like turning up the heat, tending to roof leaks or fixing rips in the carpets. But with his retirement pending, Geyer […]

How many facilities directors are greeted by students with a hug and kind words? Jerry Wood can’t say but he knows he’s one of the lucky few. Of course, Wood, who directs facilities for the Vail Unified School District in Tucson, Arizona, also taught these students and served as their principal. In December 2017, Wood, […]

When Jim Rubach retired 11 years ago, he envisioned days spent fishing, golfing and renovating old cars and tractors. But, only a few months later, he was called back to Dickinson Independent School District, where he’s now worked for 43 years. The Texas-based district needed his help connecting with vendors he knew best. “It’s a […]