PHILADELPHIA — The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), in conjunction with the World Green Building Council (WGBC), announced the 29 founding members of the Global Coalition for Green Schools at the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo International Summit on Nov. 19 in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA — A Pennsylvania state senate bill that could drastically change the way charter schools are authorized, financed and monitored may soon go to vote. S.B. 1085 has drawn both support and opposition from lawmakers, as well as both public and charter school groups. If passed, it will be the first successful legislation reforming Pennsylvania’s charter school system in 16 years.
EAST PEORIA, Ill. — Illinois Central College’s (ICC) CougarPlex athletic facility in East Peoria recently earned LEED Silver certification after construction was completed in 2011. The project included a 54,000-square-foot addition and 9,000-square-foot remodeling to the existing 1970’s Lorene Ramsey Gymnasium, doubling the size of the original facility. Carlton, Ill.-based Leander Construction Inc. served as the general contractor, while Fairfax, Va.-headquartered PSA Dewberry Inc. served as the architect on the $15.2 million project.
HARTFORD, Conn. — Following an announcement by Governor Daniel P. Malloy, an additional 435 Connecticut schools across 75 districts will receive special funding as a part of the School Security Grant Program. Malloy had initially released $5 million in state funds in September, which then served 169 schools across the state.
The recent funding boost will provide safety funds to a total of 604 schools statewide.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Officials at the University of Kentucky are considering the privatization of the school’s popular dining program. Though the university says contracting with a private company could drastically improve campus food services, the proposal to shift the largely successful program into the hands a private company has been met with hesitation.
CLEVELAND — Voters in Northeast Ohio passed large school construction issues as well as other tax increases on Nov. 5 — despite some debate about what the money is funding.
ROCKVILLE, Md. — Montgomery County school officials and County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) hope to get a piece of the Maryland school construction budget pie, the same way Baltimore County officials did earlier this year.
OXFORD, Ga. — Language Hall, one of the oldest buildings on the Oxford College of Emory University campus in Oxford, recently underwent a $2.2 million transformation. Although the renovation was inspired by the original interior and Victorian-era exterior, the building was updated with newly configured classrooms featuring teaching technologies, as well as an addition that includes faculty offices.
JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Hollister Construction Services (Hollister) began work on a three-story addition to the BelovED Community Charter School in Jersey City on Oct. 22. The 22,388-square-foot addition will include new classrooms, an exercise room, cafeteria and nurse’s office. New York City-based Urbahn Architects completed the design, with project management led by Robert Sander of Hollister Construction.
CHICAGO — Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has vowed to withhold all further construction funding from the United Neighborhood Organization (UNO), after a second financial scandal has engulfed the charter school operator. The organization, which has constructed 16 charter schools across Chicago, is currently being investigated for securities fraud by the Federal Security Exchange Commission (SEC).
