News

Technology Pinpoints School Maintenance Issues

5 mins

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Unified School District has unveiled a new system intended to keep the nation’s second-largest school district up to date on maintenance issues throughout its 800 campuses.
The district is the first to create a maintenance smart phone application for students, faculty and staff. The user sends in a photo of the maintenance issue to IBM Maximo software, which manages the district’s physical assets and work orders. From there, the district’s facilities crews assess the situation and come up with a response.

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Funding Our Future: Creative Financing Boosts School Construction

9 mins

The Great Recession has left deep marks on the nation’s school system. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, elementary and high schools in at least 37 states are receiving less state funding this year compared to 2011. In at least 30 states, school funding now stands below 2008 levels — often far below. Limited federal fiscal aid and reduced state revenues are the main reasons for these drastic spending cuts.

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Mass. School Closed Over Building Material Concern

3 mins

MERRIMAC, Mass. — Dr. Frederick N. Sweetsir Elementary School temporarily shut down after construction workers discovered potentially hazardous material inside.

Asbestos was found during a renovation of windows as part of the state’s green improvements plan.

“The school was built in the early 1950s and we expected we’d find some asbestos — we just didn’t expect to find it there,” said Bob Sinibaldi, the town’s building inspector.

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Ceiling Collapses in Lido Beach During School Renovation

3 mins

LIDO BEACH, N.Y. — A ceiling that recently collapsed during construction at Long Beach High School in Lido Beach, N.Y., raised questions about the safety of the school under renovations.

The carport overhang ceiling fell to the ground on Good Friday, while construction crews were trying to locate pipes in the ceiling. No one was hurt when the building collapsed, largely because students were on vacation.

The core building was not damaged, but the entire suspended stucco ceiling was removed due to safety concerns.

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Technology Allowing Students to Report Bullying

4 mins

BOSTON — Bullying has bothered students for generations, but  a new device might help document and reduce it.

Boston-based education company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) recently launched a digital program that, on multiple platforms, will allow students to anonymously report concerns or incidents of bullying.

The reporting platform helps school districts and local government agencies manage each case consistently and fairly by using a sophisticated analytics and reporting engine, according to HMH.

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