In the midst of the back-to-school chaos this month, we’re reminded just how fortunate we are to welcome students back to their school buildings at all. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in countless shifts in our world, and leaving the classroom was one of them. But a silver lining that we’ve seen emerge is purposeful reinvestment in K-12 school construction and modernization. In part due to the availability of ESSER funds and other incentives, many districts have been able to either address critical maintenance issues facing their existing facilities, or in some cases, build entirely new schools. In fact, since 2020, our team has supported more than $220 million in K-12 construction and renovation across Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wyoming.
New or old, when it comes to designing schools, the student-centered approach isn’t just about creating a space for learning – it’s about creating an environment that supports health, safety, and diverse academic exploration. In this edition of Plains Talk, we’ll discuss our approach to designing that environment, as well as how we tackle the very real issue of managing costs.