“The functionality is 10x better than the outdated furniture we had before. Small group arrangements have made learning so much more accessible. Mobility has been key.”
– Mr. Derek Bodley, Assistant Principal, Gary Middle School

Q&A with Toni Mitchell, ESSER Project Manager for Gary Community Schools

How were you able to use ESSER funds towards furniture?

We used ESSER funds to purchase furniture to improve our facilities and address learning loss by increasing student engagement.

How did VS help you throughout the process?

VS helped by providing detailed documentation in their proposal about how furniture can positively affect learning.

Why did you choose VS America for your furniture?

VS brought in samples and presented the products. We conducted a survey and VS stood out to the reviewers for being able to support different types of instruction. We are very happy with our decision to purchase VS furniture. It has very positively impacted learning. The new furniture allows students to easily form different groups and collaborate effectively. VS was able to meet our timing needs perfectly to limit disruption in the schools.

Any tips you would offer to other schools who want to use ESSER funds towards furniture?

Know what you’re purchasing – do your due diligence. Think about how it can impact student learning.

Transform Your Spaces

There’s still time – schools have until September 30, 2024 to use ESSER funds. Discover how VS can help you transform spaces with ESSER funds.

About VS America

VS America, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of educational furniture for K-12 schools, colleges, and libraries. Focused on best practices for educational facilities worldwide, VS develops adaptable, ergonomic, and sustainable furniture solutions which allow for the creation of agile learning environments. For more information, visit www.vsamerica.com.

The post How A District Used ESSER Funds to Transform Education appeared first on School Construction News.

Their engineering expertise and responsiveness made Tindall the perfect candidate for getting this job done, and their complete team mentality while coordinating with the Vannoy Construction team allowed the crew to bring these WCU dormitories to life in just under eight months.

“From day one, [Tindall’s] team worked collaboratively with Vannoy’s to make sure the project was done correctly,” said Caitlyn Jones of Vannoy Construction. “There were some learning curves on this job, but Tindall approached each obstacle with a team mentality. They cared about the overall success of the project as much as Vannoy did.”

To meet the project’s aggressive construction schedule, Tindall leveraged the Tindall Superior Lightweight All-Purpose Beam (T-SLAB®) as the floor system for all three dormitories. This was a first for the system, as no other project leveraging T-SLAB had been both multi-story and multi-building in scope.

“I was extremely impressed by the team at Tindall and their T-SLAB system,” said Jones. “The system itself saved so much time on the project schedule, and the final buildings looked awesome.”

Utilizing this system allowed the Tindall team to cast mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) components like electrical conduits and boxes directly into the slabs, and though the process required more coordination with the project team on the front end, it helped to save on-site costs and compress the construction timeline, allowing for interior work to begin earlier than expected and cheaper than it would have been otherwise.

Additionally, total precast construction enabled early access for other trades, further accelerating the overall construction process.

“Tindall’s system provided the owner with both savings and the quick erection of the buildings, which allowed us to meet the owner’s timely schedule,” said Jones. “I don’t think any other type of construction would have allowed the project to finish on time.”

Project Details:

Specifications

• 419,063 square feet
• 201,220 square feet of T-SLABs
• 3 multi-story dormitories
• Erection start 2/15/21; Finished 10/8/21

Components

• 1,694 precast concrete pieces
• Insulated wall panels
• Beams
• T-SLABs

To bring these nearly 420,000-square-foot total precast dormitories to life, Tindall produced nearly 1,700 precast concrete components, including load-bearing insulated wall panels, columns, beams, and over 200,000 square feet of T-SLABs. The exterior of these structures featured colored concrete with repetitious horizontal reveals that perfectly complemented the post-applied stone masonry accents. By leveraging T-SLAB and working side-by-side with Vannoy’s project team, Tindall helped deliver these structures within budget and ahead of schedule.

“We had the privilege of actively working with their team for over two years,” said Jones, “and Tindall continued to be as responsive at the end of the job as they were in the beginning. I would happily work with Tindall again on another project.” 

Tindall’s work with Western Carolina University is a testament to its commitment to providing high-quality solutions. Through innovative design and time-saving measures, like the use of casting boxes and conduits in the wall and ceiling panels, Tindall was able to streamline the construction process, ensuring other trades could begin their work as needed and that the project, as a whole, was completed ahead of schedule.

Additionally, in utilizing T-SLAB, Tindall was able to create a fantastic-looking, cost-effective solution for their client that will stand the test of time for many decades to come.

Tindall Corporation

The post T-SLAB® Puts Tindall at the Head of the Class appeared first on School Construction News.

Say hello to a revolution in education with VS America’s groundbreaking furniture solutions. We bid farewell to traditional, restrictive seating that hinders movement and engagement. Instead, we embrace contemporary options like cantilever chairs and wobble stools, empowering students to interact organically while fostering inclusivity.

Gone are the hierarchies created by conventional classroom furniture. VS America’s innovative designs break these barriers and can help create an environment where every student thrives.

Join us in providing the much-needed equity of opportunity for each and every student in your building or school system. Together, let’s cultivate learning spaces that nurture inclusivity, engagement, and emotional well-being.

Discover how VS’ transformative furniture solutions can revamp your learning environment.

About VS America

VS America, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of educational furniture for K-12 schools, colleges, and libraries. Focused on best practices for educational facilities worldwide, VS develops adaptable, ergonomic, and sustainable furniture solutions which allow for the creation of agile learning environments. For more information, visit www.vsamerica.com.

The post Equity in the Classroom appeared first on School Construction News.

Explore VS America QuickShip products.

Schools in motion

Creating truly agile learning environments is a vital consideration for modern learning cultures within schools, especially since children can only develop in a healthy and performance-effective way if they get enough physical activity.

This is why schools today are schools in motion: comfortably alternating between sitting and standing when working, dynamic rather than rigid sitting postures, with movement integrated into learning in a variety of ways to keep attention and concentration levels up. Dynamic and ergonomic student furniture makes a fundamental contribution here. Agile furniture can be easily reconfigured to fit an endless variety of educational styles, and can be utilized in classrooms, collaborative spaces, and media centers from K-12 through higher education.

See classroom layouts for inspiration.

Did you know ESSER funds can be used on furniture?

COVID relief (ESSER) funds can be used for agile furniture so you can create welcoming, adaptable, and comfortable learning spaces. VS’ agile furniture ties into ESSER funds under multiple categories:

• Addressing student learning loss
• Providing mental health services and supports
• Addressing the unique needs of disadvantaged populations
• Repairing and improving school facilities to reduce the risk of virus transmission

Contact VS to learn more.

Give students every opportunity

Taking care of students is at the heart of it all – and at VS, we know that learning spaces have a long-term impact on students’ physical, mental, and social well-being. Let’s create learning spaces that embody dynamic flexibility, healthy ergonomics, and compassion. Learn how VS’ agile furniture supports student well-being.

Editor’s note: This article is designated as Branded Content and School Construction News does not ensure the veracity or accuracy of the information included within.

The post Need to Furnish a School, Classroom, or Library Fast? appeared first on School Construction News.

Their engineering expertise and responsiveness made Tindall the perfect candidate for getting this job done, and their complete team mentality while coordinating with the Vannoy Construction team allowed the crew to bring these WCU dormitories to life in just under eight months.

“From day one, [Tindall’s] team worked collaboratively with Vannoy’s to make sure the project was done correctly,” said Caitlyn Jones of Vannoy Construction. “There were some learning curves on this job, but Tindall approached each obstacle with a team mentality. They cared about the overall success of the project as much as Vannoy did.”

To meet the project’s aggressive construction schedule, Tindall leveraged the Tindall Superior Lightweight All-Purpose Beam (T-SLAB®) as the floor system for all three dormitories. This was a first for the system, as no other project leveraging T-SLAB had been both multi-story and multi-building in scope.

“I was extremely impressed by the team at Tindall and their T-SLAB system,” said Jones. “The system itself saved so much time on the project schedule, and the final buildings looked awesome.”

Utilizing this system allowed the Tindall team to cast mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) components like electrical conduits and boxes directly into the slabs, and though the process required more coordination with the project team on the front end, it helped to save on-site costs and compress the construction timeline, allowing for interior work to begin earlier than expected and cheaper than it would have been otherwise.

Additionally, total precast construction enabled early access for other trades, further accelerating the overall construction process.

“Tindall’s system provided the owner with both savings and the quick erection of the buildings, which allowed us to meet the owner’s timely schedule,” said Jones. “I don’t think any other type of construction would have allowed the project to finish on time.”

Project Details:

Specifications

• 419,063 square feet
• 201,220 square feet of T-SLABs
• 3 multi-story dormitories
• Erection start 2/15/21; Finished 10/8/21

Components

• 1,694 precast concrete pieces
• Insulated wall panels
• Beams
• T-SLABs

To bring these nearly 420,000-square-foot total precast dormitories to life, Tindall produced nearly 1,700 precast concrete components, including load-bearing insulated wall panels, columns, beams, and over 200,000 square feet of T-SLABs. The exterior of these structures featured colored concrete with repetitious horizontal reveals that perfectly complemented the post-applied stone masonry accents. By leveraging T-SLAB and working side-by-side with Vannoy’s project team, Tindall helped deliver these structures within budget and ahead of schedule.

“We had the privilege of actively working with their team for over two years,” said Jones, “and Tindall continued to be as responsive at the end of the job as they were in the beginning. I would happily work with Tindall again on another project.” 

Tindall’s work with Western Carolina University is a testament to its commitment to providing high-quality solutions. Through innovative design and time-saving measures, like the use of casting boxes and conduits in the wall and ceiling panels, Tindall was able to streamline the construction process, ensuring other trades could begin their work as needed and that the project, as a whole, was completed ahead of schedule.

Additionally, in utilizing T-SLAB, Tindall was able to create a fantastic-looking, cost-effective solution for their client that will stand the test of time for many decades to come.

The post T-SLAB® Puts Tindall at the Head of the Class appeared first on School Construction News.

Flexible spaces maximize the interplay between positive learning outcomes, physical wellness, and self-regulation.

In elementary school, flexible environments improve the quality of interactions between students and students and teachers. Agile furniture can create various spaces and zones within a classroom – this flexibility means more freedom for social integration and movement opportunities. Flexible environments give teachers the needed areas to deliver private actionable feedback, support students’ self-selecting learning locations, and offer multiple modes of formative assessment.

Student-centered learning aims to develop autonomous and independent students.

Agile furniture contributes to individual freedom of choice. The freedom to choose personal and situational comfort sets the stage for developing agency in the learning environment. Agile furniture is paramount for quick autonomous changes. In these environments, students can appropriate the types of spaces and furnishings that best support their learning. When flexible environments are supported by agile furniture, it shifts the learning experience from the teacher to the student.

Well-designed environments that advocate social and emotional well-being promote equity and inclusivity, leading to overall improved learning outcomes.

When teachers cultivate student-centered environments in their classroom, it does not mean kids have free rein to do what they want. It means a structured environment with routines and procedures so all kids can learn. The goal is to holistically marry learners’ academic, social, and emotional needs as they seek answers to the wonders of the world around them.

Teachers who utilize agile spaces foster a community culture by allowing independent work and teamwork through large and small group instruction and reflective, independent learning activities. It means placing students at the center of their own learning environment so they can decide why, what, and how their learning experience and environment will take shape. It is designed for learners to engage in collaborative experiences, so they have multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery through skills and content. Flexible environments are multidirectional to support the acquisition of learning outcomes and help teachers address any learning losses as needed.

VS America’s agile furniture can be used to create flexible learning environments. In these environments, teachers and students can easily arrange various spaces and zones to allow for increased movement, social integration, and content-based interactions.

Learn more about supporting student well-being in elementary schools in VS’ well-being brochure or in this video. Want to learn about cultivating student well-being in high school spaces? Check out this video.

Learn more about VS America

Learn more about agile furniture that is built to support student and teacher well-being at www.vsamerica.com, or contact VS at https://vsamerica.com/contact.

Editor’s note: This article is designated as Branded Content and School Construction News does not ensure the veracity or accuracy of the information included within.

The post How Agile Furniture Supports Student Well-Being in Elementary Schools appeared first on School Construction News.

COVID relief funds can be used towards adaptable, ergonomic, and sustainable furniture solutions – allowing for the creation of agile learning environments.

VS America’s agile furniture gives educators the freedom to easily create spaces for every type of learning style. Agility means that spaces can easily be configured for any need, including physical distancing if necessary. It also means that whatever new challenges or opportunities the future brings, learning spaces can be easily configured to meet them, making them effectively future-proof.

Explore these sample classrooms.

Muscle activity = nourishment for the brain

Scientific studies show that rigid chair-table combinations lead to serious pressures on physical and mental development and health. Constantly sitting still leads to a standstill, physically and mentally.

With VS’ ergonomic, agile furniture, students can sit dynamically and experience physical, mental, and developmental benefits.

Comfort supports focus and well-being

Listening to what students need is an important factor in fostering engagement in the classroom. When students are comfortable in their furniture, they are more relaxed. And that’s when they do their best work. The students in VS’ latest video explain why it’s important to listen to their needs.

VS America’s agile furniture ties into the COVID-19 relief (ESSER) funds under the following allowable use categories:

• Providing mental health services and supports
• Improving facilities to reduce the risk of virus transmission
• Addressing student learning loss
• Addressing the unique needs of disadvantaged populations

Curious to learn more? Find more details here.

These categories are included in both the Consolidated Appropriations Act (passed December 2020) and the American Rescue Plan (passed March 2021).

Need assistance with funding approvals?
A VS America Territory Manager will be happy to help you put these details together for funding approvals. For help, reach out to us at info@vsamerica.com or through our contact us form.

Give students every opportunity

Taking care of students is at the heart of it all – and at VS, we know that learning spaces have a long-term impact on students’ physical, mental, and social well-being. Let’s create learning spaces that embody dynamic flexibility, healthy ergonomics, and compassion. Learn how VS’ agile furniture supports student well-being.

Contact VS to learn how you can use ESSER funds towards agile furniture.

Need to furnish classrooms fast? 

VS offers agile furniture that is available fast to meet current learning environment needs. QuickShip products arrive fully assembled so they can be put to use immediately.

Learn more about VS America

Learn more about agile furniture that is built to support student and teacher well-being at www.vsamerica.com, or contact VS at https://vsamerica.com/contact.

This article is designated as Branded Content and School Construction News does not ensure the veracity or accuracy of the information included within.

The post Transform Spaces Using COVID Relief (ESSER) Funds appeared first on School Construction News.

“Watching a child makes it obvious that development of body and mind comes through movement.” – Maria Montessori

Studies have found that schools perform better when exercise is integrated into school life.

An 18-month research study in several German elementary schools showed students with sensomotoric – or muscle – stimulation throughout the school day had significantly better test results. Even small movements enabled by a responsive chair, such as VS America’s PantoMove or JUMPER^® Air, can play an important role in performance.

More researchers are corroborating the findings that even low-intensity activities can promote good health (Banzer 2011), provided they take place regularly and are integrated into the daily routine (Levine 2002, Burzynska et al. 2014, Altenburg et al. 2015).

The psychologist Jean Piaget has shown that the sensomotoric skills of a child represent the foundation of their intellectual, social, and personal development. A lack of proprioceptive sensory experiences can lead to posture and behavior problems, lack of concentration, and weakness in language, reading, and math.

Movement is the way forward

Thinking and learning do not just happen in the head. From the moment of birth until an advanced age, the body is an integral part of well-being and of all intellectual processes. This also includes many intuitive activities that most of us are not even aware of and that emerge rather incidentally.

Researchers refer to these as “Non-exercise activity thermogenesis” (NEAT) (Levine 2002). They include all musculature activities that are not consciously organized and include everyday physical activities such as moving a chair back and forth, intuitive changes of position when standing or working on the floor, moving one’s hands while talking, and even nervous foot-tapping.

Furniture in the learning space plays a pivotal role as it greatly influences physiological learning behavior and social interactions. Furniture also creates opportunities for healthy and needs-appropriate behaviors by opening up possibilities for posture and movement.

Importance of Dynamic Sitting

Watch Dr. Dieter Breithecker, Health and Kinetics Scientist, explain the difference between rigid and dynamic sitting, and why dynamic sitting is necessary for student health and well-being at https://youtu.be/iWluEWTaawM. He also explains what to look for in a chair design to ensure the chair absorbs and supports spontaneous activity, keeping the brain alert and engaged.

Learn More About VS America

Learn more about agile furniture that is built to support student and teacher well-being at www.vsamerica.com, or contact VS at https://vsamerica.com/contact.

This article is designated as Branded Content and School Construction News does not ensure the veracity or accuracy of the information included within.

The post Test the Benefits of Movement in the Classroom appeared first on School Construction News.

“Clutter is a universal problem. Teachers really need an easier way to organize, store, and access their materials. SPACE is a simple, empowering system that optimizes space and reduces costs.”
-DAVID A. STUBBS II, SPACE Designer

SPACE is a system that enables teachers and students to store resources based on frequency of use and ease of access. Designed by David A. Stubbs II, SPACE is an all-school system that solves all kinds of issues. Cuts clutter. Improves workflow. Optimizes resources. Raises visibility. Invites creative collisions. Empowers teachers and students. And can store 40% more than standard casework. Ultimately saving costs too.

Backpacks and books. Flutes and forks. Storage to-go schoolwide.
How it works. The mobile carts, or SpaceWalk, are used to gather shared resources from the storage areas. Teachers and administrators – sometimes aided by students – select bins needed for the day or week. Then they roll the cart to wherever the lesson or activity takes place. Once the task is completed they return the materials to the storage areas. The wide variety of bins and carts in this system are designed to handle just about everything.

Schools that pivot well, do well.
As we’ve all recently seen, the ability to pivot, shift, and adapt to the times is a core competency needed at all schools. Architects, designers, and school planners are increasingly being tasked with creating spaces that foster a wider range of collaborative and personalized learning opportunities. Agility is key here and SPACE is light years beyond other storage methods by freeing classrooms of clutter, casework, and junk closets. In addition, SPACE adapts to change by being easy to scale and customize as you go.

SPACE: A smarter system to organize, see, and share resources.
Learning spaces shouldn’t have to be default repositories for supplies, from tubs of wipes to glue sticks. SPACE Depots and storage areas reduce clutter and overstuffed casework.

Organizing and storing resources with the SPACE system cleans up the classroom and creates more space for teaching off the walls. The mobility of the bins, including those designed for books, supports personalized learning and student agency.

Learn more
To learn more about SPACE, contact VS America at info@vsamerica.com.
Learn more about agile furniture that is built to support student and teacher well-being at www.vsamerica.com.

This article is designated as Branded Content and School Construction News does not ensure the veracity or accuracy of the information included within.

The post SPACE: The All-School Storage System appeared first on School Construction News.

“The learning space is as fluid as the curriculum, or fluid as the day needs to be. It’s driven by the students.” – Michelle Braxton, Fourth Grade Teacher, Discovery STEM Academy

Learning spaces are an integral component of STEM. At Discovery STEM Academy, dynamic learning spaces – designed to support flexible, experiential, and project-based learning – pair with a curriculum centered on STEM, to prepare students for the future while maximizing their learning experience in the present.

“I think if you look at where we’re going in our culture, everything’s based around science, technology, engineering, and math,” says Erin Weaver, Third Grade Teacher. “STEM’s important because it’s where our future is going. The physical learning space here at Discovery STEM is so different than other schools. We have a collaborative learning zone, and it’s set up for students to go out and work. This place is set up for them to go explore.”

In this case study, find out how Discovery STEM Academy, an elementary school in Newport News, VA, implemented key elements of their learning design using VS America’s agile furniture and the learning environments designed by Grimm + Parker.

Read more at https://vsamerica.com/case-studies/discovery-stem-academy.

The post Case Study: Discovery STEM Academy appeared first on School Construction News.