110-Degree Classrooms: How Building Maintenance Shapes Student Outcomes, with Jackie Nowicki

The story I pulled for this week from the headlines comes from Virginia Public Media, and it's about Richmond Public Schools.

It's by Kiris Menzenaris.

And the headline says, RPS's return to school highlights growing pressure on aging buildings.

Pretty on point for this.

And it says city leaders are talking about a 1% sales tax to help fund some needed investment in school.

The story notes that across the city, children are learning in buildings that range in age from decades old to centuries old.

Growing up in California, I did not have that experience.

It says in the city's north side, this is very on point, the RPS community is dealing with a delayed start due to mold found at Barack Obama Elementary and suspected mold at both Francis, McClenney, and Bellevue Elementaries.

And then it talks about in the city's south side, on top of aging infrastructure, schools there are facing overcrowding.

The schools are starting to draw increased attention on this issue.

It says the city itself has front-loaded $9.3 million to Richmond schools for its capital improvement plan budget for this current school year.

That's like more than three times what it usually does.

And it says with that, this year, the schools are prioritizing HVAC, structural repairs at several schools.

And there's also schools that are nearing the end of their their use life.

I thought this quote that they use from the RPS board chair, Shavonda Fernandez, was really kind of underscores what we just talked about.

And Chair Fernandez says she's talking about the challenges that students and teachers face.

Despite that, they continue to demonstrate resilience and academic achievement.

And she says they've done their part.

They have demonstrated their ability to achieve.

Now it's our responsibility to make sure their learning environment rises to meet their potential.

And the school to address overcrowding, Richmond Public Schools, says they are kicking off an engagement process as the district works to draft a new facilities plan.

And they plan on holding nine engagement community meetings, one in each.

district.

And at these meetings, they're going to talk about the nature of the buildings, how old they are, what their condition is, what the enrollment is.

And then all this information is going to be brought back to the school board, who is the entity that's in charge of adopting a plan.

The story I pulled for this week from the headlines comes from Virginia Public Media, and it's about Richmond Public Schools.

It's by Kiris Menzenaris.

And the headline says, RPS's return to school highlights growing pressure on aging buildings.

Pretty on point for this.

And it says city leaders are talking about a 1% sales tax to help fund some needed investment in school.

The story notes that across the city, children are learning in buildings that range in age from decades old to centuries old.

Growing up in California, I did not have that experience.

It says in the city's north side, this is very on point, the RPS community is dealing with a delayed start due to mold found at Barack Obama Elementary and suspected mold at both Francis, McClenney, and Bellevue Elementaries.

And then it talks about in the city's south side, on top of aging infrastructure, schools there are facing overcrowding.

The schools are starting to draw increased attention on this issue.

It says the city itself has front-loaded $9.3 million to Richmond schools for its capital improvement plan budget for this current school year.

That's like more than three times what it usually does.

And it says with that, this year, the schools are prioritizing HVAC, structural repairs at several schools.

And there's also schools that are nearing the end of their their use life.

I thought this quote that they use from the RPS board chair, Shavonda Fernandez, was really kind of underscores what we just talked about.

And Chair Fernandez says she's talking about the challenges that students and teachers face.

Despite that, they continue to demonstrate resilience and academic achievement.

And she says they've done their part.

They have demonstrated their ability to achieve.

Now it's our responsibility to make sure their learning environment rises to meet their potential.

And the school to address overcrowding, Richmond Public Schools, says they are kicking off an engagement process as the district works to draft a new facilities plan.

And they plan on holding nine engagement community meetings, one in each.

district.

And at these meetings, they're going to talk about the nature of the buildings, how old they are, what their condition is, what the enrollment is.

And then all this information is going to be brought back to the school board, who is the entity that's in charge of adopting a plan.