Developing and updating school improvement plans is an annual ritual for virtually all school principals and their school improvement committees. Still, large numbers of schools continue to produce disappointing outcomes. The authors believe that part of the problem is the result of plans that focus on the wrong targets and that rely on ineffective strategies for improvement. To help principals and their school improvement committees develop and implement plans with a greater likelihood of success, the authors offer a step-by-step process for school improvement planning. They go on to pinpoint specific school improvement goals, including raising reading and mathematics achievement, building robust school cultures, addressing the needs of English language learners, improving instruction, and reducing absenteeism and dropouts. For each goal, a variety of objectives and proven strategies is presented along with sample school improvement plans. The book addresses the differences in planning to turn around a low-performing school, planning to sustain improvements over time, and planning to move a good school to a great school.

Flexibility, safety and accessibility: in addition to the current technical, energy and environmental standards, school buildings require innovative structural solutions which extend far beyond the building design. The authors guide the reader through the cultural development of school buildings, presenting stakeholders as well as historical and contemporary learning concepts, defining organizational tasks, formulating quality standards of contemporary learning and working as well as presenting typologies and spatial organizational models, which were created in cooperation with the foundation, the Montag Stiftung, as part of the project Guidelines for Productive School Buildings. 32 international school buildings are presented through detailed drawings and photographs, arranged according to their levels of education. Ten design parameters for school construction round off this practical design manual. With contributions by Natascha Meuser, Hans Wolfgang Hoffmann, Thomas Müller and Jochem Schneider

A new paradigm in facility management A unique, just-in-time resource from profession leader Eric Teicholz, Facility Design and Management Handbook empowers you to make your facility state of the art. Packed with tips from U.S. and international case studies from government, health care, retail, finance, manufacturing, and academia, this guide gives you access to theproductivity tools, technologies, and stratagems that have revolutionized the field in the last five years, helping you to: Find the best, most cost-effective solutions for issues from “greenness” and sustainability to disaster recovery and technology integration Use new tools for space and asset allocation, project management, process coordination, and systems integration Improve accuracy in financial forecasting, budgeting, architectural and interior design planning, and market research Create cost-effective “smart” buildings with state-of-the art security, energy management, lighting strategies, and maintenance efficiency Discover innovative solutions for human resources needs Integrate the Internet into your management program Automate nearly all your tasks for major productivity gains Apply benchmarking standards and other measurements that demonstrate and assure facility management productivity Accompanying time-saving, efficiency-boosting CD-ROM is loaded with sample documents—from budgets, schedules, plans to cost-benefit analyses, checklists, forms and audits; standards for communications and database, integration, building and construction, CAD conventions; Web links and other resources.

Plan, design, execute, and manage building construction projects This hands-on engineering textbook shows, step-by-step, how to work through the many stages of a building construction project―from planning and material selection through compliance, safety, and quality assurance. Written by a pair of highly respected experts in the industry, Handbook for Building Construction: Administration, Materials, Design, and Safety contains best practices, real-world examples, and practical applications. You will discover how to develop design specifications, understand complex codes and regulations, and apply the best methods for building construction jobs of all sizes. Coverage includes: The construction industry The project team Contract administration Construction Accounting Project Estimating Scheduling projects Risk management Building materials and construction methods Foundations Electrical construction Mechanical piping systems HVAC Energy efficient building systems Software support Productivity and quality management Equipment for building construction Safety