A school’s physical environment impacts a school’s culture and expectations of its students and visitors. Well-maintained facilities help create a culture of responsibility and a sense of pride in the community. A welcoming environment facilitates learning and inspires positive behavior. With over 25% of U.S school facilities not meeting maintenance standards, educators face challenges in creating a welcoming school environment.
Track Before Track After
Piedmont I.B. Middle School in Charlotte, NC used a Jimmie Johnson Foundation/ Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Champions Grant to transform their aged track. The school was able to host a home track meet for the first time, something they had never had the capacity to do before. Providing a community space instilled a sense of school pride which carried into other aspects of school life, increasing classroom learning, improved behavior, and a sense of community.
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Studies Cited:
Alexander, D., and Lewis, L. (2014). Condition of America’s Public School Facilities: 2012–13 (NCES 2014-022).U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Livermore, Craig. “Unrelenting Expectations: A More Nuanced Understanding of the Broken Windows Theory of Cultural Management in Urban Education.” Penn GSE Perspectives on Urban Education 5.2 (2008): n2.