Stephens can help board members earn training hours

Stephens can assist school board members with obtaining their required professional development hours. Arkansas law generally requires that board members obtain up to six hours of certified professional development on topics related to school operations.

ASBA has deemed Stephens’ financial advisors as certified trainers able to provide up to four hours of school finance training annually toward ASBA’s Boardsmanship Awards Program. Normally held in the evening or on a weekend, this free training workshop will address topics ranging from state and local funding revenue sources to debt financing of capital projects. Stephens believes this type of workshop can be particularly useful if a board is considering how to finance future capital projects.

To learn more about how Stephens can assist your district, contact Michael McBryde of Stephens Public Finance at 501.377.2641 or visit www.stephens. com headquartered in Little Rock. With an SSA, the district creates savings by purchasing renewable energy from Entegrity at a fixed price lower than its current electricity rate.

The solar energy produced by the new array will reduce the district’s carbon use equivalent to saving 310,602 gallons of gasoline or powering 348 homes for a year. Students will gain firsthand experience with the rapidly growing renewable energy industry, learning how solar energy positively impacts their everyday lives.

To learn more, contact Entegrity at info@entegritypartners.com or visit www.entegritypartners.com.

Not only does this help generate revenue, but it also increases community involvement, creating a win-win for both towns and schools.

For more information about Nabholz, visit nabholz.com.

Jasper opens FEMA shelter designed by Modus

Nabholz building multi-purpose dining spaces

Entegrity helps El Dorado flip switch on energy savings

The El Dorado School District “Flipped the Switch” Jan. 30 to celebrate its 1.75 MW-AC solar array, which was newly constructed with the help of Entegrity.

The project will offset 88% of the district’s energy usage and expenses, saving it more than $128,000 annually.

The district entered into a solar services agreement (SSA) with Entegrity, an energy efficiency and solar company

Nabholz can help schools build multipurpose dining spaces. With schools looking for more ways to stretch their construction dollars, this new type of feature is trending in K-12 design. Some schools are building these multi-purpose dining spaces instead of traditional cafeterias and leasing these spaces to organizations to produce extra revenue. Once in place, these areas often become makeshift town halls and community gathering spots.

Multi-purpose dining spaces aren’t new. Many times, cafeterias serve a variety of purposes for schools, such as doubling as performance halls. However, these new spaces are built and designed to offer a professional setting. Most often, schools will invest in audio and visual equipment, create a more mature and neutral aesthetic, and even invest in removable walls so these spaces can fit the needs of organizations and businesses in the community.

Jasper School District has completed construction on its 3,881-square-foot FEMA shelter at its elementary campus. Designed by Fayetteville architecture firm Modus Studio, and constructed by Circle M Construction Management, the building serves as a safe location for students and residents to gather when the community is threatened by a tornado or severe weather. When not being used as a shelter, the facility serves as an elementary physical education space and includes an office and restrooms. The precast concrete exterior features a color-illuminated entrance awning and a FEMA-rated window system.

For more information, go to www. modusstudio.com or call 479.455.5577.

M3 Services’ remote thermostats prevent winter school disaster

M3 Services helped one south Arkansas school district prevent a potential disaster when the thermostats were left in the off position over the Christmas break.

The district with help from M3 Services had installed a smart thermostat system with remote access capabilities. As temperatures plunged across the region and reports of burst pipes were rampant, the district could warm up the nearly 300 freezing rooms and avoid costly repairs.

Schools that have traditional controls for their HVAC system have limited ac- cess to their equipment when away from the facilities. With utility-based incentive programs, this school and others have installed these smart thermostat systems at zero cost to themselves.

For more information, go to www. m3svs.com or call 501.991.4822.

Schools can use state ARBuy to procure goods

The state of Arkansas is working to engage local government buyers and suppliers to help nurture connections among communities. Through its ARBuy procurement system, school districts are provided free access to statewide contracts, sharing benefits with the state and other local entities.

ARBuy provides contract shopping and bid solicitation in one location.

In addition, school districts and other buyers at the state agency level can shop and purchase the goods and services they need, while ensuring compliance and enhancing the community.

To learn more about using ARBuy to shop statewide contracts, contact Reid Hall, government account manager, at 844.470.5021 or visit ARBuy.info.

Jonathan Warren. “This project was four years in the making, and the students, families, and community have a great new building to be extremely proud of. We are excited to have patrons in the building cheering on the students and attending all sorts of different events.”

For more information, contact Leigh Ann Showalter at lshowalter@crcrawford.com or Jordan Ligon at jligon@ crcrawford.com, or go to www.crcrawford.com ing directly with Dr. Maria Montessori a century ago, VS has continued to create ergonomic, student-centered furniture solutions for schools worldwide.

School leaders are now turning to learning space experts for guidance to make sure every student and teacher has the best supports in place.

“VS has always created high quality, innovative furniture,” said Scot Morris, regional sales manager.

The company focuses on student health and well-being, and on teaching and learning success as supported and empowered by learning spaces.

“Our teachers and students deserve educational spaces that help them to be their very best,” said Morris.

For more information, contact Morris at 704.378.6500, or go to vsamerica.com.

Arkansas Public Safety installs Greenbrier weapons detectors

Greenbrier School District became Arkansas’ first to use the Motorola Concealed Weapons Detection system Jan. 30 at the high school, junior high, and middle school campuses.

Little Rock-based Arkansas Public Safety Solutions built the system, which allows a normal flow of traffic. The system receives daily updates on new weapons threats and can integrate with local public safety agencies.

C.R. Crawford was construction manager for Huntsville center

C.R. Crawford was the construction manager of Huntsville School District’s 54,619-square-foot activity center. With its timely completion, the district hosted several community and district events and kicked off basketball season. It was designed by Architecture Plus.

“The new Huntsville Activity Center has been a valuable addition to and a great source of pride for our school and community,” said Superintendent

“This was our first day using this system, and I sent around 600 kids through today, and we got them to class basically on time, which will only get better as we use it every day,” said Jason Miller, junior high principal. “My biggest takeaway from this Concealed Weapons Detection system is that my students and staff are safer.”

For more information about Arkansas Public Safety Systems, go to www. motorolaapss.com

VS celebrates 125 years, offers school furniture solutions

Founded in 1898, VS is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. Since work-

Baldwin & Shell facilitates community simulations for PCSSD

Baldwin & Shell helped facilitate Newtonia Go!, a three-hour community and economic development simulation that helps participants experience the development of a community from the ground up, for more than 50 Pulaski County Special School District Career Academy Ambassadors.

Baldwin & Shell also helped facilitate a Community Action Poverty Simulation, an interactive immersion experience that provides a glimpse into the structural barriers of poverty in order to transform participants’ perspectives about their communities. More than 50 Pulaski County Special School District Career Academy Ambassadors participated.

Baldwin & Shell sponsored the lunches.

For more information about Baldwin & Shell, go to www.baldwinshell.com.

French Architects designs Jessieville Health Center

French Architects helped design the Jessieville Health Center, a school-based health center serving the community and the students of Jessieville. The school received a grant for this program and has opened the community services side and student services side as well as started offering dental services this year. Jessieville continues to be surrounded by supportive community members and now enjoys the opportunity to provide a health center they can use as well.

For more information about French Architects, email David French at david@frencharchitects.net, or check out the firm’s Facebook page.

TIPS awarding vendors for largest contracts

TIPS is selecting multiple vendors with which school districts can work in some of its largest performing contracts in technology and construction.

The Interlocal Purchasing System, also known as TIPS Purchasing Cooperative, assists school districts in improving student performance and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of school operations.

To see newly awarded vendors, go to www.tips-usa.com/vlist.cfm

American Fidelity can educate staff members on benefits

American Fidelity can help school districts implement consistent benefits education, including compliance and regulatory updates. Career account managers can meet with employees to cover benefits education during enrollment, and they can provide presentations on Section 125 plans, reimbursement accounts, or updates to federal and state compliance regulations. American Fidelity also can work with employers to create a custom benefits website with enrollment preparation information and an enrollment appointment scheduler. The company has benefit videos, customized emails for staff, and printed materials.

For more information, go to americanfidelity.com or call 800.688.4421.

Architecture Plus helps build Prairie Grove Middle School

Architecture Plus provided architectural and engineering services for the new Prairie Grove Middle School.

The facility sits on newly purchased and undeveloped property across from the Prairie Grove High School. The exterior complements the high school in material, color and texture.

Hight Jackson designs addition to Bentonville West

Hight Jackson Associates designed an addition to the Bentonville West High School. Construction is to be completed in December 2023.

The original design included strategic planning for future additions to accommodate future growth. Current projects include a 21,528-square-foot addition with 16 classrooms, a selfcontained learning area with kitchen and bathroom, egress stairs, and four remodeled classrooms and two new teacher workrooms. A 16,640-squarefoot addition includes eight classrooms, a culinary arts room, choir room, two teacher workrooms, egress stairs, and four remodeled classrooms. A revamped football stadium home side entry includes a new ticket booth with ornamental fencing and large graphic over the existing pressbox structure. The project includes a new parking lot with 341 spaces and a road extension and widening of Wolverine Drive.

For more information, call 479.464.4965 or go to www.hjarch.com.

Architecture Plus worked closely with Prairie Grove School District to create a functional, secure plan. The new facility consists of 22 classrooms; music, art and career education spaces; a P.E. facility; student dining with a stage; and exterior dining, which can double as an outdoor classroom. All of the glazing is protected with security film.

For more information, visit archplusinc.net.

Strategos marks 20 years of service

Strategos International, a safety/ security/workplace violence consulting and training firm, celebrated its 20th anniversary last June.

“Never did I dream in 2002, when we were exclusively training law enforcement and military professionals, we would be where we are today and serving so many clients globally in nearly every vertical market,” said Vaughn Baker, co-founder. “(Co-founder) Mark Warren and I give all the glory to God for how he has blessed us, guided us and provided for us and His company in this journey! We also could not have done this without the valuable contribution from all employees and contractors of Team Strategos!”

For more information, go to www. strategosintl.com or contact Steve Anderson at 501.617.4718.