Although many people think of summer as a time to take vacation, Douron is busy working on the educational furnishing process before the school year begins. Especially when that summer involves the completion of eight schools, all within one county.
We will explore the process for Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) furnishings, challenges along the way and the solutions that were provided.
Challenge
It is important to acknowledge that each school has a personality. It is our job to help show that personality through the fabric and finish selection of all furnishings throughout the school.
Scheduling deliveries around all other trades involved in the completion of each school presented its challenges. Whether the floors were being waxed, walls painted, ceiling tiles installed, water sprinklers tested, elevators meeting inspection, etc., Douron delivery and installation teams were prepared to work around their environments.
The completion of all schools on-time, prior to the school year beginning was the biggest challenge of all. Regardless of preparedness, there is always a chance that issues may present themselves along the way.
Solution
To address our concerns for this group of MCPS projects: selecting product and finishes based on each school’s vision, coordinating with other trades and completing all schools on-time, contingency and backup plans were of great importance.
The educational furnishing process included the following:
Initial Meetings
Involving key players, such as principals, administrative staff, architects and designers from the start helps projects go as smoothly as possible. We are able to understand the school’s personality and what the vision looks like.
Live Document
To guide the entire project team throughout the delivery process, a live Excel spreadsheet is created to list proposals and accounts. This document is available to all parties involved and is utilized to identify and resolve potential scheduling issues.
Furniture & Finish Selection
While there are standards of quality in place for product, there is flexibility in how to design each school. Patterned vinyls and fabrics utilized on more commercial style product add a sophisticated design to the learning environments.
Expected Results
With six elementary schools, one middle school and one high school being completed within one summer, the Douron team worked continuously to provide on-time completions.
The furnishing process of all eight MCPS schools’ produced significant results:
Coordination
To remain consistent with the project timeline, it was beneficial to coordinate with all other trades on site. This ensured that daily tasks were handled smoothly.
Personality Brought to Life
The incorporation of fabrics and finishes to showcase each school’s unique personality made an incredible environment that teachers and students were proud to be a part of.
Feedback for Improvement
Improvement is an ongoing process. Douron strives to improve each project moving forward by applying feedback from each school several months following the furniture installation. Keeping in mind that each school has an individual personality.
Conclusion
Today’s classrooms are dynamic and engaging, enabling students and teachers the opportunity to create a variety of educational spaces.
The educational furnishing process is a massive undertaking that needs a lot of coordination to create the stunning outcome of a new, functional school.
Questions about the educational furnishing process? Contact Douron.