GREENVILLE, Wis., Feb. 24, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- School Specialty, Inc. (OTCQB:SCOO) ("School Specialty" or "the Company"), a leading distributor of innovative and proprietary products, programs and services to the education marketplace, today announced the successful completion of four major school projects in Clark County, KY. The cornerstone of this initiative is George Rogers Clark High School, the largest educational facility ever constructed in Kentucky. The other projects include the conversion of the District's former high school into the new Robert D. Campbell Junior High School, the construction of Justice Elementary School, and the conversion of an existing middle school to the new Conkwright Elementary School.
School Specialty's Projects by Design (PbD) team worked closely with the Clark County School District to outfit all four campuses with all-inclusive furniture and equipment solutions that promote modern learning across a variety of disciplines. PbD, which has over 20 years of experience furnishing educational facilities from top to bottom, provided a wide-range of offerings from School Specialty's vast product network to ensure the successful renovation of learning spaces that support the needs of all K-12 students in the community.
Paul Columbia (retired), who worked with PbD during the four projects as Director of Operations for the School District, commented on today's news, "At the outset of this massive three-year overhaul of our schools, we knew we could place our utmost confidence in School Specialty and Projects by Design. Having worked with them for many years, we had full trust in their ability to successfully furnish all four schools in the manner we wanted and within our budget. The George Rogers Clark High School project in particular showcased PbD's abilities and resources, as the team provided state-of-the-art equipment for the school's vocational wing, arts and science sections, and other special areas in addition to more traditional classrooms."
George Rogers Clark High serves as the flagship campus for the District and the entire state of Kentucky, due to its size and the scope of the school's learning environments. PbD provided furniture and equipment for respective areas and all that the District required. For example, PbD outfitted the carpentry lab with shop equipment, paint booths, band saws, drill presses and more. Additionally, for the wellness center, PbD provided treadmills, stationary bikes and a variety of exercise equipment through School Specialty's Sportime physical education line, with the goal of enhancing student health and combating growing obesity concerns for America's youth. PbD also met specific requirements of all other learning environments in the school, from the auto mechanics, welding and information technology labs to the music department.
Throughout all four schools, PbD outfitted spaces with modern furnishings from School Specialty's Classroom Select line. Classroom Select is the result of insights the Company has gleaned from more than 50 years of working closely with educators and architects to deliver top-quality solutions for teaching and learning. Manufactured in the USA, Classroom Select furniture has a lifetime warranty and is built to withstand rigorous use. In addition to its durability, the furniture line is designed specifically to inspire student scholarship, engagement and success in the classroom and beyond. The offerings enhance 21st Century Learning through versatile classroom furniture that fosters student and teacher collaboration and may be customized for different environments. Classroom Select furniture was installed in every classroom across all four Clark County projects.
The successful completion and revamp of the Clark County schools has generated an overwhelmingly positive response from local administrators, teachers, students and the community at large. School Specialty Account Manager, Jim Biles, and Project Coordinator, Paul Sanders, maintain a working relationship with the Clark County School District, and are available to fulfill any follow-on orders or maintenance requests whenever administrators call on them.
Sanders noted, "Our mission at Projects by Design is to provide solutions for educators, not just products. Beyond our industry-leading furniture and equipment offerings, the long-standing relationships we cultivate with the educators we serve set us apart, and our work with Clark County is no different. We are proud of this partnership and believe teachers and students will be the benefactors as a result."
The four recent school projects have only strengthened the relationship between the Clark County School District and School Specialty, and the District continues to call on Projects by Design for furniture and equipment solutions as a result of its considerable satisfaction with the team's work.
About School Specialty, Inc.
School Specialty is a leading distributor of innovative and proprietary products, programs and services to the education marketplace. The Company designs, develops, and provides educators with the latest and very best school supplies, furniture and both curriculum and supplemental learning resources. Working in collaboration with educators, School Specialty reaches beyond the scope of textbooks to help teachers, guidance counselors and school administrators ensure that every student reaches his or her full potential. For more information about School Specialty, visit www.schoolspecialty.com.