TO SCALE
Facilities management in the digital era
When the world shut down, Moises G. Aguirre found himself thinking about roll-up doors. As superintendent of California’s Sweetwater Union High School District, he saw how quickly the pandemic turned every classroom, lab and hallway into a test case for flexibility. “During the pandemic, this issue got magnified. All of a sudden, we needed classrooms with roll-up doors and hybrid spaces that could open up or close down depending on what was happening.”
That simple image—doors rolling up to reveal new possibilities—has become a metaphor for how Sweetwater now approaches design. From modernization projects at Bonita Vista High School to a districtwide rethink of hybrid and virtual learning, Aguirre’s team is working to create spaces that don’t just adapt to change but anticipate it.
At Bonita Vista, what was once an automotive technology lab is being redesigned with flexibility built in. The new layout includes two large roll-up doors, open-air flow, and modular equipment that allows the space to serve as both a traditional shop and a hands-on hybrid classroom. “It’s not just about the programs we have now,” Aguirre says. “It’s about being ready for what comes next.”
That same mindset drives the district’s newest experiment in partnership and design—a collaboration with the City of Chula Vista that turns a brand-new public library into the home of Sweetwater’s Launch Virtual Academy. The library, known as Millenia, will host 35 to 40 virtual teachers in tech-enabled studios complete with green screens and motion-tracking cameras.
“It’s a beautiful example of how we can be smarter with our construction funding,” Aguirre says. “The city covers the cost of the building, and we handle the tenant improvements. We get a modern teaching environment, and they get a dynamic community hub. Everyone benefits.”
The Launch Virtual Academy serves roughly 700 to 800 students, a niche group that thrives in flexible environments—athletes balancing travel, students working to support their families, and those pursuing arts or other specialized programs. For them, the new space isn’t just a studio; it’s a bridge between access and opportunity.
On the sustainability side, Sweetwater Union High School District views the strategy as a responsibility. Sweetwater has been quietly building its green footprint for years, long before it became a statewide mandate. Nearly every campus in the district now operates with solar panels, a move that has cut energy costs and served as a hands-on teaching tool for students learning about environmental science and technology. “We were early adopters of solar,” Aguirre says. “It’s not anything recent—it’s part of how we’ve learned to be good stewards of our environment.”
“If we make our students and staff feel comfortable, then we’ve enhanced the environment to support learning outcomes from high-quality instruction.”
— Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Tonawanda City School District
That stewardship extends beyond rooftops. The district is in the midst of phasing in electric buses—about a dozen so far from a fleet of 80—and installing charging infrastructure strategically across its north, south, east and west boundaries to keep routes efficient. Each phase is carefully tested, from how the buses handle California heat to how battery range is affected when air conditioning or heating is in use. “We decided to start small and learn,” Aguirre says. “These investments take a long time and a lot of resources, so before we make those commitments, we want to make sure there’s a sustainable long-term plan.”
It’s the same mindset that guides every facility decision at Sweetwater—thoughtful, deliberate and grounded in real-world performance. Whether it’s solar power, battery backup systems or the next evolution of electrification, Aguirre’s team approaches innovation with one principle in mind: test first, scale second.
Designed for What’s Next
At Tonawanda City School District in upstate New York, Superintendent Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D., sees every inch of school space as an opportunity to inspire—and adapt.
Take the planning and implementation of building-wide WiFi systems, which have been a tremendous support in enabling more building spaces to be instructional and support environments for students and staff. From classrooms and cafeterias to media centers and playgrounds, flexibility has become the foundation of modern learning.
The district’s newly reimagined Media Center represents this shift in full color. Out are the walls of shelving and static furniture. In are modular tables, reconfigurable seating, and interactive displays that make collaboration and creativity the default setting. “We engaged with the furniture provider early on in the process,” Dr. Oldenburg says. “That allowed us to design spaces around the types of furniture that would be used within them.”
The result—rooms that can morph to meet any learning style, from small group discussion to sensory support or outdoor exploration. Even kindergarten classrooms have been designed with moveable seating that stacks, rocks and encourages movement.
Behind the walls, technology quietly keeps pace. Tonawanda’s facility systems reflect a growing trend among K-12 districts—designing for comfort, sustainability and intelligence. HVAC and lighting controls adapt automatically to changing conditions, ensuring fresh air, balanced temperatures, and customizable lighting for each classroom.
Teachers can adjust dimming and tone to match lessons, while IT-connected sensors alert facilities management to energy fluctuations in real time. “If we make our students and staff feel comfortable, then we’ve enhanced the environment to support learning outcomes from high-quality instruction,” Dr. Oldenburg says.
“It’s not just about the programs we have now. It’s about being ready for what comes next.”
— Moises G. Aguirre, Superintendent, Sweetwater Union High School District
Safety also has evolved beyond locked doors and surveillance cameras. Tonawanda’s new elementary school combines physical design with smart technology—a single controlled entrance, impact-resistant glass and a comprehensive monitoring network tied to smart door access, motion sensors and adaptive public address systems with color-coded visual alerts. “We wanted a building that was secure but still welcoming to our students, families, and community,” Dr. Oldenburg says.
Sustainability threads through every design choice, from preserving the original 1936 school structure to integrating daylighting, green materials and efficient MEP systems. Even lighting systems respond to ambient sunlight, automatically dimming to conserve energy while improving student well-being. “The relationships we maintain with our architects and construction management firms are vital,” Dr. Oldenburg says. “These partnerships give us a refined perspective on long-term planning and help us design spaces that grow with our students.”
In many K-12 school districts across the country, the blueprint is spaces that think, breathe and evolve with the people who use them. In the digital era of K-12 education, facilities management isn’t just about maintaining buildings; it’s about designing living systems that learn right alongside their students.
