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The Coalition for Adequate School housing did it again with another fantastic School Facilities Conference. Hundreds of School administrators, facilities & maintenance people, Project managers, vendors, architects, engineers and others descended on the Sacramento convention center this Monday through Wednesday for the 37th annual C.A.S.H. School Facilities Convention. In her welcoming address Kern County Superintendent of Schools Chief Facilities Officer Jenny Hannah said that this was the most well attended conference to-date.

Beginning Monday morning our group took in informational seminars and engaged in round-table discussions on a myriad of topics related to public school facilities. This was a great opportunity to broaden our knowledge base and stay current in the industry. Our firm had submitted a number of projects to the annual AIACC/CASH Leroy F. Greene Design and planning boards, and presentation boards displaying this work and other entries were arranged throughout the convention hall.

Boards for Rutherford B. Gaston Middle School and Clark Intermediate School Classroom & Admin Building

That night, the C.A.S.H. School Facilities Leadership Academy celebrated the graduation of this year’s cohort. Matt Heiss and Andrew Corral were Darden Architects’ representatives in this challenging organization. For the last year a group of around 30 inspired individuals have endeavored to learn from the experienced industry leaders all subjects related to school facilities planning, funding, design, construction and maintenance. Students also benefit from peer-to-peer learning, with individual and group projects throughout the year. The graduation was a toast to their hard work and accomplishment.

Darden Architects’ very own Matt Heiss and Andrew Corral, CASH School Facilities Leadership Academy Graduates

The assembled graduating C.A.S.H. Academy Cohort

One project in particular, Darden Architects’ design project: Phillip J. Patino School of Entrepreneurship in Fresno Unified School District, was displayed prominently in the conference center having won the Award of Honor in the “Specialized Facility”category. 

Special thanks and congratulations to FUSD for the opportunity to work on this outstanding project. 

This prestigious award was presented at the luncheon on Tuesday. 

Accepting the Award were Mr. Alex Belanger of FUSD, and our own Grant Dodson and Tony Avila

We heard speeches related to the importance of the California State-wide school bond. Mounting school facilities needs present a landscape where the bond’s passage could mean a bright future for our children’s educational future. Donations to the campaign were solicited and contributors celebrated. (CLICK HERE to join Darden Architects in contributing to the 2016 School Facilities Bond Campaign)

California State Capitol building

Each year this conference in Sacramento is a chance to educate ourselves in the multifaceted industry of school planning, design and maintenance. We network, we share information, and make connections that will help inform our work over the next year. Strolling through the exhibit hall is a pleasing reminder of the collaborative atmosphere we share with firms and school districts throughout our region and the state at large. Darden Architects is proud to be among those who contribute each day to excellence in education for the next generation of Californians.