My Campus Needs a Refresh. Where Do I Start?
You know the feeling. You walk across campus one day and suddenly notice everything.
The landscaping looks tired. The furniture has seen better days. The gym floor is showing its age. There’s that patch of grass that simply refuses to cooperate. A few signs could use replacing. And has that light always flickered?
Before you know it, your “campus refresh” has turned into a capital improvement plan with 47 line items.
GOOD NEWS: You don't have to fix everything at once!
Start with a walk. Not a wish list.
One of the best suggestions from MISBO partner The Budd Group is to walk your campus through someone else’s eyes. What does a prospective family notice first? Where do students spend their time? What do employees see every day that you may have stopped noticing?
Campus Services Group recommends using that walkthrough to assess overall readiness—from entrances, signage and landscaping to athletic fields, gathering areas, parking lots and outstanding repairs. Their Fall Planning Checklist then helps schools move from assessment to action by coordinating project calendars, preventive maintenance, safety inspections and capital improvements.
As you walk, think about three things: IMPACT, RISK, and COST.
A worn entrance everyone sees may deserve attention before a tucked-away space. A safety issue moves straight to the front of the line. And sometimes a relatively inexpensive fix like fresh mulch, pressure washing, better lighting, new signage, or a furniture refresh can make a surprisingly big difference.
Think: Do Now. Plan Next. Dream Big.
Instead of one giant list, divide projects into three practical buckets
Not sure which bucket each project belongs in? MISBO Consortium Partner CONSOLL’s interactive Campus Refresh Scorecard helps school leaders rate seven key areas, from first impressions and learning spaces to safety, accessibility and future readiness.
The results provide a practical starting point for identifying quick wins, planning longer-term projects and narrowing the list to your top three campus priorities.
A refresh isn’t only cosmetic.
Your learning spaces matter, too. Lakeshore Learning Materials describes the physical environment as the “Third Teacher.” Flexible furniture, opportunities for movement, intentional use of light and color, and spaces students can help shape can make an older classroom work better without requiring a full renovation.
Outside, look for spaces that aren’t working as hard as they could. Southern Turf Co. shares examples of schools turning worn, muddy areas into cleaner, more usable gathering and play spaces with artificial turf, reducing issues with watering, mud, and ongoing maintenance.
And sometimes “refresh” simply means recognizing when maintenance has reached the end of its useful life. At Pace Academy, for example, CBA Sports recently refinished the Inman Gymnasium floor after more than 15 years since its previous sanding.
Make sure the list actually becomes work.
OperationsHERO makes a great point: finding the problems is the easy part. Making sure they get fixed is the work.
Their Facilities Walkthrough recommends checking everything from life safety and HVAC to classrooms, accessibility, athletics, roofs, lighting and walkways. And then giving every deficiency an owner, date, and work order. Their online inspection guide also recommends starting with one manageable walkthrough and building from there.
Start with fresh eyes.
Grab a colleague, your phone, and maybe a cup of coffee. What needs attention now? What can wait? And what one improvement would make people say, “Wow, this looks great”?
Start there.
And, of course, before you start shopping, check the MISBO Purchasing Consortium. Chances are, we have a partner ready to help you tackle that list, and save some money while you’re at it.
Partner resources referenced
When a school campus looks “tired,” the instinct is to build a long list of beautification and improvement projects. The landscaping needs attention. Buildings need fresh paint. Furniture is showing its age. Some signs are outdated. Lighting could be better. Athletic facilities need improvement. Playgrounds and outdoor spaces could use an update. And somewhere on the list are the repairs that have been needed for months.
LEARN MORE
Campus Refresh Scorecard: A quick assessment tool for school leaders
Every school wants to create an environment that supports learning, inspires students, and makes a positive first impression on families and visitors. Whether you're planning a major renovation or considering smaller facility upgrades, this scorecard will help you identify opportunities that can have the greatest impact on your campus.
In today’s rapidly changing education landscape, schools are asked to do more than ever—bolster student achievement, support social-emotional learning, manage technology overload and more. But what if one of the most underutilized resources was hiding in plain sight? Known as the “third teacher,” the design of a classroom—or any other space—can either support or stifle students’ education.
School campuses experience constant use and wear and tear, and outdoor spaces often show it first. Between students, daily activities, sports and unpredictable weather, these areas can quickly become worn, muddy and difficult to maintain. Thoughtfully planned outdoor spaces not only improve curb appeal, but also create better environments for students to play, learn and spend time together.
A MISBO Success Story with CBA Sports and Pace Academy
After 15 years of continued service, Pace Academy’s Inman Gymnasium gets a new design and updated finish! Gym floor renovation and refinishing probably aren’t the top of a facility manager’s list. But there is a time when annual polyurethane coating is not going to suffice.
You know your buildings better than anyone. The challenge during back-to-school season is making sure every problem you spot survives the trip from your clipboard to an actual work order.
Print this, walk your campus, and check them off.
VIEW BACK TO SCHOOL WALKTHROUGH
Campus Services Group’s Fall Planning Checklist helps schools assess campus conditions and readiness as the academic year gets underway, including entrances, grounds, athletic facilities, common areas, maintenance needs and safety systems. It also provides practical reminders for coordinating fall events, reviewing preventive maintenance and capital projects, and finalizing project schedules.
Find more MISBO Consortium Partners
Susan Kimmel
Director of the Purchasing Consortium
404.920.8844
Susan curates the MISBO Purchasing Consortium by maintaining and enhancing current partner relationships and pursuing new partnerships based on the needs of our members. Susan educates and informs members of the benefits of utilizing the MISBO Purchasing Consortium. She facilitates communications with partners concerning contracts and product offerings and assists in providing optimal partner exposure. Susan has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, an MBA with an emphasis in MIS, and a certificate in Social Media Marketing, Leadership Excellence, and AI Prompting. In her spare time, Susan is a mom to four grown kids, Gigi to five adorable grandbabies, a personal growth junkie, crochet hobbyist, travel enthusiast, dog lover ... cat tolerator, DIY wanna-be, outdoorsy-ish, and an occasional binge watcher.
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