Schools Are Judged By Their "covers"

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The third movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy

, At World's End, is now the most expensive movie ever made, with whopping production costs of 300 million dollars. Considering the number of locations where it was filmed (including California, Niagara Falls, Utah and the actual Caribbean) and the complexity of the sets - the water-drenched set for the climactic sea battle was shot in an air hangar in Palmdale, CA and kept at freezing temperatures to prevent bacterial infection, for example - it's probably safe to say that a nice chunk of that money was spent on sets and special effects. It is not unusual for the movie industry to spend disproportionate amounts of money and time on what are really background details.

Why? Why does Hollywood spend such astronomical sums on movie sets and realistic shooting locales?

Because no matter how good a movie plot might be, if the setting isn't up to snuff, studios fear a box office disaster.

This axiom can work in reverse, as well. There are movies that were major box-office successes despite having less-than original plots. Why? Because the special effects and spectacular sets were a hit with the audience (my personal votes for this category: Top Gun and Titanic).
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No matter how much we may wish it were otherwise, the fact is that people do judge things by their appearance.

When parents are looking for a school for their children - or when they come to pay a visit to the school to see how their kids are doing - if the "backdrops" and "scenery" are sub-par, that's going to influence their opinion of the school no matter how much the staff may be investing in the quality of their teaching. And - as sad as it may sound - if a school's aesthetics and para-educational resources are spectacular, the public will be favorably impressed, the school's reputation will get a major boost. Additionally, there is a strong connection between looks and functionality.

The good news, however, is that investing in school aesthetics doesn't have to be expensive. Just as there are movies whose plots don't require any special effects or locations and can therefore be produced on a low budget (Paranormal Activity, anyone?), so can schools improve the way they look without a huge monetary investment.

There are four crucial areas to keep in mind when trying to improve the aesthetics of your school:

The first thing to keep an eye out for is lighting. Bright corridors and well-lit classrooms make everything look cleaner and even larger. Fluorescent lighting is relatively inexpensive and can be very attractive, as well. Play with a variety of cooler and warmer tones to prevent an "antiseptic" atmosphere that can result from white fluorescent light. Just remember that once your school is well-lit, the dirt will be more visible as well so make sure that your cleaning crew is up to the task!

Now that you can see everything well, it's time to move on to furniture. While this is potentially the most expensive aspect of school aesthetics, it is also one of the most crucial, as quality (not to mention whole!) furniture adds tremendously not only to the way a classroom looks, but to the extent to which children can remain focused throughout the day. It's much easier to sit for long periods of time in a sturdy, supportive chair than in an unstable, rigid one, and attractive furniture creates a much more inviting, cheerful atmosphere, too.

So conduct a classroom-to-classroom furniture "audit" and compose a list of items that are either in need of repair or replacement. If you find that the situation requires a great deal of furniture replacement, consider purchasing color-coordinated furniture such as the Educational Edge or Inspiration lines by Academia. The latter allows you to color-coordinate chairs, desks and teacher's furniture, while the former offers total color-coordination including bookcases, shelves and storage cabinets, and affords a full line of educational furniture from preschool through 12th grade. This kind of attention to detail will really create an inviting learning environment that the students (no, not only the parents) will actually very much enjoy. And if this sounds financially daunting, don't get cold feet before you start. There are furniture manufacturers and distributors that offer excellent financing and payment plans for schools. (Hertz Furniture, for example, has a leasing program through which the furniture is yours to keep.)

A third component is accessories. Inexpensive extras like smart directories, attractive bulletin boards, and well-designed notice centers boost efficiency as well as add an atmosphere of professionalism and organization. Attractive wastebaskets do the same, as do eye-catching directional signs. This is especially true for the school office, where pandemonium can easily reign due to the sheer volume of paperwork that goes on there.

The fourth, and last area we'll talk about is the students themselves. Students will be much more likely to take care of their school if they have a hand in planning and executing decisions regarding the way their school looks. Involve them in creating beautiful murals and wall decorations for both classrooms and corridors, from the brainstorming stages all the way through. You'll be surprised at how creative they can be, and how much more of an attachment they'll feel for their place of learning - and how satisfied their parents will be to feel that their choice of school was well-placed.

by: Lee Griffin

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