The 21^st Century School Buildings Program was created to address Baltimore City’s aging and inadequate public school buildings. Education advocacy groups, the district, and a host of community stakeholders across the city built a coalition of support for legislation and funding to modernize Baltimore’s public schools.

B&D was brought on through a joint venture as owner’s representative and program manager to deliver on the promise of new and renovated schools to transform student opportunities and achievement, provide jobs and resources to families, and help revitalize neighborhoods.

Since 2011, B&D has worked to provide state-of-the-art facilities to support the educational goals of the district while working to accommodate shifting demographics during an economic resurgence in the city. B&D has led the planning, design management, construction management, quality assurance/quality control, sustainability consulting, contract administration, and program controls for the program.

An essential part of B&D’s program management work is the delivery of communications and public engagement support. The team employs a variety of communications tools and strategies, ranging from website management and the development of branded promotional materials to social media content creation and media/press management.

In addition, B&D, in conjunction with Baltimore City Public Schools, leads the planning and coordination of all public events, including groundbreakings, ribbon-cuttings, and public forums. For these events, B&D’s communications team has become a valuable resource for graphic design and presentation support, photo and video production, and the organization of youth and community-based activities. By bringing the community together through increased awareness and ownership, B&D has helped make the 21^st Century School Buildings Program a cornerstone and point of pride for communities across the city.

These new schools often represent the first significant public infrastructure investment in neighborhoods that have faced economic hardship. By working to bring the community together, B&D has helped make the 21^st Century School Buildings Program a cornerstone and point of pride for communities across the city. To learn more about the program, visit their website.