Campus Classroom Considerations

Since this should be the most numerous type of a room in a school building, getting a template down is required. This template should be able to assist a lot of the people involved in the project including the cablers, electricians, other trades (HVAC), construction manager, architect, campus administration, etc.

Things to consider:

• Where will the teacher sit? This question will influence number of data drops along with your AV requirements
• Will the teacher have a phone at that location?
• will the teacher need a dedicated network drop? (or use wireless only)
• Will the teacher display onto a projection device such as a projector or interactive wall or interactive white board. 
• Which wall will be used as the projection wall? This wall will need to have sufficient unused wall space to display an image. (no cubbies, no coat racks, no storage areas). This one wall will be the bane of your existence at times as construction has to be make field adjustments and the wall will move due to a variety of reason. Make sure you or a team member/consultant are always notified if this wall changes in any location.
• Will the students use Wi-Fi only or wired drops. I'd recommend that all students use Wi-Fi, even on older desktops. Put a wifi card/usb stick on em (make sure it is a/b/g/n/ac). Putting any more user data in the wall nowadays doesn't make sense
• How many above ceiling drops do you need?
• Projector management
• Access point -- 2 drops, yes 2. 802.11ac can exceed 1G and you aren't buy 10g user ports are you (as of 2014).
• IP Speaker(s)
• Security camera -- Yeah, this may not exist yet, but its cheaper to do cabling now.
• HVAC? 
• Extra ( again, its cheaper now when you have people onsite. Figure a 40% mark-up to have someone add a single drop later, even 4 weeks after schools starts).
• What will need power?
• Teachers accessories such as printers
• Teacher laptop
• Random power for the students. Batteries die. Students and adults fail to charge devices. deal with it. have a plan. extra power outlets on the same circuit isn't that expensive.
• Projector
• Random stuff -- this will kill you if your or the architect doesn't take into consideration. Teachers make popcorn. Teachers like cold drinks. Teacher like radios. All that draws power.
• Network pathways to the core

My typical classroom configuration guide looked like. Please pardon the shalls, must, etc.

1. A teacher location shall consist of the following
1. A dedicated quad power outlet
2. 2 data drops pulled to the nearest IDF. 
3. AV connections to the projector. The AV plate shall have
1. 1 HDMI (1.4 or whatever the current standard is)
2. 1 SVGA with 3.5mm audio -- yes, old school
3. All cables shall be run to the projector location within room
4. All connections shall be 18" above finished floor
2. Student power outlets
1. Each wall shall have 1 dual power outlet.
3. Above ceiling connections
1. AV/Projectors
1. There shall be one power outlet mounted into a 2*2" ceiling grid. This is to provide power to the projector
2. terminations and connections to teacher station in 1.3 above.
3. NO HVAC devices/inputs/outputs shall be within 1 ceiling tile (2*2) of the projector. (winter, hvac sending heat, projector sensor, overheat, work order, well crap).
2. There shall be 6 data connections installed above ceiling (pulled to the nearest IDF)
1. Each classroom will have an access point.. All access point shall have 2 data drops provided
2. Each room shall have a data drop for an IP speaker
3. A data drop for projector management located with the projector
4. A data drop for security cameras
5. A spare data drop for future use
4. Teaching Walls
1. Shall have sufficient space to project an X*X image on the wall or have sufficient space for an interactive white board.
2. Shall be painted with IDEA paint
5. Pathways
1. Each room shall have a sleeved pathway to the main access hallways sufficient to handle 10 data drops. ( I go with 2" sleeve).
2. All cables shall be supported in compliance with all IEEE, local codes, etc. (Google is your friend, search for the verbiage).
3. All data cables shall have at least a 10' service loop at the classroom end

Things to know:

Don't make decisions based on the current teacher. The building and the room will likely outlast the teacher. You are planning for at least 5-7 years. 

Whatever you choose for teaching walls or teacher locations, a certain percentage will say you are wrong. Get over the hurt now.

Mobility is key for users. My thought process is users are wireless, infrastructure is wired. Yeah, i know there are exceptions.