In the Beginning: Have a Plan
If you are new to the school business profession or a veteran who has changed districts, you must have two things: (1) updated drawings and (2) a facilities plan. The drawings will help you understand each building and its flow.
The facilities plan describes the district’s infrastructure and considers its long-range growth, goals, and vision. It concludes with a multiyear to-do list of which elements should be considered for repair, replacement, or upgrade.
Best Practice No. 1: Walk the Walk
If you are a new school business official with a business background, you’re probably wondering why facilities planning is important. Whether you have a brand-new building or one that is approaching its 100th birthday, you need to make sure that it is open and safe for all its inhabitants.
Meet with the facilities director to learn more about each building. Devise a schedule that allows you to walk around the buildings often to familiarize yourself with all aspects of the four walls. Plan to go on the roof, to walk the catwalk in the performing arts center, and to examine the boiler room.
At a minimum, you should be able to locate the following for each building:
- The boiler room
- The electrical panels, including the main electrical panel
- The fire alarm and security alarm panels
- Water shut-off valves
- HVAC system and solar energy system information
Learning the history of the buildings and becoming familiar with them will empower you as a school business official. Seeing the condition of the buildings firsthand, rather than having information relayed to you, facilitates a more informed decision-making process. You can also meet with the architect of record to obtain detailed information about the buildings.
If your school board has a facilities committee, schedule walk-throughs of the buildings twice a year with the facilities director and architects. A school board member may not have been in the building for a long time; a walk-through will give him or her a better understanding of the issue you are explaining or why you are looking to renovate or repair a particular area of the building.
Best Practice No. 2: Walk the Walk Outside
Walking the perimeter of the school campus is another way to familiarize yourself with the district. Observe the athletic facilities to see whether an upgrade is needed. Notice the condition of the sidewalks and pavement to ensure that nothing could cause accidents. See whether there are outside garbage receptacles and whether the grounds are landscaped. Look at the windows, doors, and walkways—are there any issues?
The campus grounds provide the first impression for everyone arriving at your schools. Use that perspective when you are surveying the area. Assess the campus in all four seasons and at all hours of the day. See how the building reacts to the weather and decide whether any adjustments are needed. Does the district need more snow removal equipment? Is added lighting needed around walkways or driveways? What you see will help you plan for future (or current) projects.
Best Practice No. 3: Learn the Cleaning Process
Maintaining a clean building during cold and flu season can be challenging. Understanding the daily and nightly cleaning protocols will help you figure out which equipment and supplies are needed and whether you need more team members.
Facilities cleaning is set by schedules; the same projects are typically worked on at about the same time each year. For example, winter and spring breaks can be devoted to small painting projects and deeper cleaning of areas that cannot be done each night. Summer is for full cleaning, repairing, and painting.
Cleaning can be repetitious. Unfortunately, repetition can turn into a diminished work product. Observe what the custodian team members need as part of their work. Do they have a sufficient area to clean—it may be too large or too small.
Typically, all team members have a cleaning cart filled with enough supplies to finish their area before their shift ends. Your observations and communication with the facilities director may indicate the need to purchase more equipment, to reorganize the team and associated assignments at each building, and possibly to consider increases or reductions in force.
Some districts rotate the team members in each building every year. If the district has only one building, the team members are assigned a different area each year, which cross-trains them in case of an absence. Understanding the workflow process allows you to plan for both personnel and supplies.
Usually, the maintenance, custodial, and grounds team members must undergo mandatory training in such areas as right-to-know laws, bloodborne pathogens, and asbestos. In addition, if the team members have not received training on how to clean, consider organizing such a program. Check with the vendors who supply your products and equipment; request a demonstration of a new product or of how to efficiently use a current one. Environmental service organizations also offer professional development on cleaning and sanitizing.
A professional development program customized for the facilities team members will ensure that they all have the proper training to successfully complete their duties.
Best Practice No. 4: Be Present
If your district is involved in construction, it is a good bet that construction meetings will be held.
Although it may be convenient to have the facilities director or the construction manager attend those meetings in your absence, your attendance is needed. Listening, participating, and absorbing all discussions in each meeting are vital to the progress of the projects.
Knowing and working with the contractors will have a positive outcome. A contractor who has a positive experience on a project in your district will most likely want to bid on future opportunities.
Knowledge Is Power
Facilities management can be intimidating. Many regulations, laws, statutes, and codes need to be followed to stay in compliance. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Take as many professional development courses as you can. Most state organizations offer seminars on facilities and related topics.
You and the facilities director should be a team with the common goal of well-maintained and well-kept school complexes. The journey to a well-maintained building is not completed overnight; it takes commitment from the school board, the taxpayers, the administration, and members of the facilities department. When that happens, everyone wins.