Auxiliary Adviser

"Providing Services That Power Education"
Volume 4, Issue 5
December 2003

 

In This Issue:
Employee Recognition Luncheon
Clean Schools, Safe Kids Forum
Maintenance Focus Teams Update
Holiday Closing
WCPSS Winter Reception
Board Approves Goal 2008
Conference Room Availability
Training Schedule

Employee Recognition Luncheon
Come celebrate the "YOU" in AUXILIARY SERVICES. To show our appreciation for all of your hard work this year, the division will hold an Employee Recognition Luncheon, Wed., Dec. 17, from 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the Automotive Shop. Please join us for fellowship, entertainment, and, as usual, lots of food. This year there will even be an Auxiliary Services Bake-Off competition. Ask your department's secretary for details.

We will also collect money for Angels Among Us. All money will go to co-workers having a hard time making ends meet. Please support your Auxiliary Services co-workers - your spare change can make a difference. For more information, e-mail Melanie Hensley at mhensley@wcpss.net or call 856-8010.

Clean Schools, Safe Kids Forum
The Wake County Public School System was the focus of the Clean Schools, Safe Kids Forum, Nov. 19, at Carroll Middle School. Staff shared how its integrated pest management (IPM) program helps safeguard children's health and environmental quality.

"Spraying is a thing of the past here, but it's still the norm across the rest of the state," said Fawn Pattison, executive director of the Agricultural Resources Center/ Pesticide Education Project. "The Wake County school system really deserves a lot of recognition - they're ahead of the rest of the state."

WCPSS Pest Management's mission is to control pests and minimize students and staff exposure to pesticides, said Mike Burriss, assistant superintendent for Facilities. The department utilizes several non-chemical methods of pest prevention, including walk-through inspections, monitoring devices, sanitation, and exclusion.

Since a successful IPM program requires the cooperation of administrators, faculty, maintenance staff, parents and students, Superintendent Bill McNeal and his administrative cabinet endorsed a new pest management policy Nov. 13. The policy states: The Auxiliary Services Division shall implement and adhere to an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program to control structural, harmful and nuisance pests on school properties while minimizing exposure of children, faculty and citizens to pesticides and other chemical materials.

"Before the IPM program, we used more than 300 gallons of concentrate; now, we only use five gallons," explained Burriss. "Before, we used 500 gallons of fogging insecticide, now we don't use it at all. Before, we used about 200 pounds of insecticide dust, now we don't use it at all, either."

To help demonstrate how IPM works, Buddy McCarty, WCPSS Environmental Health and Safety supervisor, and Dr. Godfrey Nalyanya, NCSU School IPM Program, led the group on a walk-through of Carroll Middle's cafeteria. The two pointed out caulking and other sealants, which prevent entry, as well as how the school stored materials off the floor and away from walls.

"The idea is to only use pesticides if other methods aren't successful," said McCarty. "Pesticides are a last resort."

Other forum speakers included Dr. Kathy Shea, pediatrician and assistant professor, Duke University Medical Center; Jay Feldman, executive director, Beyond Pesticides, Washington, D.C.; and Dr. Mike Linker, North Carolina State University School IPM.

Maintenance Focus Teams Update
As part of its commitment to Maintenance Excellence, the Maintenance and Operations Department adopted several initiatives this past spring, such as establishing focus teams. Each of the six teams will meet with LCE - the outside consultant who performed a facilities assessment last year - the week of December 8. LCE will assess our progress and recommend further steps.

Below is a summary of what each team has accomplished and what each is currently working on.

Standard Operating Procedures Team
· Finished work order process (how work orders flow through the schools), which will be taught in Maximo training
· Reviewing failure codes (why equipment breaks down) for the SOP manual

Customer Service Team
· Assessing the need for a Call Center to handle all emergency calls
· Determining criteria for emergency versus non-emergency calls

Preventive Maintenance Team
· Written over 6,000 preventive maintenance work orders in the past year
· Most of the preventive maintenance plans have been established for the new Eastern Region

Material Management Team
· Assisted Denise Boughton with integrating Maximo and Oracle, and automating the purchasing process
· Setting up external material purchases in Maximo to reduce the amount of information that has to be hand-entered on work orders

Custodial Services Team
· Reorganized the way human resources issues are handled in-house
· Defined custodial responsibilities
· Developing an organization plan similar to the maintenance regions

Internal Communications Team
· Included a maintenance column or article in the monthly Auxiliary Adviser newsletter to address questions, concerns and other issues
· Continue posting pertinent information on bulletin boards in Operations Building at Rock Quarry

Holiday Closing 2003-04
Superintendent Bill McNeal
The Administration Building and all satellite locations will be closed for Winter Break Dec. 20, 2003 through Dec. 29, 2003, and again Jan. 1, 2004 through Jan. 4, 2004.

Employees will need to take annual leave on Dec. 22, 23 and Jan. 2. Non-exempt employees may also take comp time that has been accrued prior to these dates. Employees who do not have sufficient annual leave or accrued comp time to cover these days should make prior arrangements with their supervisor to make up the time, to work in other locations, to have annual leave days advanced, to take non-paid leave, or to use some combination of these options.

The Administration Building (3600 Wake Forest Road) will be closed Dec. 20 through Dec. 28 and Jan. 1 through Jan. 4. Card access must be used by employees to enter the building beginning at 8 a.m., and they must exit the building by 5 p.m. The building will not be accessible on Christmas Day or New Year's Day. The heating and air conditioning systems will be in set-back/unoccupied modes in all buildings and schools during Winter Break.

WCPSS Winter Reception
Fri., Dec. 19
Southeast Raleigh High School Cafeteria
2:30 p.m.
Superintendent Bill McNeal will give comments at 3:00 p.m.

Board of Education Approves Goal 2008
After an 18-month community effort, the Wake County Board of Education approved a challenging new academic goal at its meeting, Nov. 5.

Goal 2008 states, "WCPSS is committed to academic excellence. By 2008, 95 percent of students in grades 3 through 12 will be at or above grade level as measured by the State of North Carolina End-of-Grade or Course tests, and all student groups will demonstrate high growth."

Conference Room Availability
Mazie Smith, director of Organizational Development
· Log onto your TAO e-mail account. On the main TAO screen, click on the 'Scheduler' icon (looks like a calendar, 6th from left). This will take you to your 'TAO Scheduler - Daily View For your name'.
· Click on the 'View Calendar for Another Person' icon (looks like a calendar with a magnifying glass, 3rd from right)
· You will now see a 'View Calendar' window. In the 'Search' box type the prefix or name. The drop down list highlights the first name in that group. If this isn't the one you need, scroll down and highlight the appropriate location. Click 'Select' and the room name will appear in the 'View Calendar for:' box in the upper right hand corner. Click 'OK'.
· You will now see the 'Daily View for that room' calendar. To view another day, select the date on the monthly calendar. To look at a date in a future month, select the third triangle beneath the calendar. This will move you forward one month at a time.
· Check the calendar for the date/time you wish to reserve the room. When finished checking, click the 'X' in the top right-hand corner to close this view and return to your main TAO screen.

Stay Informed
The Auxiliary Adviser is e-mailed to subscribers in the school system; and posted on the intranet, Internet and Auxiliary Services Tao bulletin board. A hard copy of the Adviser is also posted on bulletin boards in the Maintenance and Facilities Buildings, placed in each maintenance shop's box, and one is sent to the head custodian and child nutrition staff at each school.

To have the newsletter e-mailed to you directly, simply send an e-mail with "subscribe" in the subject line, to kwood@wcpss.net.

Auxiliary Services Division
Vision
Providing Services That Power Education

Mission Statement
Provide quality facilities and support services to ensure safe, healthy, inviting and optimal learning environments.

Goals
1) Recruit, develop and retain a qualified and high quality workforce.
2) Provide and maintain quality facilities and support services that result in a safe and healthy learning environment.
3) Effectively communicate successes, challenges and needs.