Auxiliary Adviser

"Providing Services That Power Education"
Volume 3, Issue 5
February 2003

In This Issue
Welcome New Associate Superintendent
PLAN 2000 Update
Maintenance Excellence
Students Receive Close-Up Look at Construction
Web Links
February Training Schedule
New Hire
Be Energy-Smart and Save

Welcome New Associate Superintendent
"I see my role as supporting the fine work of the people in this division and making it easy for them to provide quality services," said Don Haydon, associate superintendent for auxiliary services. Filling the vacancy created by Ray Massey's retirement, Haydon joined the Wake County Public School System December 2, 2002.

Appreciative of the warm welcome WCPSS extended to him, Haydon is excited to be here and looks forward to working with everyone. "I am highly impressed with the quality of services we provide to schools and with the organization as a whole," said Haydon. "I hope to continue the outstanding work Ray Massey began."

From day one, Haydon was visiting schools and meeting principals. "This is a way for me to receive feedback firsthand and see the school buildings," said Haydon. The majority of the comments have been very complimentary, he added.

The new associate superintendent comes to WCPSS from the Columbus public schools, where he served as the chief operations officer since 2000. From 1993 to 2000, Haydon was director of facilities and then executive director of finance and operations management for the Minneapolis school system. He also brings over 20 years of facilities management experience in the U.S. Navy to the table, as well as a master's in financial management from the Naval Post Graduate School and an electrical engineering degree from Cornell University.

Haydon and his wife Polly found a house in Raleigh and hope to move in around the end of February. The couple - married 35 years - has a son in Pittsburgh who is married and expecting a child, as well as a daughter who lives in Chicago.

Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Haydon enjoys rowing, tinkering in his shop, and has an interest in British classic cars.

PLAN 2000 Update
Teachers, students and the community are beginning to reap the benefits of the PLAN 2000 School Building Program. Approved by voters in November 2000, the $550 million plan will add 14 new schools and renovate 96 existing ones by 2005/2006. With PLAN 2000 in full swing, the school system is making progress towards addressing severe overcrowding and long overdue maintenance.

PLAN 2000 Project Status (As of 12/31/02)

New

Major Renovations

Systemwide Improvements

5 complete

4 complete

22 complete

4 in construction

18 in construction

19 in construction

4 in design

12 in design

4 in design

Although five of the new schools are already complete, several are serving as "swing space" - meaning they will house students from other schools during major renovations before opening with their own students. Often, when a campus needs a complete overhaul, taking advantage of "swing space" allows the school system to save money and time (as opposed to phasing the project over several years), and is less disruptive to class schedules.

Almost every school will experience some benefit from PLAN 2000 - whether directly, through an improvement project, or indirectly, as a campus becomes less crowded when a new school opens nearby. Renovations may range from adding classrooms, to upgrading spaces for hearing-impaired students, to improving heating and air conditioning systems to replacing roofs. Typically, systemwide improvements cost under $1 million and major improvements cost over $1 million.

As of January 2003, the school system has almost $289 million of the $550 million building plan under contract. Due to a competitive bidding climate and by being fiscally conservative, WCPSS has saved $26.5 million in PLAN 2000. Almost $12 million of this savings has already been reallocated to meet critical school building and maintenance needs, allowing WCPSS to further its mission to provide quality facilities and ensure, safe, healthy, optimal learning environments.

Maintenance Excellence
Striving for "maintenance excellence," the Maintenance and Operations Department is adopting several new initiatives that will complement existing efforts. For example, MAXIMO - the computerized work order system - already allows schools and M&O to check the status of work orders, response times, labor hours, costs, and other quality indicators. Now, WCPSS may plug information resulting from these new efforts into MAXIMO - making it an even more effective tool.

One of the major initiatives involves expanding the regional maintenance program to the northern and western areas of the district. In fall 1998, M&O piloted the program, which involves establishing satellite maintenance locations within existing schools, in the southern part of Wake County. Because of that success and the great response from school leaders, WCPSS created the Eastern Region during the summer of 2002.

"The program is a success because it brings the workforce closer to the work - quickening response times - and improves communications with the schools," said Greg Clark, director of general services.

Clark is currently filling about 40 positions for the two new regions that should be completely in place by summer 2003. On average, four employees maintain a cluster of five to eight schools, with four or five clusters making up a region. The final, central region is scheduled to open the following summer.

Another effort to improve maintenance practices is seen in the formation of a Maintenance Advisory Board. Made up of principals, assistant principals, M&O directors, and corporate maintenance employees, the group will evaluate the department's procedures and give input on Standard of Care agreements that M&O hopes to develop later this year. Each school's agreement will describe the services the department will provide and what M&O expects from the school.

In addition, WCPSS brought in outside consultants to perform a facilities assessment, including equipment inventory and conditions assessments. The information will help the district plan systems and parts replacements and establish preventive maintenance schedules.

Students Receive Close-Up Look at Construction
To enhance Rod Stanton's architecture and construction unit, the Lincoln Heights Elementary assistant principal invited Project Manager Keith Gifford to speak to fourth- and fifth-graders, Monday, Jan. 13.

From the moment Gifford entered the classroom wearing his hard hat, he had the students' undivided attention. They took full advantage of the opportunity to experiment with the architectural tools he brought in and ask questions. Gifford gave students plan sheets of Lincoln Heights and asked them to use the scales, templates, triangles, and electric eraser to draw additions to their school.

Gifford also displayed a three-dimensional model of Apex Middle - one of his projects. He explained the difference between two- and three-dimensional objects and how designers progress from drawings to models.

Students compared a copy of Lincoln Heights' original drawings from 1960 with drawings from about 10 years ago when the school's media center and cafeteria were renovated. Although the more recent plans were created using computers and calculators, the original drawings were done by hand.

Holding up blueprints, Gifford asked students to locate the bus loop, parent loop, parking lots, and football field. Not only did the children know that the contour lines in the shape of an upside down bowl represented the football field, they also knew it was higher in the middle to allow excess water to drain off the sides.

As the project manager was leaving, one child announced: "I think I'm either going to be an architect or a doctor."

Web Links
The WCPSS calendar for the 2003/2004 school year is on the web. Visit http://www.wcpss.net/Calendars/2003-04/index.html.

Auxiliary Services Division's Safety Manual and the Toolbox Talks for the rest of the year are on the Intranet. Visit http://www2.wcpss.net/Departments/Auxiliary/index.html.

Training
For a list of training opportunities for auxiliary services employees, visit http://www2.wcpss.net/Departments/OrganizationalDevelopment/orgdev3.html.

New Hire
Please welcome Welton Pearce, electrician, to the Energy and Physical Plant Department. Pearce began working for Wake schools in December.

Be Energy-Smart and Save
Computers and other electronic office equipment consume large amounts of energy in our schools and administrative offices. In fact, personal computers use more energy than all other desktop and office equipment combined. Unfortunately, much of this energy is needlessly expended while the computer sits idle; perhaps while you are in a meeting, on the telephone or at lunch. Fortunately, you can reduce this waste by simply turning off your monitor - the computer's most consuming component - during idle time.

Below is an example of the savings associated with turning off one monitor for 16 hours per day.

150 Watts x 16 hours/day x 365 days/year = 876 kWh x .08 cents/kWh = $70.08/year 1000

150 Watts x 16 hours/day x 365 days/year


= 876 kWh x .08 cents/kWh= $70.08/year

 

1000

WCPSS energy educators recommend turning off your monitor when you will be away for a short time, and turning your computer off when you will be away for longer periods of time and at the end of the day.

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.