Facilities Department Tackles Summer Project with Help from Student Workers

When the students and faculty members of Pelham Union Free School District go home for the summer, their schools are anything but dormant. The custodians of the Facilities Department get right to work preparing the buildings for another year of educating Pelham’s youth. With the help of Pelham Memorial High School volunteers, the custodians clean and maintain virtually every element of every building.

“Everything gets removed from every room,” said PMHS Head Custodian Ken Sutton. “Then we start from the top and we work our way down, clean the light fixtures, the windows, window sills, radiators, desks and chairs, and each classroom gets the floors done.”

Their myriad responsibilities include everything from dusting and cleaning every book on every shelf in the library to patching and painting holes in the walls, maintaining HVAC systems, stripping and refinishing or waxing the floors in every classroom and hallway, and much more.

“The safety and security of the buildings is our primary goal,” said Director of Facilities John Condon. “Having a healthy environment is an integral part of the learning process.”

Each custodian dutifully records the layout of each room with pictures and drawings so that they can reassemble them just as teachers left them. They are unique experts in the particularities of the buildings which they maintain, from the needs of faculty to an awareness of high and low traffic areas and essential institutional knowledge of building systems including intertwined modern and antique HVAC systems. The Facilities Department also oversees major projects such as the removal of an old oil tank at Colonial Elementary, roof work at Prospect Hill and much more.

Fortunately, the facilities department gets dozens of helpers from among the student body of PMHS every summer to assist in these behind-the-scenes but critical tasks.

“Sometimes the work is hard, but most of the time it’s a nice balance,” said soon-to-be senior Christian Esteban. “Working with other people is really good for learning to collaborate and communicate. It’s an excellent first job. If you do something wrong, like if you’re late, it will have consequences. Everything you do means something.”

Approximately 35 students work directly with the Facilities Department to help move furniture in and out of classrooms, clean and more every summer. Students work to steward our school buildings and grounds right alongside Pelham custodians, developing critical professional skills, strong work ethic and a new appreciation for their school buildings.

“All of the custodians treat this like it’s their home,” said HVAC Mechanic Nick Timpone. “They don’t just do a job and go home. They go the extra step. And do you know what? It makes it twice as easy the next time we have to do it.”

This conscientious dedication to their work is what makes the professionals of the Pelham Schools Facilities Department such excellent stewards of our buildings. They don’t just change the filters in the HVAC system, they monitor the precise temperatures throughout the day throughout the building and the energy efficiency of the system. They understand the ins and outs of every corner of our facilities and are meticulous in their care for each building. Every class, every event, every ceremony, every competition, every positive student outcome, begins and ends with the devoted members of our Facilities Department.