School Facilities & Operations

On this special episode, Burke joins the crew at Be Au Sm at FM and we have a great conversation with Chris Crockett the President of KADPF. We had a lot of fun and a wide-ranging conversation that you won't want to miss.

With the KADPF annual conference coming up we also learn more about the activities that will take place there. Why conferences are a great opportunity for facility managers to connect, and how to get more involved with your State organization.

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Jereme Nollett, P.E., CxA, EMP the Senior Commissioning Manager at McCownGordon Construction.  Jereme and I explore the world of commissioning and what it provides for building owners - both during and at construction completion and retro-commissioning on existing equipment.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- Why it makes sense to retain a commissioning firm during design and construction

- How retro-commissioning can help solve those ongoing building occupant issues

- The typical costs involved in commissioning a system

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Mary Ruppenthal, AIA. Mary an Associate Principal at HED located in Sacramento, CA. She is also the Education Market Segment Leader for HED, so she brings a wealth of experience in school design to the show. We have a great discussion about current trends in school design, creating community in the building or campus, and hardening structures for natural disasters.

Mary and I had a great time sharing stories and ideas on this episode. It is a 'must listen' for some great insight into school design from a leading architect in the space!

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Keith Watkins, CDF the Director of Facilities for the City School District of New Rochelle.  Keith and I covered a lot of ground in this episode starting off with how it is working in an high density urban area. We talk all things custodial and how to get the most out of involvement with professional organizations.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- How Keith set up his custodial operation

- How to get the most out of your involvement with a professional organization

- His big question to me about my architectural experience!

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Jim Rich, the Director of Operations at Park Hill School District.  Jim and I do a deep dive on preventative maintenance, how he set up his program, and what he tracks.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- How to get started with your PM program

- What items to include and grow your PM program

- The best metric to track your progress

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Matt Liston the District Safety/Security Officer at USD 260 Derby Schools.  Matt and I talk about some simple ways of securing your facilities and making them less likely to be a target.  Many of the solutions to reducing vandalism and crimes can be helped by things that happen in the facilities and grounds departments of school districts.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- Simple ways to make your buildings less of a target

- Environmental design ideas that can increase security

- The role of facilities in maintaining safe/secure schools

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Brandon Chabola the Director of Plant Services at the Penn Hills School District.  Brandon and I talk about some exciting updates in his district and then transition to his career path.  What struck me the most was the time he has devoted to developing his personal career path, but also how freely he gives credit to those that helped him along the way!

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- How a career in K-12 Facility Management can be cultivated

- How to encourage growth and development in others

- The way Brandon accepted recognition along his career path and rose to the occasion.

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Ginger Locke from the Medic Mindset podcast.  I have listened to the Medic Mindset for years.  My son is a paramedic, so I listen to gain insight into his world on an ambulance! Ginger and I talk about feedback, how to give it, different kinds of feedback, and encouraging feedback among your team.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- Why we are reluctant to give feedback

- The 3 different times you can give feedback, and how to do it

- How to encourage feedback in your team from the bottom up

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Andy Waller, CEO of Encore Pavement.  Andy and I talk about pavement and preventative maintenance of our paving.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- The ultimate PM schedule for your asphalt paved parking lots

- Why you should consider concrete right now if you need a new lot

- The average lifespan of a well-maintained parking lot surface, and how to spot wearing

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by David Pettit, Director of Facilities at Joplin Schools.  David and I talk about opening new schools, CMAR and recommissioning HVAC systems in older buildings. 

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- CMAR and current supply chain issues

- Opening new buildings

- Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and recommissioning older buildings

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Joe Dineen with J&J Flooring Group.  Joe and I dive into all things flooring as he shares his wealth of knowledge regarding carpet and other floor surfaces.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- What are the current flooring trends 

- Best practices for bidding flooring projects

- Thoughts on replacing flooring on a routine schedule

- The difference between a manufacturer rep and a retail outlet

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Tommy Osborne the Executive Director of Construction for the Northwest ISD.  Tommy and I go way back so we shared a fun story, and then dove into managing construction and growth in one of the fastest-growing school districts in Texas.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- How their department is set up for success

- Prototypical school designs

- How Tommys architectural background is supporting the District

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Josh Schaffer the Director of Facilities at St. Charles School District.  We had a great time discussing a variety of issues we all deal with as K-12 Facility Managers.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- A unique partnership for fuel station Josh is working on

- LED light upgrades

- What Josh believes is an important "front door" to the District

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Jake Schmidtlein, MBA.  Across the country school districts are struggling with hiring and retaining employees.  Jake drops some huge knowledge on core values, job postings, and growing our own staff.  

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- How to connect your core values to the day-to-day work of your staff

- How to get the word to attract applicants

- Turn your staff into advocates that help recruit for you

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Salum Stutzer the Director of Facilities and Purchasing at the Independence Public School District  Salum drops some huge knowledge with us about unconventional project sourcing and delivery methods that saved his district of $1,000,000 on one project.  We also talk about alternative fuels for bus fleets.  

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:  

- How to purchase HVAC equipment direct from manufacturers  

- Solicit qualified labor bids from contractors  

- How to look at alternative fuels for vehicle fleets.

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Steve Mankins, Senior Account Executive with Building Controls and Services.  Steve is an industry expert in building controls.    We dive deep into current technologies and what the future looks like with building controls.   

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:   

- How building controls are much more than a thermostat   

- What the future looks like for systems automation   

- Best practices in building controls for multi-facility owners 

In this episode host Burke Jones, FMP is joined by Dane Estok to talk about roofing maintenance and replacement projects for schools.  

Roofing is a big issue for school facility professionals, and we take a deep dive into all things school roofing in this episode.  Dane shares with us what should be included in the annual roof maintenance program and best practices for full roof replacement projects.

Tune into the School Facilities and Operations Interview to hear:

- What steps you should take annually for roof maintenance

- How to find a trusted roofing partner

- How to spec and bid a new roof replacement project

Richard Bell, the Executive Director of Operations for USD 385 Andover Public Schools joins the show today to share leadership strategies and disaster recovery lessons learned.

Two short months before Richard joined his current district, one of the elementary schools was severely damaged by a glancing blow of a tornado.  He was boots on the ground the next day and worked tirelessly with the team to get the restoration and reconstruction of the school completed and ready for occupancy before the next school year.

Tune in to the School Facilities and Operations interview to hear:

- How to prepare for a disaster so you have the needed information at hand

- Lessons learned on how a quick response and trusted teams can lead to success

- How to let your staff understand your expectations when it comes to quality

For this first episode I just wanted to share the two different types of episodes I will be producing, why I started this podcast, and a little about my background and current position.  This podcast is entirely dedicated to school facility and operations professionals.  I will be bringing interviews with other facility experts and education from the vendor community.