The nominees for this year’s Superintendent’s Service Award of Excellence include the Black Gold School Division Facilities Department. The 18-member strong department is the backbone of the Division, keeping our schools, offices, and facilities in top notch condition.

The staff’s commitment to the Division is evidenced by their efficient, timely and outstanding work done in schools and facilities across the Division. From managing construction projects, minor repairs to after-hours emergencies, dealing with plumbing, heating and electrical issues, locksmithing, booking facilities, and carrying out the vital custodial work and more, they work as a team to keep everything in the Division running smoothly.

“And when they are fixing things at the schools, if they see something that needs to be done, they do it without being told,” said Division Courier Gordon Engberg, who co-nominated the department for the award. “The Facilities staff is very skilled and knowledgeable, they are friendly and pleasant, and ready to do anything they are asked – they truly are a well oiled machine.”

“The Facilities staff make Black Gold schools look outstanding, with their hard work and efforts behind the scenes,” said Willow Park School Principal Rhonda Brunken. “When parents or officials visit our schools they see buildings that are safe, clean, and in very good repair to support student learning and success.”

The extensive knowledge each custodian or maintenance person has about the layout of each school means they can get to the heart of any problem or issue right away, as opposed to an outside contractor, who would have to be shown around each school.

The Facilities Department also contributes to overall staff morale by quickly addressing issues and making everything look good, which allows other employees to focus on the job at hand. “The Facilities staff are courteous, prompt and quickly get to us when we need them,” said École Secondaire Beaumont Composite High School Principal Chris Stiles. “They do their best to get the job done as soon as they can. I have seen firsthand how they do things in an emergency situation, and it’s amazing!”