“... the pandemic has given us an opportunity to find new ways to help each other and to become even more efficient in our daily work .”
What were the salient concerns ?
Maintaining 6 ft . social distancing of students and faculty was an immediate concern . With a view of “ no space is sacred ,” a team chaired by Assistant Headmaster Ali Aoyama physically sub-divided the school into Pi / Theta cohorts and learning pods . Every room was scrutinized for capacity and a space plan and blueprint was created to provide 23 additional classrooms to accommodate the mandatory smaller class size and social distancing in the fall . Most rooms on campus were then emptied of their existing furniture . Following the new design , some existing furniture was reset into place , after carefully measuring and taping the floors to establish correct distances . All non-compliant furniture had to be packed up and stored off-site . This months-long task was a major undertaking involving detailed planning , coordination and expense . We sourced and purchased new furniture as needed and as the furniture arrived , it was set up in specific classroom layouts to achieve social distancing guidelines .
Our existing vendors were unable to supply us with adequate stocks of PPE . I researched and developed new vendor bulk purchasing relationships to order and maintain large quantities of hand sanitizer , disinfectant , wipes , gloves , including supplies of 10,000 three-ply adult and pediatric face masks for each month of school .
Facilities staffing level changes were necessary in a number of areas . Some facilities personnel were reassigned to accommodate increased levels of cleaning , disinfecting , and general first shift support . We also added some outsourced evening staff to augment our own staff . Our staff were given new cleaning and disinfecting assignments , with each person focused on specific areas of the school , to sustain our new , extra-rigorous standards .
Assessing for adequate ventilation in every occupied space was a priority early on . A team composed of senior administrators , trustees from engineering and the architectural sector , and external consulting engineers was formed . The committee ’ s mission was to investigate and implement all viable enhancements to mechanical and ambient air ventilation systems . Over a period of two months , we analyzed multiple options of current and new technologies . Installing the equipment took another month and was completed on time . This was a major effort involving administrators , trustees , and more than a dozen technical experts .
Because of new physical limitations , we all had to coordinate together and manage these new facilities needs remotely while learning Zoom and other technologies concurrently .
Anything that surprised you about the process ?
I discovered that Zoom turned out to be an efficient way to bring large groups of people together and accomplish our goals without being in the same room .
Please detail the various health and safety measures that Facilities implemented .
Facilities is a seasoned group that understands cleaning and disinfecting processes . Covid-19 required enhanced disinfecting frequencies , such as three times daily disinfection of high-touch hand rails , door hardware , restrooms , etc ., to minimize potential exposures . We employed electrostatic disinfectant sprayers for faster and more effective application , as needed . We established new protocols and maintained supplies of PPE for faculty within classrooms to help everyone to do their part in keeping all of us healthy .
Like everyone , a heightened awareness of our personal actions was required ; what we touched , washing hands , disinfecting ahead of and behind ourselves , wearing masks , and social distancing .
What adjustments were made as the school year unfolded ? What has guided / guides adjustments made ?
Few adjustments within the team have been necessary as the year unfolded since we used the summer to work out the details of our protocols and work assignments . I have had to increase the frequency of mask orders , based on the actual use of masks here at school . Another adjustment we hadn ’ t anticipated initially was the ability for our school to use the street for daily free play / recess . My team members are now assigned there , as well , to help support those activities .
How did the “ typical day ” of a Facilities team member change ? What does it look like ?
Many duties of a Facilities team member on the first shift have remained static with some exceptions :
• Dining room oversight and support were not required since students ate lunch in class .
• Street free play required support from 10 a . m . to 2 p . m .
• Staff made three-times daily disinfecting rounds at all high touch locations campus-wide , along with normal duties .
This year , the second shift staff have adopted a more ‘ focused ’ type of cleaning protocol . For example , dedicated individuals or small teams specialize in certain parts of the cleaning regimen , rather than broadly clean large areas with diverse tasks , resulting in increased efficiencies .
20 • Saint David ’ s Magazine