Shawnee Mission presents operations and maintenance evaluation, highlights bond-built schools and workforce gaps

The Shawnee Mission Public Schools (SMSD) operations and maintenance team presented an evaluation of facility operations, project status for bond and capital work, and staffing and internship efforts during the board meeting.

The presentation summarized current workloads, staffing levels and the district’s capital and bond project schedule, and explained how recent elementary rebuilds and other renovations are affecting student experience and attendance.

District leaders said the operations and maintenance department manages 45 schools and four district centers, approximately 5.4 million square feet of facilities and about 860 acres of grounds. Director of Facilities Tyler Club said the team has recorded roughly 9,800 work orders since a new management system was implemented in July, an average of about 1,225 per month, with the busiest month in August when staff and students return.

Club and Assistant Director Mike Wood described the operational staffing mix: 79 employees in operations and maintenance and approximately 215 custodians districtwide, with roughly 60 custodial openings at the time of the meeting. The district uses a staffing partner, ATS, to supply about 48 custodial workers nightly at secondary sites.

Club outlined two categories of projects: capital (yearly maintenance such as roofing, asphalt, small renovations) and bond (major construction such as new builds and heavy remodels). He said the current bond cycle includes five rebuilt elementary schools and multiple major projects at high schools and middle schools. The district is pursuing LED lighting replacement across the district (a proposed three‑year phased project, not yet submitted to the board for approval) and a three‑year phased upgrade to HVAC controls that has been approved by the board.

Principal Bridal Pumphrey of John Diemer Elementary described how the rebuilt elementary school’s design features—private restrooms in collaboration spaces and glass‑paneled classroom “garage doors”—have changed student behavior and staff practice. "I'm not just tolerated here, I'm appreciated," Principal Pumphrey said, relaying a staff member's reaction to the new building and noting that the design has increased students' comfort using restrooms and supported individualized instruction.

The presentation also highlighted inclusive playgrounds: District leaders credited the advocacy of a former student, Olivia Bloomfield, and reported that all 34 elementary schools now have new, ADA‑accessible playgrounds intended to accommodate mobility, sensory and other needs.

Club and Wood described workforce development initiatives: a student internship (an Arrowhead student named Ethan worked two hours a day, four days a week and rotated through trades) and a summer crew of employees, staff and students who perform paint, grounds and maintenance work. Board members asked whether the internship could expand to include programmatic training for trades such as HVAC; staff said they are awaiting guidance from strategic planning action teams before expanding formal career‑technical curricula but intend to continue and potentially expand student opportunities.

On health and indoor air quality, staff said newer school HVAC designs follow a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) approach with dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) providing tempered, filtered outside air. Club said those systems allow filtered outside air to be supplied continuously and that classrooms can be equipped with MERV‑rated filters chosen for performance. "What we're finding now is the air quality in these schools are ridiculously good," a facilities presenter said.

The presentation closed with an overview of ongoing capital work (30 locations had some repair or improvement in the prior 12–14 months) and a preview of the district’s project schedule for the bond cycle, including furniture installations and a five‑year cycle of routine performance projects (flooring, ADA improvements, HVAC, security, technology). Board members thanked the operations team for the presentation and acknowledged the connection between facilities, strategic goals and student outcomes.

District contacts said details such as the LED vendor selection and the phased LED schedule remain subject to board review and formal procurement.