NYS Association for Superintendents of School Buildings and Grounds

Option 1

New York State Department of Civil Service, Municipal Service Division, is composed of 101 units that service and regulate the geographic areas throughout New York state. This does not include New York City, which has its own agency. Each of the 101 local civil service agencies may have different regulations covering items such as residency. A good place to begin your search for regulations is on the Internet at www.cs.state.ny.us, where there are links to the various local agencies. Candidates should check with the local agencies to review qualifications for positions they may be interested in and how to apply to take examinations. Qualifications will include prior work experience, training and levels of education. Once a candidate has the qualifications, they then take an examination. Passing the appropriate examination, the candidate's name is placed on an eligibility list according to their test score. The candidate will then receive canvass letters from various school agencies when the agency has an opening requiring the same title. The candidates must respond to the canvass letters or their name will be dropped from the list.

Option 2

The second path is through the Commissioner of Education. An individual goes to school and receives a New York State teaching certificate. The individual decides to advance within education and continues their education to obtain a School Administrators-Supervisors certificate (SAS) followed by a School District Administrators certificate (SDA) or a School Business Administrators certificate (SBA). With any of these certificates, an individual could be appointed in charge of a Facilities Department. Interested individuals should begin their search on the Internet at the website for New York State Department of Education, Office of Higher Education at www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert.

A successful Superintendent of School Buildings and Grounds is an individual who can multi-task, has very good human relations skills, is a problem solver and expediter and likes to work in details as well as has a global vision. A Superintendent of School Buildings and Grounds usually works with limited financial resources and receives satisfaction knowing they provide a safe, secure learning environment for students, staff and community.

"Code compliance, advances in technology, and increased environmental awareness have made regular professional development a must for today's director of school facilities."Michael Sheehan, CDF-Baldwin UFSD Director of Facilities, Operations & Safety

Sample Job Description

Director of Facilities

In recognition of the major investment the taxpayers of New York State have in their school facilities, every school district and BOCES in New York State should have a director of school facilities and grounds on staff assigned the responsibility of overseeing the operations and maintenance of school district property and facilities. In some districts, this position is combined with others such as the Director of Transportation, District Emergency Management Coordinator, Health and Safety Coordinator to name a few, as long as the requirements of supervisor of buildings and grounds are met. Directors of school facilities play an integral role in providing a healthy and safe learning environment for New York State's K-12 students.

Distinguishing Features of the Position
This position is responsible for the daily operation and coordination of the maintenance and cleaning of school district facilities and grounds in order to provide clean, safe, efficient, environmentally healthy, and structurally sound facilities that offer students and staff the best possible atmosphere for meaningful instruction and learning. The Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds will insure that the districts facilities and equipment are well maintained and a preventive maintenance plan and 5 year facilities plan are in place. Incumbent shall work directly with the districts safety committee, district architect, State Education Department Facilities Department, building principals, business officer, school board, local code enforcer, fire department and school district superintendent. He will review department staff levels and work load and make recommendations to his supervisor on an annual basis as to changes needed to maintain the districts facilities. Incumbent will develop annual reviews for people in his department and handle them in accordance with the rules and policies of the district. Incumbent shall have a thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of mechanical and civil engineering: thorough knowledge of modern methods and techniques as applied to construction and the maintenance of public works and to the bidding laws that govern public works.

A. Coordination and Development

1. Coordinates with cleaning work schedules, to include but not limited to work weeks, vacations, support of educational programs, outside usage, contractor support.
2. Coordinates cleaning methods and requirements, reviews new cleaning products and insure training is given on the proper use and safe application of these products.
3. Coordinates department purchase procedures, review inventories, insure specification and bill sheets are developed.
4. Coordinate, develop and present the districts 5 year plan with inputs from school district safety committee.
5. Coordinate implementation and budgeting needed to meet the goals of the 5 year plan with district Superintendent, School Board and Business Official.
6. Coordinate with district architect and engineers the development of plans and specifications for projects set forth in the 5 year plan.
7. Develop and present building report card with assistance of district safety committee.
8. Develop and oversee districts preventive maintenance and work order program.
9. Coordinate structural inspection with district architect, safety committee, maintenance supervisors and building principals.
10. Coordinate annual visual inspection with safety committee, building principal, code enforcement official and submit results in accordance with current requirements.
11. Coordinate annual fire inspection with safety committee, building principal, local fire departments, code enforcement official, and submit reports in accordance with current requirements.
12. Coordinate semi-annual asbestos inspection and report results in accordance with current requirements.
13. Coordinate tri-annual asbestos inspection and report results in accordance with current requirements.
14. Coordinate the districts integrated pest control program and notification requirements.
15. Coordinate school board visit to all district buildings prior to the start of the school year.
16. Coordinate district energy management program.
17. Coordinate districts turf management program.
18. Coordinate departments training requirements to meet all program requirements.
19. Develop the department's annual budget and present it to the school board.
20. Develop projects and specification allowed under the dollar limits of New York State law and coordinate them.

B. Record Keeping:

1. Maintain training records as required by PESH.
2. Maintain pool records as required by the Health Department.
3. Maintain asbestos management plan.
4. Maintain pesticide records as required by the DEC.
5. Maintain annual fire reports.
6. Maintain structural and visual inspections.
7. Maintain district blue print and specification library.
8. Maintain an operational budget.
9. Maintain contractors certified payrolls.

C. Administrative

1. Attend Board Of Education meeting at the request of the Superintendent of Schools to explain issues of department operation or offer advice on district facilities issues. Confer with various district administrators on policies governing the use of buildings and grounds, alteration and construction within the buildings and overall facility operations.
2. Be active in and develop good public relations with the community, student body, administrative and instructional staff, department staff, labor organizations, professional organizations and local industrial and commercial establishments.
3. Attend professional organization meetings and seminars, such as ASBO, NYS School Superintendents of Buildings and Grounds, state, county and town committees and organizations.
   

D. Legal

1. Be conversant with and/or institute methods to conform with requirements pertaining to accidents, compensation insurance, liability, Civil Service rules and regulations, personnel procedures and school law.
2. Be knowledgeable and conversant in all state, federal and local regulations such as "Right To Know," Department of Health Regulations, asbestos, hazardous materials, radon, lead, noise pollution, indoor air quality, recycling, PCB's, OSHA, ADA, solid waste, emergency disaster planning and laws and regulations relating to district school facilities.
3. Develop and maintain the districts Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM).

E. Personnel

1. Interview and recommend hiring/dismissal of department personnel.
2. Assign, transfer and upgrade personnel within specific jobs.
3. Write annual evaluations of department staff and review them with them. Provide constructive direction to correct deficiencies.
4. Address personnel problems, such as grievances, inefficiency and personnel situations.
5. Organize suitable training programs.
6. Acquaint personnel with and enforce various local, state, federal and Civil Service regulations.

Terms of Employment
Are based on a 40 hour work week, 52 weeks a year. It is recommended that the contract be a minimum of three years but this is at the discretion of the Board of Education. It should also be recognized that the responsibilities of this position in many school districts is comparable to that of Building Principals, Food Service Director or the Athletic Director and this is the bargaining unit they would most likely be a member of.

Developed in partnership with the New York State Association for Superintendents of School Buildings and Grounds, Inc. and the School Facilities Management Institute, Inc.