On-call status never ends for these maintenance ‘superheroes’

 

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Jim Flannery undertakes an emergency repair under cover of darkness at Kyrene del Norte Elementary School. (Wrangler News/photo by Billy Hardiman)
Jim Flannery undertakes an emergency repair under cover of darkness at Kyrene del Norte Elementary School. (Wrangler News/photo by Billy Hardiman)

Before the teachers and students arrive at Kyrene del Norte elementary school, Jim Flannery begins his day as the site support technician about 6:30 a.m.

Everyday tasks that don’t change are preparing the campus for the arrival of students –hanging the flags, putting out signs and directives for vehicles, and walking the campus to look for any hazards or trash.

He knows that each day also will bring unexpected tasks to do—such as moving furniture in an office, acting as a crossing guard until one is hired, and even temporarily serving as a cafeteria monitor during the daily breakfast and lunch meals.

His duties vary from day-to-day—or from one minute to the next. With close to 500 students enrolled at Norte and nearly 60 staff members, Flannery says he really doesn’t have a typical day.

“My main responsibility is to maintain a safe, clean and comfortable environment–both inside and outside the campus–for students, staff and community members,” said Flannery.

He is the “go-to-guy” for any number of varied requests to keep the school in top condition and the classrooms prepared, so that learning can take place.

His role is duplicated at each of the 25 schools in the Kyrene district. At every school, there is a site support technician or building manager, as they are called at middle schools—but please don’t refer to them as janitors.

“At Norte we have a cleaning crew that comes in at night,” explains Flannery–even though he has been called upon to do cleaning in the case of an accident.

Generally, Flannery is on the move and in a typical day he guesses he walks between 12 to 15 miles around the campus and sometimes gets requests as he goes along. There is also an on-line capability for maintenance requests; and, in the last year he responded to 497 of those.

“I then either take care of the items myself, or coordinate the repair of items I can’t take care of with our Facilities Department and its extremely supportive staff,” said Flannery.

He’s been with Kyrene for five years—starting first as a part-time bus driver at age 50. It was a job he took feeling he retired too early, after selling a business he owned; but, he wasn’t sure he wanted full-time work.

“I was familiar with the district as both of my daughters attended Kyrene schools,” said Flannery, “and I liked the environment.”

Now he’s imbedded in the Kyrene district—literally—as he lives with his wife on the campus of Kyrene de las Manitas and assists the school at night with any on-call demands. This arrangement is a separate contract from the one he has with Norte.

Despite the daily demands of his position, Flannery is very satisfied with the work.

“I take pride in the upkeep and cleanliness of the facility itself, and being able to assist behind the scenes with our administrators, teachers and other support staff, to provide a great learning environment for all the students,” said Flannery.

His dedication earns him high praise from Donita Pokatello, who is the school secretary to Norte’s principal Tracey Pastor.

“Jim is an essential person to everybody at the school,” said Pokatello, “and he treats the school like his own home in the way that he maintains it.”

The conversation with Flannery and Pokatello comes to an abrupt end as the fire alarm sounds for a practice drill.

Duty calls and Flannery goes on his way to turn off the alarm, help restore order and let classes resume.

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