I get it. You are overwhelmed. Some days you don’t know if you have enough buses to cover morning and afternoon routes. Other days, you scramble all morning to ensure you have enough coverage to staff the day. Many days, you are the coverage. You are the fill-in bus driver. You also have report after report that is due, and your to-do list continues to pile up on your desk. You start a task, all to be interrupted because you now must go and deal with no heat, a roof leak, or electrical problem. You find a quick fix for the maintenance issues so you can get back to covering that class, making that phone call, or finishing that report.
Welcome to the life of a school superintendent. Survive and thrive is the theme. Greet everyone with a smile, rally your troops with an abundance of motivation, all the while dealing with drama, trauma, and quite often an angry mamma. And your school facility needs often take a back seat because you are just trying to get through the day. And (don’t get me wrong) you will indeed, get through the day, and you will come back the next day because you ultimately know that what you are doing is making a difference in the lives of students. And that trumps just about everything doesn’t it?
This is the story that I once lived, and so many school superintendents are living today. It doesn’t have to be this way. As a former superintendent, I fully understand the importance of managing deferred maintenance and how to navigate the referendum process if needed. However, like many superintendents, I started with little knowledge, and didn’t know where to turn when it came to garnering community support for substantial facility improvements. And again, I was just trying to survive and thrive and get through each day.
Today, with ICON Architectural Group, I’m excited to offer support to superintendents and school districts facing similar challenges. Following a structured approach, one that prioritizes facility assessment and community engagement, I quickly learned how to turn the tide and lead my district to success and I’m currently helping other districts do the same.
When a district has hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars in deferred maintenance, it can feel like an insurmountable challenge. Prioritizing which projects to tackle first, understanding how to secure funding, and engaging the community are not easy tasks, especially for those who haven’t been through the process before. However, you don’t have to go through it alone. Our proven process of facility assessment and community engagement takes the guesswork and opinions out of the decision-making and provides a clear roadmap toward sustainable improvements.
The first step is conducting a thorough facility assessment. This process identifies immediate needs, areas that can be deferred, and long-term projects that require planning. With the help of our architectural team, superintendents and school boards can develop a comprehensive understanding of their district’s physical needs.
Once you have a clear picture of your facility’s needs, the next challenge is deciding on a pathway to tackle them. This may lead to a referendum, and it may not. For many, however, this is the most daunting aspect of the process. After all, securing a “yes” vote on a referendum requires trust, transparency, and open communication with the community. At ICON, we believe that effective community engagement is key. Our team works with districts to gather input from stakeholders, host community meetings, and ensure that everyone understands not only the need for improvement but the impact those changes will have on the educational environment.
I know all of this because I’ve been there. As a former superintendent who was just trying to survive and thrive and started with little knowledge of how to navigate a referendum, I can attest that following a clear, structured process can lead to success. We’re committed to helping districts understand their needs and engage their communities so they can provide the best possible learning environments for their students. If your district is facing overwhelming deferred maintenance, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help guide you every step of the way. We can even help with that angry momma. 😊
Travis Jordan
Educational Advocate
ICON Architectural Group
Former School District Superintendent and Educator
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