Albuquerque Public Schools
A Salute to Those Working Behind the Scenes to Maintain Our Schools
In her weekly message, Superintendent Blakey thanks the district's Maintenance & Operations staff for all they do to give students the best learning environment possible.
It’s Friday and Spring break is hours away! To everyone who is off next week, I hope you have a relaxing week and that you come back rejuvenated and ready to tackle the whirlwind that is the last quarter of the school year. It’s been a busy year, and I know we all want to finish strong.
While many APS staffers will be off next week, our maintenance crews will be out at schools doing their thing. Last Friday was Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day, and I want to take a moment to thank them for all they do for us and our students.
It’s easy to forget that it takes a small army of maintenance workers to keep our schools and other buildings operational. These men and women are called upon at all hours of the day and night to address issues that arise.
I know firsthand how hard they work because I had the honor of overseeing the Maintenance & Operations department during my nearly four years as this district’s chief operations officer.
When someone breaks a window at one of our schools in the middle of the night, APS police call our maintenance folks to repair the damage. When a vandal hits one of our high schools with despicable graffiti, our maintenance crews are out there in the early morning hours painting over it. When a plumbing emergency arises, our crews are on it, no matter what time it is.
These are actual emergencies our maintenance staff are regularly called to address in addition to their day-to-day work.
One of the M&O staffers who exemplifies the spirit of this department is Johnny Madrid, our plumbing supervisor. I still remember a conversation I had with him years ago about his decision to work for APS instead of a private company.
He told me he chose APS because it was more rewarding. He liked knowing his work – whether repairing a broken water line or taking care of another problem at a school – was creating a better learning environment for students to thrive.
Johnny has always backed that talk with action. It’s not unusual to see him in a trench at midnight when he could have sent one of the plumbers he supervises to take care of it. He’s always pushing to get the job done quickly so it doesn’t interfere with learning.
Those are the types of dedicated people we have working behind the scenes. We’re incredibly lucky to have them. They’re glass glaziers and locksmiths, painters and plumbers, electricians and HVAC technicians, carpenters and welders, heavy equipment operators and mechanics.
When it snows, they’re out assessing roads throughout the city and county in the middle of the night and letting us know if they think it’s safe for buses to operate on a regular schedule. They’re also the ones clearing snow off of our school parking lots. And they’re the ones installing or fixing playground equipment.
They take care of all the things most of us don’t think about, and they do a fantastic job. So, happy belated Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day to each and every one of them. On behalf of the entire APS staff, I thank you for all you do!
As John Dufay, our assistant deputy of operations, likes to say, a well-maintained school is more than just a building — it’s the foundation for a thriving educational environment.
That’s it for now. Enjoy Spring break!