Sherpa's Summit - Behind the Scenes: How School Leaders & Facilities Teams Prepare for a New Year
When the first school bell rings each fall, students walk into classrooms filled with energy, teachers arrive ready with lesson plans, and families feel the excitement of a fresh start. What’s often unseen, however, is the months of work superintendents and facilities teams put in over the summer to make sure every building is safe, welcoming, and equipped to support learning.
From new gyms and upgraded air conditioning to modern sound systems and technology improvements, these leaders follow a clear, structured process—one that mirrors the best in project management.
The Superintendent & Facilities Team Project Plan
Initiation – Identifying Priorities
The work begins long before summer break. Superintendents and directors of facilities gather input from school boards, administrators, staff, and even parents to identify the most pressing facility needs.
Is it a new gym to support athletics and community gatherings? An HVAC upgrade to improve air quality? Or a sound system overhaul to enhance student performances and events? These needs shape the scope of the summer’s projects.
Planning – Budgeting & Scheduling
Once priorities are set, the planning stage begins. Funding sources are secured, whether through capital improvement budgets, bonds, or grants.
Timelines are mapped out carefully—because every project must be complete before the first bus arrives in August. Detailed schedules account for procurement lead times, contractor availability, and potential delays.
Execution – Summer in Full Swing
With students out of the buildings, facilities teams and contractors move fast. Gyms are renovated, classrooms refreshed, systems upgraded.
Execution requires constant coordination between vendors, construction crews, and school staff to ensure safety and efficiency.
Monitoring – Progress Tracking
Throughout the summer, superintendents and directors of facilities monitor milestones. Are materials arriving on time? Is the air conditioning installation on schedule? Does the gym floor finish need extra curing time?
Regular check-ins and progress reports keep projects on track and allow leaders to make quick adjustments when challenges arise.
Quality Control – Testing & Inspections
Before teachers and students return, every system is tested and inspected. HVAC units must be fully operational, sound systems fine-tuned, gym equipment checked for safety.
This ensures not just completion—but quality and readiness.
Handover – Preparing for Day One
By the end of summer, schools are polished and ready. Facilities teams walk buildings with principals, ensuring every upgrade is fully functional.
Documentation is handed over, warranties confirmed, and maintenance schedules updated so improvements last well into the future.
Celebration – Community Pride
Finally, the work is revealed. Students step into new gyms, enjoy cooler classrooms, and experience enhanced facilities that elevate learning and community life. For superintendents and facilities directors, these moments are the reward for months of hard work and planning.
Why the Process Matters
For school leaders, summer isn’t downtime—it’s project time. The work they do ensures schools are not only operational but optimized for student success. Like any major capital project, the outcomes depend on process: planning, coordination, monitoring, and delivery.
And just like teachers, superintendents and facilities teams deserve recognition. Their unseen efforts create the environments where education can thrive, where students feel proud of their schools, and where communities come together.
A Heartfelt Thank You
To every superintendent, director of facilities, and member of the support teams who spend their summers working behind the scenes: thank you for the work you do for the future of our kids.
Because of your dedication, students return each fall to schools that are safer, stronger, and better equipped to help them grow. Your work may not always be visible—but its impact will be felt for generations.