Editor's note: This story originally appeared on CoSN's blog and is republished here with permission.
Key points:
As CTO, one of our duties is to develop good relationships with other local leaders. IT impacts every aspect of the modern K-12 school district, and our success and the success of the district depends on our ability to build and maintain these relationships.
While all relationships are important, the ITS and facility relationship cannot be overemphasized. From the simplest ‘thorn in our side’ to the most sinister challenges, relationships with facility leaders can pay off big.
Simple example – IU5 and generator
IU5 is a service agency. We provide professional development and other services for the region at our main facilities. Our executive director was frustrated when we had to send hundreds of teachers and administrators home due to a power outage. We were bidding on generators for our data center. After a power incident, we were instructed to ensure that the entire facility could be powered for an extended period of time. We initially worked with the facility to resolve the problem, and in 2004, Caterpillar generators were installed. Fast forward 19 years and we were experiencing inconsistent startup (a 30 to 40 second outage before the generator would start and deliver power) during a power outage event. The maintenance company was having trouble identifying the problem. Working with the facility, we captured multiple data points about what happened from the time a failure occurred until generating power was activated. This data was instrumental in identifying problems and finding solutions. Teamwork is fantastic. Especially when it helps the relationship happen right away.
Complex Example – Curtis and “Not a Tornado”
On August 10, 2023, at approximately 10:30 PM, central Wichita Falls suffered damage classified as a microburst. It looks very similar to a tornado in terms of damage capacity. Just three days before the start of the 23-24 school year, most of the roof was removed and walls collapsed at our alternative education center. Around 11 that evening, the phone started ringing, and the relationships built before the incident were tested. We are proud of the already strong relationship of trust between technology, maintenance and fixed assets. Through this, we were able to trust each other's judgment and move quickly toward a common goal. Friday morning, while the rest of the staff was at Convocation, these three teams were hard at work removing all salvageable equipment from the damaged campus. We were then able to work together to completely rebuild the campus on a previously abandoned site. Efforts took place simultaneously: warehouse workers delivering items to the “new” campus, networking, technology installing classrooms and security hardware, maintenance performing last-minute repairs, and fixed assets gathering surplus items to complete the puzzle. We got this empty campus back up and running for the start of school on Wednesday. Timely adjustments required focus, grit, and respect for each department's needs. This can never be achieved between silos or dysfunctional leadership. So work today to build bridges between different departments and leaders. Because you never know when something “non-tornado” might sweep through your life.
Build your relationships now
These examples are just a few of the many reasons why maintaining a solid relationship with your facilities team is essential to the success of technology support for your school organization. But you don't want to wait until an emergency arises to build a relationship. Make a concerted effort to build those relationships now so you can maintain them when you need them.