SPOA B.C.’s Historian ~ Says We’re Moving In The Right Direction ~ Dawn M. Barker, Prairie Visions Design Ltd

SPOA B.C.’S HISTORIAN

SAYS WEíRE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

By Dawn M. Barker, PrairieVisions Design Ltd.

Bob Hardy has seen a lot of changes in his years of involvement with the education system, and he says he’s confident that these changes have moved the School Plant Officials Association, as well as B.C. schools themselves, in a positive direction.

When he first embarked on his career, Bob had no idea he’d end up working in the educational field, but when his job at Pacific Coast Packers came to an end and an opportunity arose at Vancouver’s Langara Campus, he applied. The new position had many challenges, but after seven years, Bob had met them and decided to move on.

His next step was to Supervisor of Operations with South Cariboo School District #30 in Ashcroft. Here, he spent 11 years reinforcing the existing school maintenance program, with responsibilities including staffing, supervision, program development and management of building maintenance, custodial and transportation services for the district’s 11 schools.

When the school district was restructured, Bob’s job there ended, and he took on what was supposed to be a three-week temp position with Fraser-Cascade District #78 – and ended up staying for over a decade! He took the eight-school district through a thorough improvement program including maintenance administration, staffing requirements, and a five year capital program.

In 1997, Bob saw a familiar scene, as his position was again eliminated through the amalgamation process.

“I was 58, and was seriously considering taking a severance package and retiring, but wasn’t sure I was ready to,” he said.

It would appear that the educational system certainly wasn’t ready

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for him to retire – he was approached very quickly by the president of the School Plant Officials Association, who encouraged him to apply for Manager of Facilities in the Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte School District #50 in Queen Charlotte, BC.

“I had an interview, and wasn’t sure I wanted to take the position. I remember coming home and my wife Linda said, ‘You don’t want to do this, do you?’I said, ‘No, I don’t think so….’ “And she looked at me and said, ‘You got it, didn’t you?’, and I said, ‘Yes.’”

Going into what would prove to be the most challenging segment of his involvement with the education system, Bob was prepared to spend two to three years at the position, living in a teacherage on Queen Charlotte Island and shuttling back and forth from home every four to five weeks. He retired in 2001 after two years and four months, leaving the entire district on a much improved and more stable footing.

Buildings which had been neglected for years saw new ventilation systems, upgrading to current standards and the repair of previous, poorly done work.

From roofs to underground oil tank removal, from asbestos surveys to sanding and refinishing gym floors, Bob saw every need and did his best to fill it. Fire sprinkler systems, upgraded floors, installation of new playground equipment and the development of a capital program were also on his list. Bob even made presentations to the Ministry of School Finance and Capital Planning for the replacement of Queen Charlotte Secondary School in 1998.

It wasn’t the only time Bob was in contact with the ministry of Education – he repeatedly applied for emergency funding to continue on with his numerous essential projects.

“It got so that I’d call up and they’d say, ‘What do you need money for now, Bob?’”, he smiled.

“I ended up with a series of binders, with photos on ‘what not to do’. Those were the ‘before’photos,” Bob explained. These came in handy when he met with school, district and ministry officials to show them how things had changed in just a short time.

“I just wanted to create the best environment for people to work in,” he said modestly of the considerable changes he has made over the years.

The Teacher’s Association president wrote Bob a letter of appreciation for what he’d done in the district, a rare and much appreciated occurrence. He retired in 2001 for health reasons.

Today, Bob spends his time golfing, gardening, and volunteering on the Cedar Heights Community Association as president.

Bob still hasn’t left his affinity for the educational system behind, though - he continues to volunteer on the School Plant Officials Association as historian, a position where his years of expertise are invaluable in assisting the Executive of the Association when needed.

“I look at my time in school maintenance as having left things a little better than they were when I came. I left knowing that there are great people in charge now, who will keep on with these improvements. And I know that there have been a lot of changes in the Association as well. It has gone forward a great deal since I began there in 1977. It’s done some excellent work, and continues to do so.” ❏

IS IT TIME TO RENEW YOUR SCHOOL PLANT OFFICIALS CERTIFICATION? Written by John GarossinoIIn 2003, the School Plant Officials Certification program was first offered to the members of both SPOSAand SPOAin the provinces of Alberta and BC. Continuing Education is required to help ensure that individuals certified by this program continue to be knowledgeable of technological advancements and regulatory requirements in the school The School Plant Officials Certification Program reflects a dedi- plant management fields. Continuing education enhances the operacation to setting the highest standards for professionals in the man- tion, maintenance and management skills of the certificate holders, agement, maintenance and operation of educational buildings in and ensures the quality of school plant management. This ultimately Canada. The program is a joint venture between the School Plant increases the ability and confidence of certificate holders and the Officials’Society of Alberta and the School Plant Officials’ credibility of the educational facility management professions certiAssociation of British Columbia. fied by this program. The intent of this certification program is to advance the educa- The School Plant Officials Certification Program recognizes that tional facility maintenance and operations practice through the to maintain competency, members would need to attain a minimum development and implementation of a valid, credible, and reliable of 12 continuing education credits per year. Both SPOSAand SPOA certification system based upon a sound structure and quality stan- of BC realized that to renew a member’s certification every year dards. Industry needs will be met by establishing benchmarks for would be burdensome for both the individuals and the associations, knowledge, performance, and professionalism. The certification pro- but a mechanism needed to be put in place to ensure the integrity and gram establishes identifiable career paths and promotes the develop- professionalism of the program was upheld. Hence the requirement ment of a future workforce that can assure the continued growth of was developed for members to renew their certification by applicathis practice. tion. Renewal of certification is required for all classifications every three years. The certification program establishes Certificate holders are obligated to provide documentation of the 36 CEUs (12 per year) required with their application for certificate identifiable career paths and pro- renewal. The CEUs must address the essential duties of the vocation motes the development of a future and level of the certificate held. The essential duties are a list of job tasks that are covered on the certification tests. The essential duties workforce that can assure the contin- for each certificate are available in the Certification Handbook. ued growth of this practice. Remember, any training or educational activity will be acceptable as long as it is related to at least one of the core competencies. You may even apply your CEUs to more than one certificate as long as To ensure the highest degree of professionalism and competency, the training program focuses on some of the Essential Duties of each all certified professionals must take a minimum number of continu- vocation. ing education units (CEUs) to maintain their certification. This If you have not received an application for renewal of certificarequirement ensures certified practitioners always possess the most tion, a continuing education unit’s documentation form or a renewal up-to-date knowledge and stay current in their skills and knowledge. notice, please contact Molly Shipowick, SPOAof BC or Ken Fate, Certification constitutes recognition by both organizations that, to its SPOSA. Contact numbers can be found on both associations’web best knowledge, an applicant meets the minimum educational, expe- pages. rience, and ethical standards adopted by both organizations. ❏

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Anecdotes of SPOA BC

Written by Jack Hannan

IIn your last issue, Art Vanidour was absolutely right: Jim Thorpe was Saturday morning at a Vancouver secondary school with suppliers the granddaddy of this organization. Besides being into this associa- participating. It was the beginning of the “portables” era; we had one tion, I had one other thing in common with Jim: we both had been outfit putting up sections of a portable on the blacktop, another crowd radio hams. With me, this had grown into a Wireless Operator’s cer- was demonstrating their grass cutting equipment, and others were tificate – in those days “Wireless” meant Morse code at thirty words indoors finishing and cleaning floors. As this drew to a close, I told a minute. It got me a depression-time job in a fish plant on the west these suppliers it had been a successful day, one of them called out coast of Vancouver Island, later with government wireless at Point “what about the money?” I was dumbfounded; I hadn’t planned to Grey, then a year at Dease Lake. pay these guys for their efforts. I didn’t realize they were asking how The gang up there thought I was nuts, quitting a good job to go to university. In my final year at UBC I remember the Dean saying “most of you boys will go east, but you will come back.” He was right, after ten years in Montreal I was back, this time working for Don Sutherland at the Vancouver School Board. When Jim Thorpe came over from Nanaimo with a bee in his bonnet about a school plant group, Don was sold on the idea but he didn’t come to meetings; instead he prodded Ken Warner and me to get involved. We didn’t need any prodding, and with Don’s initial backing, Ken and I enthusiastically participated in the activities of the Association on and off for over twenty years, serving at times as members of the executive; each of us even took a turn as President.

Ourfriends, the suppliers

At that first formal meeting at the Blue Boy Hotel, Jim Wilkie was President and I was Secretary Treasurer. We organized a meeting that much they owed us for the use of our premises! This misapprehension was corrected when the SPOAmoved up to Prince George the

next year, and the suppliers paid rent for booth space.

It doesn’t always work as planned

Two incidents of this come to memory: In 1967, Jim Thorpe was the up-coming President. He asked me if I would be the final speaker on a panel of three dealing with fire safety. He remarked that in the best conventions, speakers publish their material ahead of time, so that at the meeting there is a discussion with the audience rather than a lecture. I dutifully wrote up my ideas and everyone had them to read beforehand.

BUTthe first of the three men used up all of the time. His presentation was attractive, exciting, and sometimes funny; it seems he must have had a drop of fire-water to help the subject of fire safety. Jim thanked this speaker for his “spirited” presentation and we adjourned for lunch. My paper never was discussed.

In 1971, I was President; my summary of the meeting reads in part: “The conference itself went along like clockwork……I had emphasized that the technical program was the heart of the Conference, and our speakers were successful………….” BUT“The Association’s business meeting on the Friday afternoon was a disaster. One member seemed determined to filibuster throughout the meeting and the membership, tired from sitting through three days of lectures, were frustrated. Robert’s Rules of Order were abandoned, I railroaded through what I guessed the members wanted, and we left for a much-needed drink.” ❏

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