Facilities

Working to improve and maintain buildings and facilities in SoWashCo Schools.

The Facilities Department is responsible for maintenance and Capital Improvement Projects for all buildings in the district. Other areas of responsibility for the Facilities Department include Health and Safety, Indoor Air Quality, Maintenance, Grounds and Central Warehouse.

Maintenance: The district maintenance shop is responsible for the general maintenance needed in the buildings including: HVAC, pneumatics, energy management, systems and plumbing. The district currently has four maintenance specialists and one carpenter under one supervisor.
Grounds: The Grounds department is responsible for the care of all the grounds in the district. Each season brings different duties such as landscaping, parking log repairs, outdoor signage, athletic field maintenance, snow removal, parking lot repairs, ect. There are two full-time grounds crew members and one working supervisor.
Health and Safety
Warehouse

Facility Improvement Request Form

Contact

Kyle Uecker
Director of Facilities
651-425-6299
kuecker@sowashco.org

Open Request for Proposals (RFP)

Building Safety

Air Quality

Annual Notification Concerning Indoor Air Quality

SoWashCo Schools has a strong commitment to providing and maintaining good indoor air quality. The district maintains an Indoor Air Quality Management Plan that is reviewed annually. The plan is based on the Environmental Protection Agency’s "Tools for Schools” model indoor air quality program designed specifically for schools. The plan’s goal is to promote an indoor environment that enhances learning for students as well as productivity for staff.

For information regarding the District’s IAQ program, please contact Wendy German, Health and Safety, at wgerman@sowashco.org.

Asbestos Management

South Washington County Schools (SoWashCo) Meets Requirements for Managing Asbestos

SoWashCo Schools is required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to maintain a plan for managing all building materials that contain asbestos. SoWashCo is in full compliance with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, and inspects all materials for damage every six months. SoWashCo also performs a major quantitative re-inspection every three years, per EPA rules.

During the summer of 2022, SoWashCo conducted asbestos abatements at Park High School in conjunction with their theater construction project. All work was performed by a Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) licensed abatement contractor and followed all State and Federal required air monitoring requirements.

Please note that the presence of asbestos in a school does not endanger the health of building occupants. It is our policy to work closely with our environmental consultant regarding the maintenance or removal of all asbestos-containing materials in the district.

Additional asbestos projects may occur throughout the year as construction projects dictate. Details on the locations, condition, and type of asbestos-containing materials and copies of building management plans are available at each building and at the District Office. Please feel free to direct any questions about asbestos or any safety issue to the Health & Safety Office at (651) 425-6277.

Pesticide and Herbicide Use

Notification of Pesticide and Herbicide Application

In compliance with the Parents Right To Know Act of 2000, SoWashCo Schools is required to inform parents, guardians, and school employees that certain pesticides and herbicides are applied on school property. As a general rule, the district applies only one herbicide, dandelion preventer, twice per year during the summer break in June and August, during times when there is no scheduled use of the affected area. Other pesticides and herbicides are used on an as-needed basis when there are no students or employees in the building.

Estimated inspection schedules and possible treatments are available at each school’s office. To obtain this information, send a written request to the office coordinator of the school your child attends.

If you would like to be notified prior to pesticide or herbicide application, or if you have any questions about this or any other health or safety issue, you may feel free to direct them to Wendy German, Health and Safety at wgerman@sowashco.org.

Radon Testing

About Radon Testing

SoWashCo Schools is committed to providing a safe environment for students, staff and the community. As a part of this commitment, the district tests buildings for radon concentrations every five years. A portion of the district’s buildings are tested every year, creating a five year continuous rotation.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require schools take corrective action for any room that tests above 4 pCi/L. We are happy to report that no SoWashCo district building or room has ever tested above this threshold.

Below are our radon testing results, by year and building. Each report explains when and where testing was done. We are committed to being fully transparent in this issue, as the safety of our staff and students is our top priority.

2015 Reports

2016 Reports

2018 Reports

2019 Reports

2020 Reports

2021 Reports

2022 Reports

Central Park 2022 Report

Next Step 2022 Report

2023 Reports

2024 Reports

2025 Reports

2026 Reports

Water Testing

About Water Testing

SoWashCo Schools is committed to providing a safe environment for students, staff, and the community. As part of this commitment, the district tests all drinking and cooking water sources for the concentration of lead every five years. This follows the Minnesota Department of Health’s requirements for water testing in schools. Roughly one-fifth of the district buildings are tested each year, creating a five-year rotation.

A new state mandate requires school districts to use 5 parts-per-billion for concentration of lead as the action level for any water testing starting July 1^st, 2024. The water testing conducted in March of 2024 for the 2023-24 school year followed these new requirements and the district will continue to test following all state requirements going forward. Prior to the new mandate, the district followed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recommended action level of 20 parts-per-billion.

Results and actions for the testing can be seen in the reports provided. If you have any questions regarding the testing you may contact Wendy German, Health and Safety, at wgerman@sowashco.org