FACILITIES & OPERATIONS

In Forest Hills Public Schools, the health and well-being of our students, staff, and visitors is a top priority. Our custodial team takes a proactive approach to maintaining clean, healthy buildings — addressing health-related concerns head-on and keeping safety and welfare at the forefront of every decision. To ensure our buildings are always ready for learning, custodial staff are present around the clock, maintaining clean and safe spaces during the school day and throughout evening and overnight hours.

We believe that a truly clean school goes beyond appearances. Our balanced approach to occupant health considers the whole environment, guiding our practices in areas such as indoor air quality, staff training, and the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products and Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) approved equipment. We also support district-wide sustainability efforts through single-stream recycling programs and the use of biodegradable refuse bags.

Together, these practices reflect our commitment to providing every student and staff member with a healthy, safe, and sustainable place to learn and work each day.

The Facilities and Operations grounds team is dedicated to maintaining safe, beautiful, and functional outdoor spaces across all Forest Hills Public Schools campuses. Our work spans the full range of exterior care, including lawn care, landscape design and maintenance, irrigation, equipment maintenance, and construction site support. Our team also takes pride in overseeing all athletic spaces across the district, including turf fields, natural grass fields, courts, spectator areas, and bleachers, ensuring every venue is safe, well-maintained, and ready for competition and community events. When winter arrives, our team shifts into season, taking on snow and ice pretreatment and removal to keep students, staff, and visitors safe on every pathway, parking lot, and entryway.

Our outdoor spaces are more than school grounds; they are community spaces. We welcome families and community members to enjoy our campuses, walking paths, and outdoor areas when school activities are not in session. In turn, we ask that all visitors help us care for these shared spaces by respecting posted guidelines, cleaning up after pets, and treating our grounds with the same pride we put into maintaining them. Together, we can ensure these spaces remain beautiful and welcoming for everyone.

IPM is a science-based approach that prioritizes prevention and long-term solutions over routine pesticide application. Rather than relying solely on chemical treatments, our program combines strategies such as building maintenance, sanitation, habitat modification, and biological controls to manage pest populations effectively and with minimal risk to human health and the environment. When pesticide use is necessary, we select the least toxic options available and apply them in a targeted, controlled manner.

This IPM policy applies to all pest control activities and pesticide use in school buildings and related facilities, including grounds. It governs the actions of all faculty, staff, and employees involved in monitoring or treating pest problems, as well as any outside contractors engaged for pest management services. Each recipient of this policy is required to understand and follow its guidelines without exception.

By taking a proactive, prevention-first approach to pest management, FHPS works to protect the well-being of our school community while also minimizing our environmental footprint, reflecting our broader commitment to sustainability and responsible stewardship of our facilities.