Hey, I’m Burke.
I lead school operations — the work that starts before sunrise and keeps everything moving: buses, boilers, budgets, you name it.
Every week, I share what actually works in the field — not theory, not fluff, just lessons from real schools with real problems.
If you’ve ever fixed a crisis before the principal even knew it happened, you’re in the right place.
Let’s get to it.
Your Facilities Culture Is Slipping. Fix It.
Culture in facilities teams doesn’t break overnight.
It frays — one eye roll at a meeting, one ignored suggestion, one new hire who gets trained by the wrong person.
Then one day you wake up and realize…
You’ve got solid workers with a shaky attitude. Or worse, a few toxic ones dragging the rest down.
So how do you fix it?
The Big Myth
People think you need a retreat, a slogan, or a t-shirt.
You don’t.
Culture isn’t what you say in a staff meeting. It’s what your team thinks is okay when you’re not in the room.
That means fixing culture starts with fixing what gets ignored.
Here’s What We Know Works
1. Reestablish the Standards (and Reinforce Them)
If expectations haven’t been clearly stated in the last 90 days, they’ve faded.
✅ Walkthroughs.
✅ Checklists.
✅ Supervisor huddles that actually mean something.
Make the invisible standards visible again.
2. Watch the Middle, Not Just the Top or Bottom
Leadership usually focuses on top performers and problem employees.
But culture is shaped by the middle 60% — the ones who are watching to see what you tolerate.
Correct the small stuff. Praise effort. Stay consistent.
3. Kill the “Us vs. Them” Mentality
Facilities teams don’t always feel like part of the school — they feel like help.
Culture improves fast when staff see themselves as essential, not extra.
How?
Share teacher feedback directly with your team.
Invite staff to walkthroughs with principals.
Brag on them at the next all-staff meeting.
They need to know the work matters beyond mops and motors.
4. Set the Tone in the Break Room
Facility culture is built as much in the break room as on the job.
The tone in that space tells you everything:
Are they laughing or grumbling?
Are new hires included or isolated?
Is the radio blasting while someone sleeps in a chair?
You don’t have to micromanage it — but you can’t ignore it either.
5. Make Your Supervisors Culture Drivers
One bad supervisor can wreck your whole vibe.
If they don’t believe in standards, don’t value people, or don’t communicate… you’ve got rot.
Audit your frontline leaders:
Are they having daily conversations with staff?
Do they know their people?
Are they walking or hiding in an office?
A strong team starts with strong supervisors. Period.
6. Don’t Let Legacy Excuse Lazy
You’ll hear it:
“We’ve always done it this way.”
“This guy’s been here 20 years.”
Length of service doesn’t equal good culture.
Some of your veterans are gold. Some are anchors.
You fix culture by protecting the gold and gently — or firmly — shifting the anchors.
7. Rebuild Trust Through Follow-Through
Low morale usually comes from broken promises.
Staff are used to being ignored. So when they speak up and nothing happens, they stop trying.
You don’t need to fix everything at once. But when someone brings up a real issue, act fast and follow up.
You’ll rebuild trust faster than any staff appreciation lunch ever could.
8. Recognize Without Making It Weird
Your people don’t need balloons and a banner.
They need to hear:
“Thanks for knocking that out.”
“You handled that like a pro.”
“Teachers noticed what you did.”
Private, specific, and real. That’s what builds pride.
Built to Lead Challenge
This week, do a walk-through with your facilities supervisor.
Pick one area that’s gotten a little loose — uniforms, radios, supply storage, whatever.
Don’t go in with a hammer. Just ask questions, show up, and set expectations.
Small resets fix bigger cracks.
Why This Matters
The culture in your facilities team affects everything.
Morale. Turnover. Clean buildings. Happy principals.
It’s easy to say…
“People just don’t want to work anymore.”
But the truth is:
People want to be part of something that works.
Fix the culture, and the rest starts falling in line.
Book of the Week
The Culture Code — Daniel Coyle
Coyle breaks down how high-performing teams build trust, safety, and shared purpose. Not written for schools, but absolutely applies to custodial and maintenance teams.
Four Quick Reads
That’s a wrap for this week. If it resonated, here’s how you can keep it moving:
→ Send it to someone else holding the line in school operations.
→ Wrestling with a tough ops issue? Reply and let me know — I read every one.
See you next week.
Until then, lead steady. Keep the background running like clockwork.
– Burke
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