WSD facilities/maintenance staff attend seminar in Othello

WAITSBURG — The Waitsburg School’s Facilities and Maintenance staff attended a one-day seminar hosted by the Washington Association of Maintenance and Operations Administrators. Washington State Senator Perry Dozier was the keynote speaker at the event held in Othello, Washington, on June 17.

Facilities and Maintenance Supervisor Brian Segraves, Ground Maintenance Tech Larry Alexenko, and Custodial Maintenance Tech Mike Dill connected with experts at the WAMOA-partner vendor show and a dozen presenters at breakout sessions. The Waitsburg team joined 190 school district employees for a catered lunch.

The high-energy day was designed to help the staff who keep Washington’s schools running smoothly and safely. WAMOA is a professional organization that supports school district maintenance and operations personnel statewide.

Seagraves said, “The seminar offered a variety of training sessions that allowed each of us to choose topics that were most relevant to our day-to-day responsibilities.”

The Waitsburg supervisor said he attended training on fire awareness, which included lithium-ion battery hazards and fire extinguisher use, and on soil testing, which covered interpreting test results and using them to improve turf management.

“I came away from both sessions with new information and a better understanding of the topics, along with ideas that I can put to use here in our district,” said Seagraves. “My staff attended several other sessions that aligned with their interests and job responsibilities, allowing us to bring back a wider range of ideas and information.”

“One of the biggest benefits of the training was the opportunity to visit with maintenance and facilities staff from other school districts. It was helpful to hear how other districts handle similar challenges, share ideas, and learn about different products, equipment, and practices that may be useful in our own district. Overall, I felt it was time well spent. We came away with new information, practical ideas that we can implement, and valuable contacts that we can reach out to in the future when questions or challenges arise,” said Segraves.