Facilities & Construction Services

Sharing my gratitude with you brings a great fullness to my heart. Born a Columbia, Missourian, I grew up in Columbia's public schools. I attended Parkade the year they chose their panther mascot; Jeff Middle, then, Jeff Jr., with the north side's infamous quick store; and Hickman High School, the nation's only home of the Kewpies and my family's alma mater for three generations.

School was my home away from home, where I spent more time during the week than with my family. I often think of my teachers, who gifted me with their time, wisdom, and patience. As an adult, I realized that it was not only the teachers who contributed to my education. Without the work of the custodians, cooks, building and grounds maintenance, technology specialists, playground attendants, counselors, special educators, nurses, administrative support, and administrators, we would not have well-functioning schools to attend.

As we gather with our families and friends to give thanks, let's reflect on the many school personnel who have contributed to who we are. As for me, attending Columbia Public Schools, and now working amongst them, are blessings for which I am most grateful.

Happy days of giving thanks,

~Michelle E. Arnold, Administrative Support

Facilities & Construction Services

Fittingly, following one of the busiest months in my career is the month focusing on thankfulness. Quickly coming to mind is our FCS staff, who meet my high demands and give so much more. Teachers, for teaching the next generation. Kitchen staff and cooks, for helping students to focus on learning rather than hunger.

To be sure, I am grateful for the work each of you accomplish. What you give to our students gives to our future.

Best regards,

~Ron Monson, Director

Facilities & Construction Services

EBE third, fourth, and fifth grade students impressed their handprints in yellow, blue, orange, and green paint on a construction beam that will be included in the building's 12,986 sq. ft. addition. Eleven classrooms, a 5,457 sq. ft. storm shelter, playground, and safety and security upgrades, will be revealed for the 2025-26 school year.

Give a big hand to Reinhardt Wilson Construction for making this show of support possible!

Call them clogs, backups, overflows, or just scary, the results of flushing wipes, trash, and objects in toilets add significantly to district plumbing issues and expenses.

Custodians and FCS plumbers regularly remove wipes, paper towels (entire rolls), and feminine articles. Less frequently, clothes, shoes, balls, and crazy but true - a circular saw blade. Read on for how you can help.

Don't flush what you wouldn’t rinse down your sink. Sinks and toilets use the same plumbing. Just because it fits doesn't mean it should be flushed.

Contact a building administrator or custodian for help choosing trash bins for specific needs.

Whereas toilet paper is designed to dissolve, wipes are made with plastic and fibers to remain durable so they DON'T dissolve.

"Flushability" has no national definition or testing standards. Manufacturers self-govern labeling products as flushable or with the “Do Not Flush” symbol.

• Establish national standard for wipes labeling.
• Ensure non-flushable wipes carry prominent “Do Not Flush” labeling on packaging.

• Provide consumer awareness to prevent pollution and sewage infrastructure damage.

The World Toilet Organization, created in 2001, teamed with the United Nations in 2013 to reach the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water & Sanitation, specifically, the WTO's goal to bring "safe toilets for all by 2030." Click the image for United Nations UN-Water campaigns.

Backstory: I gained this humbling awareness of World Toilet Day while researching "Do Not Flush" solutions. Particularly during the month of giving thanks, I feel safe to say that although I'm not thankful for clogs, I AM thankful for toilets!

Custodians are trained on a variety of solutions for building's issues. Check with your building's head custodian prior to entering a work order.

Facts: accurate and current

Contact: on-site contact person

Share: a picture attached to the work order

• WHO is it affecting? A room, kitchen, the entire school.
• WHAT is the event? Smell, plumbing, temperature, exterior doors that don't lock.
• WHEN was the approximate start time.
• WHERE, including specifics such as a particular stall or sink.
• WHY, if known.
• HOW much. Water examples include overflowing, dripping, leaking, filled a 5-gallon bucket in 20 minutes.

• Water or sewage backup from drain clogs, that custodians cannot clear
• Sparks from switches or plugs
• Exposed wires
• Power outages
• Smell of gas

Thank you for helping monitor and report the safety and function of the district's buildings. We appreciate you!

Brightly's Event Manager is the district's new events scheduling program (formerly, FSDirect).

Login to Brightly to submit an event request form ensuring building access, temperature control, lighting, custodial services, and equipment set up for your building events.

If canceled, update your event in Event Manager to conserve district resources.

RSVP and for assistance, contact:

Michelle Arnold (573.214.3760 ext. 28439): administrative communications, management of users, scheduling, and location.

Tracy Bernskoetter: athletics, public events, and invoicing.

Self, Son, Brother, Grandson, Nephew, Cousin, BHS Spartan, & Friend

FCS provides solid foundations for our CPS scholars and our community by building and maintaining the district's facilities with excellence, both inside and out. We accomplish this with our FCS Directors, Energy Manager, Engineer, Environmental Safety Technician, and Project Manager; alongside our teams of Carpenters, Custodians, Grounds, Locksmiths, Nutrition Services, Painters, Specialized Maintenance, Supervisors, Support Staff, Surplus, and Warehouse.

FCS Building Connections newsletter lends opportunity to become acquainted with our services, and tips for taking a holistic approach to maximize excellence for our district's learning environments.

If you would like to have an FCS project featured in FCS Building Connections, or for facilities and grounds assistance, contact us at 573.214.3760.