Facilities

Key Contacts

Facilities Overview

This page ONLY applies to Innovation Network Schools that are inside an IPS building. IPS is not able to offer any facilities maintenance, grounds maintenance, or custodial services to schools that are not in an IPS-owned facility. Schools in IPS buildings should ensure that their key operations contacts have access to Schooldude, which serves as the maintenance request portal for IPS FMD. If you do not have access to Schooldude, please reach out to Katrina Lopez. Once you have access, select "Maintenance Direct" as the product, and you should be able to enter work orders for your building. 

Custodial Handbook

This is the custodial handbook outlining roles and responsibilities of the IPS custodial staff. It includes daily, weekly, monthly, and annual cleaning lists, hours and duty assignments based on role, employee expectations, and more. 

Facilities and Custodial Information 

As-is clause: What is included in this may vary by agreement. Generally, the operator is accepting the building in “as is” condition after stated inspections. In most lease cases, IPS takes care of the routine work that would be applicable to all schools. If a request is out of the norm, responsibility would fall to Operator. More information on this is below. 

Annual back-to-school maintenance 

Routine, annual/preventative custodial services, and maintenance will be provided as part of the agreement or if services are selected. Included but not limited to: 

● Floors stripped/waxed-- Usually completed during any available break 

● Annual deep-clean--Usually completed during any available break 

● HVAC filter changes--Usually completed every three months 

● Mowing/trimming

● “normal” teacher-material moving as applicable

● Light bulbs replaced 

● Other items on “back to school checklist” provided by district leadership. 

● Any ask beyond typical custodial duties may be subject to additional charge. 

Athletic fields: IPS maintains regular mowing and care unless otherwise specified in the Agreement. Anything beyond that will come with an additional charge from our Athletic Department.

Audio-Visual Equipment Training: If a school chooses to maintain the IPS AV equipment in the building, please reach out and schedule an AV training with the Facilities Management Division (Paul Riley). 

Building improvements: The IPS Facilities Management Division will service IPS-owned Innovation Network School buildings in the manner commensurate with the services provided to traditional schools. That means that major repairs will be made on IPS’ schedule. If a school requires a renovation or alteration that is outside the typical scope of a work order, that charge would fall to the Innovation Partner. Contact the Portfolio Office and Paul Riley for discussion of this kind of modification. 

Building inventory: Inventory assessments of restart and conversion schools occur in the spring prior to the first year of operation. The purpose of this inventory is to ensure both IPS and partners know what is there, and that each entity is accounting for items accordingly. More information can be found under the “Walkthrough” portion of this section and in the fixed-assets section of this guidebook. 

Custodial services: In-LEA Innovation Network Schools funded through SBA have custodians "locked," – these services and supplies continue to be provided to the school by IPS at no cost. Restart operators may “OPT-OUT” of IPS custodial services. In that case, the current staff will finish their contract year (June 30) and then be displaced. Restart operators that opt out of custodial services will need to have their own custodial services ready by July 1 in preparation for the next school year. Third party custodial crews will be provided with a list of the IPS Custodial Standards and expected to meet them since IPS maintains ownership of the building. 

Dumpster: Dumpsters for trash and recycling are left for schools to use. This expense is part of the building usage agreement.

Facilities work completed by outside contractor: The agreement details that schools must follow the IPS specifications for such work.

Hot and cold water, electrical, gas, and HVAC service: Included in lease agreement or in-LEA management contract. Delivered at no charge to the partner. 

Intercom and Bell Service: These are part of the "as is" clause of the agreement. Upgrades and alterations are typically at operator’s expense. 

Keys: Innovation Conversion schools will not experience any changes in this regard. Restart schools will receive keys on the day stipulated in the contract. Restart schools should coordinate with FMD and the Portfolio Office to ensure keys are delivered in a timely and efficient manner.

Lawn and grounds: Lawns near the school are included as part of custodial services. Larger green spaces are maintained by Facilities Management. If a school does not use IPS custodial services, the school must arrange to have the yard mowed with a third party. IPS does not mow lawns separate from custodial services. 

Phones: IPS services phones in a similar fashion to other schools in IPS buildings. 

Pro-active changes in the building: IPS reserves the right to make certain changes in the building. See individual contract for details. Other changes that Operator would like to see performed typically shall be at the Operator’s expense and must be IPS approved. 

Routine maintenance: Please submit a SchoolDude ticket. Notify Katrina Lopez if you do not have a SchoolDude account. 

 Please note that SchoolDude tickets should be submitted for short-term items that require IPS maintenance. A non-exhaustive list of these items is included below: 

a. Elevator maintenance 

b. intercom maintenance 

c. kitchen maintenance (if kitchen appliances are IPS owned) 

d. Painting and interior alterations 

e. Plumbing 

Larger projects that require construction or third-party contractors are not subject to SchoolDude tickets and require a separate conversation and potential approval from FMD. If you have questions about whether your request should be a ticket or a conversation with FMD, please reach out to Paul Riley and cc Ricky Ritter. 

Security and access: IPS will maintain the "swipe cards" and associated technology that will allow you access to the building. This is handled by the human resources department in conjunction with IT. To get access badges, your staff must fill out this form. Either the Innovation School Leader or someone from the Portfolio Office can sign off on the forms. Our buildings are equipped with a security system. A member of the FMD will train you on this at or before the time of building transfer as applicable. 

Signage: If a name change occurs, IPS will provide your signage updates in a manner equal to that of other IPS schools. Anything beyond that will be typically be charged to the Partner. 

Snow and ice removal: This is performed in a way that is comparable with all other IPS schools. However, this is a custodial-performed duty. If you do not purchase IPS custodial service, IPS is not responsible for snow and ice removal. 

Walk-Through: Schools that are restarting in an IPS school will have the opportunity to do a full walkthrough with the custodial or FMD lead shortly after the Innovation Network Agreement is approved by the IPS Board. During this walkthrough, you will have the chance to:

• Indicate any items you would like to have removed (not including IT devices, which is handled under a separate IT Inventory Process). 

• Make a personal note of what items you would like to keep in the building. 

• Note any needed repairs and flag them for FMD. 

• Note any needed custodial services, and flag them for FMD. 

The Portfolio Team will set you up with a Google Doc, and help you arrange the walkthrough time and accompanying IPS staff. Please see the Fixed Assets section for more information. 

Click here for a breakdown of custodial staffing responsibilities compared to food service staff's cleaning responsibilities. 

Custodial Staffing

The number of IPS custodians assigned to each school depends upon the square footage of the building. There are three custodian levels: Head Custodian, Assistant Head Custodian, and Staff Custodian. Custodial costs will depend upon the overall number and level of custodian assigned to a building. Typically, there is at least one head and assistant custodian at each site, as well as several staff custodians. Upon opting into IPS custodial services, we will provide you with an estimate of cost based on the amount of custodians FMD determines is necessary to adequately service your building. If temporary custodial workers are contracted to cover unfilled vacancies, the associated costs will be charged to the school through the monthly passthrough process.

To request temporary staff support, complete this form. 

Fixed Assets and Inventory 

This does not apply to Innovation Network Schools that are not in an IPS Building. 

Fixed Assets are items that are required by the state to be monitored and assets of lesser value that are tracked for insurance and refresh purposes. Typically, the Innovation Agreement will stipulate which items remain in the building after the date of transfer, and what must be returned to IPS. Even if something is in the building, Innovation partners may elect to have the items returned to IPS. Partners can first indicate requests after the facilities walkthrough. 

Innovation Conversions and Jumpstarts will likely only receive a digital inventory of assets in the building but will not have a full walkthrough. You can use the assets list to assist you in determining the amount of insurance coverage you will need to purchase. 

Innovation Restarts will have a more involved inventory process. This will include but is not limited to 

● Receiving a digital copy of IT assets in the building (computers, iPads, etc.). Any items that were purchased with Title I or Title II dollars will be removed from the building before the time of transition if the Restart Partner has a charter. 

○ Please note, if a school is opting into IPS IT, IPS will remove all computing devices that are not supported by IPS IT.

● Receiving a digital copy of other assets in the building, such as furniture and AV equipment. This can be used for rough planning and for insurance information. 

● A physical walkthrough of the building during which you indicate which items from either inventory you would like to keep in your building. 

○ IT devices will be picked up separately from other assets. 

○ The Innovation, FMD, and IT teams will be in touch in the spring to schedule both walkthroughs and pick up. 

For any school in an IPS building with IPS assets: Before April of each year, please plan to notify the Portfolio Management Office of anything you won’t be using for the upcoming school year so that we can plan to return it to our inventory.