Lucerne Valley USD’s Maintenance and Operations team, from left, Micah Rowland, Lillian Thomason, Bradley Strain, Robert Rietdyk, Abiram Alcala, Roland Reyes and Mark Hart. Photo by Kelly Boeing, LVMHS Principal
When people think about school staff making a difference in Lucerne Valley, teachers, food services workers or front office staff may be the first that come to mind. Increasingly, however, there’s another team whose contributions are immeasurable: the Maintenance & Operations staff.
Headed by maintenance leads Lillian Thomason and Roland Reyes, the “M & O staff” is a seven-member team that embraces a can-do attitude. And, boy, can they do just about everything and anything. This year they have laid down grass sod on the Middle High School’s sports field, constructed a student pick up and drop off area at the Elementary School and done whatever else was asked of them. But their most recent crowning achievements have been a concession stand with a complete kitchen and a much appreciated restroom adjacent to Ron Peavy Stadium.
“Our maintenance and operation team continues to absolutely hit it out of the ball park,” Assistant Superintendent Nate Lambdin said at the recent school board meeting on March 10.
Longtime school board member Tom Courtney also sang their praises. “The improvements I’ve seen at our school are absolutely amazing. Everyone of those people is working as hard as they can.”
The M & O team consists of maintenance leads Lillian Thomason and Roland Reyes, who built the current crew of can-do’s that includes Mark Hart, Bob Rietdyk, Michah Rowland, Abiram Alcala and Brad Strain.
Mr. Lambdin is especially impressed with what the team has done and regularly touts their accomplishments at school board meetings. He spoke about the M & O’s baseball and softball facilities project at the Middle High School. “They added over 2,000 square feet of grass sod to a facility that really needed that improvement. They were literally on their hands and knees just working incredibly hard.”
The crew also is nearing the end of construction for a restroom and concession stand at the Ron Peavy Football Stadium, which will include a patio area and serving windows.
But as the recent projects are completed others will come to the fore. “We’re looking at expanding,” Mr. Lambdin said. The expansion will include five new modular classrooms in the “A/B Wing” area, which will help accommodate the district’s recent 12% growth.
Mr. Courtney says the crew will be ready for any project that comes their way. “They are eager to do projects. The district gives them the tools they need. It’s really great to see.”