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POSITION: Maintenance Worker - Head Start / Early Head Start
REPORTS TO: Operations Manager
SUMMARY: This position ensures that all program facilities, grounds, and physical equipment are safe, clean, sanitary, and fully operational for preschool andnfant/toddler children, families, and staff. The Maintenance Worker performs routine, preventative, and emergency maintenance and repairs, ensures full compliance with federal Head Start Program Performance Standards and local childcare licensing regulations, and maintains a welcoming physical environment that supports daily early childhood educational programming. This position is grant-funded. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Facility Maintenance & Repair • Perform routine and preventative maintenance on building structures, plumbing, basic electrical systems, and HVAC components (e.g., replacing light bulbs, repairing leaky faucets, unclogging drains, changing air filters). • Conduct structural repairs including interior/exterior painting, drywall patching, carpentry adjustments, and minor door/window hardware updates. • Respond promptly to daily maintenance requests and facility work orders submitted by educational and administrative staff. • Coordinate and oversee work performed by specialized outside contractors when structural or structural-mechanical repairs require advanced commercial certification. Safety, Health, and Regulatory Compliance • Understand and strictly implement all required policies and procedures related to maintaining a safe, healthy environment in accordance with Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and state childcare licensing regulations. • Ensure that indoor and outdoor facilities, classrooms, and playgrounds are entirely free of structural safety hazards, debris, or toxic materials. • Perform regular safety inspections of playground structures, checking protective surfacing depths and equipment integrity; document and repair any identified hazards immediately. • Maintain comprehensive, accurate records of all inspections, facility repairs, fire drills, and safety compliance checks within program data management systems. • Follow strict regulations associated with the prevention of occupational disease and injury, including the exercise of universal precautions and the proper handling/storage of chemical cleaning agents or hazardous maintenance materials. Groundskeeping & Seasonal Operations • Maintain exterior grounds, including regular lawn mowing, trimming, weeding, and landscape upkeep to ensure a safe and professional external environment. • Manage seasonal weather hazards by clearing ice, shoveling snow, and salting walkways, parking areas, and entryways prior to the arrival of children and staff. • Coordinate regular waste removal and recycling operations, ensuring external disposal bins are secure, clean, and hygienic.
Professional Development & Other Responsibilities • Attend and participate in workshops, staff meetings, and professional development training as requested by the immediate supervisor. • Engage in ongoing self-assessment regarding job performance and facility operational goals. • Maintain strict confidentiality with respect to Head Start/Early Head Start children, families, and staff in accordance with established district policies and procedures. • Become thoroughly familiar with the RCS Employee Handbook: Human Resources Policies and Procedures. • Perform any and all other duties as assigned. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Required: • High School Diploma or equivalent (GED). • Minimum of 2 years of experience in commercial building maintenance, general contracting, or a related trade field (carpentry, plumbing, electrical). • Must be able to meet all Head Start and state licensing requirements, including comprehensive criminal background checks, fingerprinting, and a physical exam. • Strong practical knowledge of building safety standards, hand/power tool operations, and facility preventative maintenance frameworks. • Must possess a valid Indiana Driver's License and reliable transportation. • Ability to work effectively both independently and as a collaborative member of a diverse team. • Must have a valid Indiana or Ohio drivers license, ability to provide proof of insurance, and must have reliable transportation.
Preferred: • Previous experience performing facility maintenance within a school district, childcare facility, or early childhood environment. • Familiarity with federal Head Start Performance Standards and OSHA compliance protocols. • Specialized certification or training in a technical trade (e.g., HVAC, electrical, or Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) credential).
Language Skills: Good oral and written communication skills; ability to comprehend technical manuals, safety data sheets (SDS), complete written maintenance logs, and interact professionally with children, families, and coworkers.
Reasoning Ability: Must be able to problem-solve, troubleshoot mechanical and spatial issues, prioritize tasks by safety urgency, and handle sensitive or emergency facility situations calmly and logically.
Mathematical Skills: Basic math skills, including calculating area, volume, linear measurements, and precise ratios for chemical dilution or construction material estimates.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT: Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing this job, the employee is routinely and frequently required to stand, walk, climb ladders, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, and bend at the waist. The employee must frequently reach overhead, above the shoulders, and horizontally. Daily dexterity of hands and fingers is required to operate specialized tools, machinery, and equipment safely. The position requires good hearing and speaking to exchange information and clear vision to read technical materials and diagnose physical facility issues. The employee must regularly lift, carry, push, and pull objects weighing up to 50 pounds, and occasionally exert force to move heavier equipment with mechanical assistance. Work Environment: * School building and outdoor facility environment; requires working in varied indoor and outdoor settings, including exposure to seasonal weather elements, dust, and moderate to high noise levels from tools and machinery. • May require flexible hours, including early morning hours for snow removal or emergency weekend facility calls. • Requires the absolute ability to maintain professional boundaries and ensure a safe parameter while working in active areas occupied by young children. Employment Status & Salary: This is a year-round position. Salary is based on the Richmond Community Schools Non-Certified Salary Schedule. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. The individuals currently holding this position perform additional duties, and additional duties may be assigned. The employee shall remain free of any alcohol or nonprescribed controlled substance in the workplace throughout his//her employment in the Corporation.
The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (A.M.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. The individuals currently holding this position perform additional duties and additional duties may be assigned.
The employee shall remain free of any alcohol or nonprescribed controlled substance in the workplace throughout his/her employment in the Corporation.
Richmond Community Schools is an
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability.