Students notice when a classroom is clean, families notice when a school feels welcoming, visitors notice when a building feels cared for. Those moments may seem small, bu they shape the experience people have every time they walk through a school’s doors. That experience doesn’t happen by accident.
Behind every safe hallway, polished floor and well-maintained classroom is a team of facilities and custodial professionals whose work often goes unseen but makes learning possible every day.
On Thursday, June 25, the School District of Lancaster welcomed facilities and custodial professionals from Lancaster and Lebanon counties to McCaskey High School for the 2026 Lancaster-Lebanon Plant Managers (LLPM) Education Workshop. The annual event rotates among school districts each June, bringing together professionals for a full day of learning, collaboration and networking focused on the evolving work of maintaining school buildings.
The workshops included hands-on training, educational sessions, exhibits, required safety refreshers and a keynote presentation centered on the customer experience.
While teachers and administrators regularly participate in professional development, Director of Facilities and Building Operations Matt Shields believes facilities professionals deserve the same opportunity to continue growing in their craft.
“We put a lot of professional development into teachers and administrators,” Shields said. “Custodial and maintenance staff need professional development to stay current, too. This gives us an opportunity to learn best practices, understand new flooring systems and equipment, and share ideas with one another.”
As schools evolve, so do the materials, technology and systems that keep them operating safely and efficiently. Professional learning helps facilities teams stay ahead of those changes while strengthening relationships across districts.
Hosting the workshop also gave the School District of Lancaster an opportunity to showcase McCaskey High School and invite colleagues to view its facilities through a different lens.
“It’s good to get fresh eyes in our buildings,” Shields said. “We enjoy visiting other districts, and it’s valuable to have our peers visit ours. Even in a building that’s decades old, we want people to see what’s possible when you take pride in your work.”
For Shields, maintaining a school extends well beyond repairs and cleaning. Every interaction contributes to the experience students, families, staff and community members have when they enter a building.
“We want our staff to remember how important they are to the customer experience,” Shields said. “Whether it’s greeting someone with a smile, helping them find where they’re going or providing a clean, safe environment, those moments leave a lasting impression.”
That message resonated throughout the morning as Superintendent Dr. Keith Miles welcomed participants from across the region and recognized the School District of Lancaster Facilities team for hosting the event.
“The condition of our buildings sends a message to our students,” Miles said. “It says to our young people, ‘This is a space you deserve.'” Miles also thanked facilities professionals from across Lancaster and Lebanon counties for the essential role they play in supporting students, staff and their communities while highlighting one of the district’s core values.
“Today’s event is about learning from one another,” Miles said. “The challenges facing facilities departments continue to evolve, and opportunities like this help all of us grow together.”
Professional learning is often associated with classrooms, but strong schools depend on every employee continuing to learn and improve. When facilities professionals invest in their skills, the benefits reach every student, educator and visitor who walks through the doors.
The School District of Lancaster is proud to host opportunities that strengthen public education across the region. By bringing facilities professionals together to share knowledge learn from one another, the district is helping ensure schools remain safe, welcoming and ready for learning, one building at a time.