District 88 buildings and grounds crews prepare for spring

As we finally say goodbye to winter, it makes for a busy spring for the grounds crews at District 88.

The beginning of spring is a very busy time for the grounds crews at Addison Trail and Willowbrook. Between the two campuses, we have about 150 acres (Addison Trail has 65 and Willowbrook has 85) to mow and maintain. With those large campuses, we are able to support many different spring and summer programs, as well as have multiple teams from the community and local grade schools enjoy using the fields.

One of our biggest challenges this time of year is to get the baseball and softball fields up and playable each day. Our goal is to get onto the fields as early as possible to turn the infield mix, but this year has been a challenge. The mix on each field is not just dirt. It is a base of black dirt with a mixture of clay and a water absorber called Turface, which helps dry out the fields for play during rain and also helps during dry periods by keeping the mix easier to break up. This year, we have been challenged with not only rain, but also snow and an almost 4-foot frost line that pushes the thawing moister up to the surface, which creates puddles in certain areas. However, we added Turface to the fields this past fall, which has helped dry the fields.

Along with the baseball and softball fields, there are many other sports fields on the campuses that need different types of maintenance such as field measuring for soccer and football, which involves lining and leveling those fields.

Just as the grounds crews are busy doing field prep work in spring, the custodial crews inside the buildings look to spring break as a time to do their share of work. During that week, custodial crews team up and address in greater detail every hallway, stairwell, restroom, commons area, student café and kitchen in both school buildings. Everything from the light fixtures to the lockers to the floors are cleaned and sanitized.

The maintenance staff also continues to work on projects such as painting hallways and changing air filters in every classroom and mechanical unit. Maintenance also is performed on much of our vast mechanical systems to keep them running at peak and efficient levels to help with utility costs and to ensure they are working correctly.

As you can see, spring is a busy time for the buildings and grounds crews at District 88, and we look forward to providing a safe and enjoyable environment for students, staff and community members.