This course will cover the importance of Training for M&O in order to establish High Standards of Excellence for M&O Staff, you will learn how Training is considered a Best Practice for High Performing Districts and cover the different types of Training such as Disaster Preparedness Plan, IIPP Training, Safety Training, Williams Act Training, Customer Service Training and many more the topics that should be included in your District’s Comprehensive Training Plan.

The post Why Training Matters for Maintenance & Operations Staff first appeared on TSS.

The post The Importance of a Facilities Master Plan for M&O first appeared on TSS.

The post The Importance of Planning for M&O first appeared on TSS.

The post Setting High Standards of Performance for Maintenance & Custodial Staff first appeared on TSS.

The Classified Leadership Academy

2025 Registration is Now Open!

Two Self-Paced Full-Day Workshops!

The Classified Leadership Academy (CLA) is a thorough training and professional development program designed to improve the leadership abilities of classified personnel. CLA is intended for present and aspiring classified managers and directors who wish to develop their leadership capacities. Potential benefits for the participants include expanding their general skillset, learning about legal requirements of management positions, networking opportunities, enhancing performance at work, and leadership development.

This course offers direct teaching from subject-matter specialists, group and individual exercises, practical activities, and a few self-paced workshops.

Classified Leader Certificate Program

Now more than ever, there is a great need in operational departments to lead in challenging times. Well-trained leaders are essential to support students and staff throughout a school district, whether in a role that supervises in a central office capacity or at another site. Strengthen your communication and leadership skills with research-based techniques, tools, and structuring devices to become a more effective leader and to build strong teams.

Many key leadership topics will be covered in the program, including:

• What It Means to be a Leader
• Establishing a Positive Work Culture
• Being a First Time Leader and Moving from Co-Worker to Supervisor
• How To Establish a Vision for your Department or Organization
• Leading Change
• Setting and Managing Projects and Priorities
• Celebrating and Honoring Employees
• The Leader as Communicator
• Using Emotional Intelligence to Effectively Lead
• Deciphering Contracts and Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements
• Strengthening Organizational Skills
• Building Teams, Building People
• The Basics of Understanding and Managing Budgets
• High Impact Communication
• Effective Meetings and Presentations
• Establishing Collaborative Teams
• Leading as a Multiplier

Comprehensive Curriculum

This program emphasizes specific and pragmatic skills that classified leaders need to know to be able to thrive as a school business leader. The content of this academy is presented in an online lecture and discussion format, relying upon class interactions, small group breakouts, and out-of-class assignments/practical applications that are built on a leadership inventory with skills you want to enhance to be a stronger leader.  Unlike other courses, there will be no quizzes for the Classified Leadership Academy but rather applications of the lessons learned in modules with job applications that can also be used in the design of a portfolio for future leadership roles.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The TSS Classified Leader Certificate Program has been created as a comprehensive program designed to introduce new or strengthen current leadership skills of aspiring or current directors in roles such as payroll, accounting, audit roles, risk management, technology, food and nutrition, purchasing, warehouse, maintenance and operations, facilities, worker’s compensation, benefits, and human resources roles. This program is helpful for those who have not been through leadership credential or Master’s Degree programs, focusing on those leaders and prospective leaders who have come up through school district roles without the direct coursework in leadership.

The course’s group atmosphere will encourage team building, visioning, and general leadership skills to effectively manage, while providing an opportunity for participants to expand their skill sets in a challenging yet encouraging environment.  Specialized assignments and class projects are done individually designed to help establish voice, presence, and authentic leadership skills for current or future roles. Participants who successfully complete the course will be issued an TSS Classified Leader Certificate.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Attendance and Participation – Participants are expected to attend and contribute in all sessions and must attend all classes in order to receive the TSS Classified Leader Certificate. If an emergency arises, one session may be made-up by writing and an academic paper on the missed classes’ subject matter with pre-approval by the program’s director.
2. Assessments – Activities will be used to deepen and apply the learning. These activities, called homework assignments, will all need to be completed and submitted before earning the Classified Leader Certificate.

The post Classified Leadership Academy first appeared on TSS.

Know the Rules of the Purchasing Road

School districts are among the biggest buyers of a wide range of products and services in almost every community. Districts are also very tightly regulated, and this includes purchasing. Districts that fail to comprehend or abide by these rules do so at their own risk. The objectives and criteria for these purchases, as well as a review of the many processes and methods the district employs to make purchases, will all be covered in this session. Administrators, department heads, business office workers, and anybody else involved in the purchase process who wants a deeper grasp of school district purchasing must take this course.

Requests for proposals, purchase orders vs contracts, staff responsibilities, district buying policies, piggyback bids, CUPCCA standards and processes, facility building and repair purchases, service contracts, and DIR regulations are some of the topics covered in this course.

Purchasing Edited6.12

The post Purchasing 101: Understanding School District Purchasing Process and Requirements first appeared on TSS.

Director of Maintenance and Operations Academy

2026 Registration is Now Open!

The classes will be held at Orange Unified School District and via Zoom

Class Schedule for 2026

Friday 8 AM to 4 PM & Saturday 8 AM to Noon

• January 23rd & 24th
• February 6th & 7th
• March 6th & 7th
• April 3rd & 4th
• May 8th & 9th
• September 18th & 19th
• October 16th & 17th
• November 13th & 14th

COURSE DESCRIPTION

A complete curriculum called the Director of Maintenance and Operations Academy has been developed to give seasoned maintenance and operations directors new skills or improve their current ones. This 8-month academy, developed by experienced school district maintenance and operations supervisors, school administrators, and other school leaders, consists of a broad base of education and training in the classroom setting, online with both synchronous and asynchronous instruction, and by practical application. The academy will provide participants the chance to broaden their skill set in a tough yet supportive setting that emphasizes industry best practices. Specialized assignments and class projects are completed both alone and in small groups. Participants who finish the course satisfactorily will be awarded a TSS Director of Maintenance and Operations Certificate.

Topics Covered During Academy

• The Importance of School Maintenance
• Preventative and Deferred Maintenance
• Maintenance Standards, Quality Assurance
• Master Facility Planning
• Opening and Closing of Schools
• Transportation
• Photovoltaic Systems
• Integrated Pest Management
• Hazardous Materials and Toxins
• Construction Finance and Management
• Budget and Finance
• Personnel Administration and Human Resources
• Supervision
• Purchasing
• Community, District Relations, and Customer Service
• Public Speaking and Board Presentations
• Risk Management
• Leadership
• Operations
• Food Service
• Business Writing and Communications
• Technology and Information Systems

BASIC STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

The participants will be able to:

1. Acknowledge how and why maintaining a good school is one of the most crucial factors in ensuring student success.
2. Become knowledgeable and develop the skills necessary to be a successful maintenance and operations director.
3. Identify best practices for school districts in areas such as construction management, financial management, budgeting, and other crucial ones for a successful maintenance and operations director.
4. Demonstrate knowledge and skills needed to be an effective leader and supervisor for a school district.
5. Build a strong relationship with district stakeholders and be mindful of and adept at implementing techniques to foster positive relationships across districts and the community.
6. Enhance each director of maintenance’s skill set in areas where they are lacking, while enhancing their strengths.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Attendance and Participation –Participants are expected to attend and contribute to all sessions and must attend all classes in order to receive the certificate. If an emergency arises, one session may be made-up by writing an academic paper pre-approved by the program’s instructor or other agreed make-up assignments.
2. Group Projects – The students will take part in a variety of group projects in class. Students may be required to take on many tasks during these group projects, such as facilitator, scribe, group leader, etc.
3. Presentation – Participants are required to present a 45-minute PowerPoint presentation. One Topic will be chosen by the student and another by the instructor.  Student-chosen presentation topics must also be approved by the instructor.
4. Practicum/Project – Participants will select an appropriate practicum which will be due by the end of the course. The practicum can be a variety of activities, including taking on a needed District project or a specific interview with an experienced M&O director, architect, construction manager, etc.  The practicum topic/project must be agreed to by the instructor.
5. Other Assignments – Other assignments will be given on a variety of topics with the goal of honing the skills of the class participant.
6. Assessments – To gauge learning, evaluations will be conducted on a regular basis. A final test marks the end of the academy and passing it is a requirement for graduation.

The post Director of Maintenance and Operations Academy first appeared on TSS.