Staff Spotlight – Facilities Team

Arriving at Shore each morning, students are welcomed with clean, functional and operational facilities that enable a productive learning environment. While the boys may not always see what goes on behind the scenes, today we pull back the curtain and take a brief look at the inner workings of the School.

The Facilities team at Shore have worked hard to preserve the condition of the grounds since 1889, although originally, it was teaching staff who did most of the upkeep work. Below is a photo of Mr A.D Hall, a Shore teacher from 1891-1925, climbing the flagpole to assist with the maintenance of the School.  

Since those early decades, a specialised Shore Facilities team has been established. Headed by Mr David Pickerd, the current team has many years of experience working within the School. Their extensive knowledge of Shore’s grounds and buildings ensures that the School runs like a well-oiled machine. 

The Facilities team possess a wide range of experience from carpentry, tiling, and waterproofing to aircraft maintenance, project management, commerce, and marketing. All team members have acquired a High Risk Work License, allowing them to work with specialised equipment, further broadening the range of tasks the team is able to assist with. Some members of the team are currently obtaining qualifications in Management and HR.

We all benefit immensely from the hard work of the Facilities team. Thanks to the efforts of Mr Pickerd and his team, the boys are able to come to Shore each day and thrive in an environment that is safe, functional and conducive to learning. Mr Pickerd added, “The Facilities Department wouldn’t truly be able to do what we do without the hard work of the Grounds, Cleaning, Security, Electricians, Plumbers, Painters, Fire Services teams and more, who we see as an extension of our own team.”

Top image credit: Zsolt Lendvai, Rodney Briggs and David Pickerd