Deemed essential workers when the pandemic closed schools in March 2020, facilities staff with Holy Trinity Catholic School Division worked that summer to prepare schools for when students returned after nearly six months away.
While classes were suspended from March to June 2020, buildings staff remained on site to continue with their duties, according to a report of the department’s 2020-21 activities that board trustees received during their recent November meeting.
Although access to buildings was limited, the division created “significant disinfectant protocols” and implemented them after staff usage, the report continued. Department employees researched enhanced disinfectant processes while the division implemented safety measures that summer in preparation for the September 2020 reopening.
The new cleaning activities included using fogging machines and vital oxide products, installing water bottle filling, purchasing hand sanitizer bottles, building standalone wash stations, adding plexiglass dividers, enhancing isolation room products and purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE).
The department was over budget by $238,588 last year due to $563,181 in unbudgeted COVID-19 expenses, the report added. If those expenses were excluded, the department would have been under budget by $324,593.
The facilities staff continued these cleaning measures throughout the 2020-21 school year, and continue to do so this year.
Energy management
During the 2020-21 year, Holy Trinity’s utility costs were $506,292. The federal climate action incentive fund provided $226,226 for energy retrofits for lighting and rooftop units.
These upgrades are expected to reduce the division’s utility costs by $26,000 per year, the report said.
School buildings
There are nine Holy Trinity schools in three communities in southwest Saskatchewan, including five elementary, one regular high school and one alternative high school in Moose Jaw. There is also one elementary school each in Swift Current and Shaunavon.
The schools’ average age is 52 years, the report said. The oldest schools are 65 years old (Christ the King in Shaunavon and St. Margaret, St. Michael and St. Mary in Moose Jaw).
Conversely, All Saints Catholic School in Swift Current opened in 2014.
Size of buildings
Christ the King School was built in 1956 and has had two additions since then. It is 1,416 square metres (15,246 square feet) in size. Meanwhile, it is at 56-per-cent capacity.
Sacred Heart was built in 1959 and has had five additions. It is 2,304 square metres (24,801 square feet) in size. Meanwhile, it is at 91-per-cent capacity.
St. Agnes was built in 1964 and has had three additions over the last several decades. It is 2,535 square metres (27,284 square feet) in size. Meanwhile, it is at 114-per-cent capacity.
St. Margaret was constructed in 1956 and has had six additions. It is 2,998 square metres (32,274 square feet) in size. Meanwhile, it is at 62-per-cent capacity.
St. Mary was built in 1956 and has had one addition since then. It is 1,381 square metres (14,860 square feet) in size. Meanwhile, it is at 93-per-cent capacity.
St. Michael was constructed in 1956 and has had eight additions. It is 2,992 square metres (32,206 square feet) in size. Meanwhile, it is at 90-per-cent capacity.
Vanier Collegiate was built in 1966 and has required three additions. It is 7,248 square metres (78,017 square feet) in size. Meanwhile, it is at 58-per-cent capacity.
All Saints — a joint-use school — was built in 2014 and is 4,758 square metres (51,214 square feet) in size. The Catholic side is 1,181 square meters (12,712 square feet) in size. Meanwhile, it is at 124-per-cent capacity.
Phoenix Academy was constructed in 1998 and is 397 square metres (4,278 square feet) in size. Meanwhile, the school’s capacity is unknown.
The new board office was built in 2009 and is 1,087 square metres (11,700 square feet) in size.
The division’s Quonset hut was constructed in 2008 and is 84 square metres (90 square feet) in size.
In total, there are 29,300 square metres (315,389 square feet) of floor space throughout the school division.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is Monday, Dec. 13.
