Every morning before the first bell rings, Jean-Louis Henriot, Building and Grounds Manager, is already at South, ensuring that the 650,000-square-foot building runs smoothly. From the air systems that keep classrooms comfortable, to the lights that guide students through the halls, Henriot and his team are the force that keeps South running–often in ways most students never realize.

Henriot has worked for the school district since 1999, starting as a custodian and working his way up to maintenance, then Assistant Manager, and now Manager of Buildings and Grounds, Tina Wagner, Executive Assistant for Buildings and Grounds, said. As part of the job, Henriot has managed numerous upgrades and projects while overseeing the Buildings and Grounds team, Henriot said.

“I supervise almost everything that goes on behind the scenes–whether it be the school grounds, mechanical HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning),” Henriot explained. “[It is] a really challenging season right now because it’s cold in the morning and hot in the afternoon.”

During the transition to fall and colder outside temperatures, the maintenance team is knee-deep in adjusting the building’s heating and cooling systems, Henriot said. South makes use of the cold water in the cooling towers while also turning on the boiler system, which heats and cools the school at the same time, he explained. These constant changes, along with trying to keep South energy efficient, make for a demanding schedule, Henriot explained.

Henriot’s work ethic and dedication are unmatched, Wagner said. He takes measures to come in early, stay late, and come in over the weekend if there is anything urgent that needs to be tended to, she added.

“He’s been such a big part of what happens behind the scenes maintaining GBS,” Wagner explained. “He’s reliable and takes pride in what he does and his team.”

With a building as large as South, the workload is massive, Henriot explained. Each team member has their strengths – some specialize in electrical work, others in HVAC – and jobs are assigned based on who can tackle each challenge most efficiently, Henriot added.

“Maintenance takes everybody that’s involved from faculty staff, to administrators, to my department,” Henriot said. “It is really a community effort.”

Beyond the everyday maintenance, Henriot has seen spaces of South that only few others have seen, he said. Some of the spots include rooftop crawl spaces and even hidden pool filtration systems, Henriot explained.

“There’s a whole area under the East Pool where the mixing and filtration equipment is,” Henriot said. “I [give] tours down there sometimes and tell people, ‘Don’t turn your eyes if you don’t want to see this,’ because you won’t forget it–it’s gross.”

Even after more than 25 years, Henriot’s pride in his work has not faded, Wagner said. The teamwork in his department has shown the importance of collaboration in keeping South running smoothly, Wagner added. Sometimes there are jobs which require a lot of team effort and multiple people collaborate on, creating a strong sense of camaraderie, Henriot explained.

“I want everybody in my department to enjoy their work,” he said. “Not all days are fun, not every job is great, but I want everyone to have fun doing it. We all get along, we all have a good time. I’m very proud of that,” Henriot said.