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Reply With Quotespeckytecky (6th September 2008)
Don't you love the decent caretakers that will chat to you for hours on end!
I was quite stressed out this afternoon but bumped into a caretaker and he gave me a pat on the back and reminded me to chill out and just try my best. It really put a smile on my face
Nice to know some staff are so supportive! Funnily enough I never expect to get such words from a teachers mouth!
speckytecky (6th September 2008)
We have one of those. The only problem is you can't get away when your in a hurry.
I'm fortunate that our site team (equivalent of caretaker/maintenance staff) are all very supportive and will go out of their way to help us out.
In return all they ask from us is that we involve them in what we're doing (so we don't blow the place up) and when they pop in, they have a coffee and biscuit.. No problems there!
Ours are pretty much the same. They will both try to do anything for you. One of them is the Tresurer of a workmans club and actually sorted the place out so my band can practice there.
It's swings and roundabouts though. If either of them come to me for help I'm there straight away.
It's role reversal isn't it - caretakers now do the work of the Head Teacher.
Head Teachers job is lying to the public.
Caretakers are the one people you don't annoy. They are great! Anyone who says otherwise, has problems and won't last.
They the people who fix your door on your server room after someone kicked it in before making a cup of tea then going to fix the head's door.
The only problem for having such a helpful friend who you can rant too is that they will, like all people want something at some point. Hopefully they think computers is dark magic so the only thing they ask to help them find stuff on google rather then removing the 9 millions trojans they got.
PS: Ours was called site officiers
Our site maintenance team are the best, they sound like laurel and hardy/chucklebrothers when they argue (always jokingly of course), they are always more than happy to help, always good for a chat and a laugh!
Chris
We've got two top blokes here (Des & Mike). They know where kit gets hidden when teachers 'borrow' it and forget to return it to the office
They also have a tea, coffee and biscuit supply when you're having a chat!
IMHO the hirarchy of a school in order of importance (Excluding the most important dept of all - IT Support):
- Caretakers
- Tech Dept Technician
- Tech Department Teaching Staff
- SMT
- Teachers
- Pupils
Last edited by Gonk; 3rd September 2008 at 03:03 PM. Reason: Sorry, left out the exclusion of the most important dept there is - IT Support!
I'm sorry, but where's the ICT Support team in there? I know we often feel like the bottom of the pile, but in all seriousness we're a pretty damn important part of keeping the school running!!Originally Posted by Gonk
We've got two top blokes here (Des & Mike). They know where kit gets hidden when teachers 'borrow' it and forget to return it to the office
They also have a tea, coffee and biscuit supply when you're having a chat!
IMHO the hirarchy of a school in order of importance:
- Caretakers
- Tech Dept Technician
- Tech Department Teaching Staff
- SMT
- Teachers
- Pupils
Chris
Chris
On the chart I was given when I first started ICT Support was at the very bottom. Great feeling to have when you've started a new job. Even though in theory we have access to any piece of information about the school/made in the school and usual have master keys.
Pupils above some staff in my book.
Pupils problems are:
1Q- Can't get in on this site
1A- Tough
2Q - Forgot my password
2A - It's school
3Q - Can I have more print credits
3A -Yup
4Q - Can I have more disc spac
4A - (Looks at free disc space) Yup
Staff can be anything, and they don't aways except the answers!!
Our site team are great and our estates manager who is head of the team understands the importance of being ernest (not) but I manage to get along with him all the same.
This is the time of year when he gets a little stressed so it is not unusual for him to start ranting but he comes round to our way of thinking eventually.
No problems here with our two caretakers or Premises Managers as they are known here.
During the holidays the main Premises Manager was on his holidays and the other was off sick so I got the job of opening up, turning the alarms off and then opening up areas of the school for contractors, cleaners etc. Its certainly not as easy a job as people may think. Especially when trying to do my own work as well.
Got a thank you card and £50 shopping vouchers from the head yesterday which was good of her and shows that what I did was appreciated.
The site manager at one of my schools is a top bloke. He gets things sorted and keeps the poor old part-time IT tech in the loop. He also gives up a lot of his own time to help coach the sports teams
Get on really well with the caretakers at both of the schools, I think its mainly for the fact that we are one of the only people who can relate to the problems they have and we show a bit of respect for them too!
I agree with Matt, the first thing I do when working with a school is get to know the caretakers. Handy people to know and have been known to get us out of some situations. Of course the favor was returned in fixing of computer equipment
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