XBC Impact Story: XHS Maintenance

The Xavier Booster Club is resuming its "Impact Story" series for the 2020-2021 school year. These articles highlight how the XBC supports Xavier activities and Xavier High School throughout the year. This particular article shines a special spotlight on a group of individuals who put in many hours of hard work on a normal year. Over the past seven months however, this group has gone above and beyond to ensure that our students are able to learn in a safe and clean environment in response to COVID-19. They also answered the call to help get our school community back on its feet following the devastating August 10th derecho. We are talking about the Xavier Maintenance Staff, led by Mr. Tom Wille. The XBC recently committed extra resources to our maintenance department as they poured in hundreds of additional hours implementing a number of health and safety measures in addition to storm clean-up (at Xavier, our Xavier Catholic Schools, partner parishes, and homes around the area), often times while their own homes needed attention after sustaining damage. Fittingly on this Custodial Appreciation Day, XHS senior, Hope Schulte, checks in with our first Impact Story of the year by taking a look at this amazing group that keeps our school running and our campus beautiful. 

Thank you, magnificent maintenance staff: Tom Wille, Rich Miller, Tom Furmanski and Jim Wieneke: Xavier’s magnificent maintenance staff. 

Maintenance Director Wille has been working at Xavier for 14 years, Miller for 16 years, Furmanski for 12 years and Wieneke for 3 years. In years past, they have outdone themselves by emptying and cleaning all the classrooms in the summer, painting rooms and hallways, cleaning classrooms and bathrooms, doing plumbing and electrical work throughout the building and setting up for activities and events. 

“Xavier's maintenance staff is outstanding.  They are always willing to help with anything that is asked,” Principal Ms. Angela Olson said. “The grounds are always spotless: both the lawn and the parking lots. They take great pride in the school looking great...There is no better explanation than to say that they are relentlessly helpful.”

This year, the maintenance staff has helped the school even more because of COVID-19 and the derecho that swept through Iowa on August 10. They placed hand sanitizers in every doorway throughout the school, hung sneeze guards in the offices for safety, installed UVC lights in air handlers and moved desks and lunch tables for social distancing. The maintenance staff also sprays a cleaning mist in every room each night, keeps special cleaners and microfiber cloths filled in every classroom, cleans stair handrails and bathrooms after passing periods and props doors open for when students enter the building. 

Olson also mentioned numerous examples of the maintenance staff helping beyond their call of duty at Xavier such as assisting in the cleanup at schools, parishes and homes after the derecho, responding at a moment’s notice if something breaks or needs to be moved and driving 8th grade students to Regis Middle School every day after math and science classes.

“The maintenance staff has always been great, but with the pandemic and derecho damage, they have elevated themselves even more. They should get rid of some of the lesser characters in the Marvel movies and replace them with our maintenance staff,” Social Studies and Theology teacher Mr. Mike Goldsmith, who has been at Xavier since its opening, said. “There's no way we could be in this building right now without the unbelievable work of our maintenance staff, school nurse, lunch staff and Administration.”

The maintenance staff allows the faculty to take pride in working at Xavier. 

“Tom Wille, Rich Miller, Tom Furmanski and Jim Wieneke are all hard working men who take great pride in what they do here at Xavier. They make a difference in how the school is able to operate every day. They spend every day cleaning the building so that when we come back the next day, it is once again, a place we can all take pride in being a part of,” Fitness and Wellness teacher Mrs. Julie Kadlec, who has also been at Xavier since its opening, said. 

Those that also came before Wille, Miller, Furmanski and Wieneke on the maintenance staff are also appreciated for their years of service. 

“Stan Hlas was our first Head Custodian and he loved Xavier overall and always showed a special interest in Xavier football. He set the standards for all our maintenance staff. All our custodians over the years have had great work ethic and unique personalities that have made them fun to be around. A special shout-out needs to be given to our current custodial staff as they help battle the COVID issues,” Social Studies teacher Mr. Duane Schulte, who has been at Xavier since the beginning, said. “Tom Wille and his entire staff care about Xavier. Their loyalty to Xavier is heartwarming. About the only negative thing I can say about our custodial staff is there is too much Green Bay Packers propaganda on some of their equipment.”

Besides receiving some backlash about a certain NFL football team, Wille is very happy to be able to work and be a part of the Xavier community. 

“My staff all take pride in what the school looks like everyday. It's very enjoyable to work here because if we need some help with something, there is always someone willing to jump in and help us out,” Wille said. “Working with the Xavier community has made me a more understanding and faithful person.”

Xavier High School would not be where it is today without the humility and character of the maintenance staff, especially with the new challenges presented this year. So thank you, magnificent maintenance staff.