Atmos Energy and the Dallas Education Foundation have partnered to recognize the tireless efforts of the Dallas ISD Maintenance and Facilities essential team members for their work during the recent winter storms. Over 140 Dallas ISD schools were damaged due to record freezing temperatures, including flooding due to burst pipes.
While the nearly 1600 employees in the Maintenance and Facility Services department will be recognized at a future date, today 35 essential team members were highlighted for working day and night for no reason other than their commitment to Dallas ISD. “Our department has seen unprecedented events that could have defined us in the last 24 months, but instead we chose to overcome and define those moments,” said David Bates, Assistant Superintendent of Maintenance and Facilities. “This team has worked through geothermal well malfunctions, rolling outages due to extreme heat, a historic tornado, a pandemic, and most recently, a severe winter storm with electrical outages and water damages due to extreme cold,”
Mr. Bates said to his team, “Your dedication and perseverance will be highlighted and remembered forever by the City of Dallas. Our school personnel are marveled by the work and are grateful for what you have endured and accomplished. Significantly, the most memorable is your sacrifice to complete your job and this department’s mission.”
Dallas ISD had to act quickly to repair damage to schools in order to ensure a safe return for the district’s students, teachers and support staff.
“It takes every member of a community to educate a child, including those in Maintenance and Facilities whom you almost never see. They work in the background and do much of the heavy lifting on a daily basis,” said Mita Havlick, Executive Director of the Dallas Education Foundation. “And when there is an emergency, their lift is heavier and becomes urgent. We are incredibly appreciative of their dedication to our district.”
The Dallas Education Foundation is grateful to Atmos Energy for its partnership in making this recognition possible.
SMU Football also showed its appreciation by providing each team member with two tickets to their home opener. SMU Football will be one of the lead partners in the recognition of the entire Maintenance and Facilities department.
To support the amazing team members, educators, and students of Dallas ISD, please go to https://futureofdallas.org/donate.
