Keith Ellis – Director of Maintenance and Operations
Location: Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Building
Job description: Keith is in charge of making sure that all district buildings are running properly.
Typical day: Beginning at 6:30 a.m., Keith drives to each school to check on operations – to confer with custodians and see that the buildings are safe and ready for kids. “To make sure,” as Keith says, “that everything is up to snuff.” After his inspections, Keith returns to the office. When the school day begins he checks in with principals to ensure that their needs are being met. Dean Mack, Keith’s immediate supervisor, also receives a daily briefing. “We do a lot of preventative maintenance,” says Keith. “We try to take care of problems before they become big ones.” Keith is involved in the drive to make MISD a full-fledged ‘King County Green School District’ by the end of this year. “Island Park, Lakeridge and IMS are level-one Green Schools,” says Keith. “West Mercer and MIHS are in the process. The schools are escalating their efforts in composting and recycling with the help of a ‘green committee’ of parents, staff and citizens.” At the end of his workday, if there is time, Keith visits each school again to touch base with the evening custodial crews.
Best part of the job: “It’s great being around the kids,” says Keith. “The little guys, especially, appreciate what our maintenance and custodial crews do. For instance, we put up new tetherball equipment at Island Park. The kids made a poster thanking us for that. It really makes your heart feel good when they notice what you are doing for them.”
Something people may not know: Keith started his public school career in 1974 as a night custodian in Palmer, Alaska. Over 20 years there, he progressed to day custodian, lead high school custodian, custodial foreman, and finally, maintenance and operations foreman. After two of their daughters moved to Seattle, Keith and his wife, Raye Jean, came for a visit. They had a decision to make – should they relocate to Seattle or Arizona? “We spent August in Arizona and that settled that,” explains Keith. “Too hot!” Shortly after settling in Seattle, Keith was hired by MISD as operations supervisor; he was later promoted to director of maintenance and operations.
Years in district: 15 years. Keith will be retiring from the district in November, 2010.
Outside interests: Keith and Raye Jean have four children and nine grandchildren, residing here and in Reno, Nevada. “That’s what we’ll do in retirement,” says Keith. “Babysit the grandkids.” Though they plan to divide their time between Seattle and Reno, Keith and Raye Jean will also continue their annual sojourn to Arizona for the Mariners spring training.
