GPS Operations Team Prepares Campuses for a Safe and Inspiring School Year

As we enter the third week of school, students and staff across GPS continue their strong and positive start to the year. Building a welcoming learning environment where every student can thrive takes a dedicated community of teachers, administrators, families, and students. Behind the scenes in making our campuses a place for student success, the GPS Operations team has worked over the summer to ensure our facilities remain safe, well-maintained, and ready to serve the GPS family each day.

When a campus receives a facility renovation, repair or replacement, Chief Operations Officer Albert Dutchover and his team begin with a careful site assessment to evaluate how a space is functioning and how it can best support students.

With GPS campuses and facilities averaging 32 years of age, and 5 million square feet of space under roof across 38 campuses and department buildings, these assessments help the operations crew address underlying wear and tear before it creates bigger problems. By looking closely at the individual needs of each campus, the team can work on projects that make a long-term impact on safety and learning. From repairing cracked tennis courts and uneven playground asphalt to choosing durable materials that reduce routine maintenance, every decision is made to keep campuses running smoothly and efficiently.

"We rely on thorough assessments to stay ahead of facility needs and keep spaces safe and functional for students," says Dutchover. "When facilities are well cared for, students notice. It lets them know we care about their environment, and that translates directly into pride in their school."

Bringing dozens of facility improvements to life over a short summer window requires coordination and teamwork across the entire department. Outdoor and athletic venues take on heavy use throughout the year and require specialized attention to remain safe for student-athletes. Athletic Grounds Supervisor Johnny Gutierrez led the resurfacing of Mesquite High’s tennis courts, smoothing out surface cracking so players can practice and compete safely. Similarly, teams at Campo Verde High and Spectrum Elementary repaved worn asphalt to remove trip hazards and create smooth surfaces around parking lots and play areas.

Indoor spaces across the district also received specialized care thanks to staff members like Steve Wells. Wells managed a full flooring replacement at South Valley Junior High while providing operational support on major projects district-wide. At Spectrum Elementary, the team developed a creative approach to address recurring floor damage in the school’s multi-purpose room. By installing a polished concrete finish with built-in athletic lines, they created a durable surface that handles daily wear while eliminating the need for recurring maintenance costs.

Inside the classroom, Albert Dutchover oversaw projects created to enhance hands-on learning. That included modernizing the Gilbert High Meats Processing Lab to support growing Career and Technical Education (CTE) coursework, as well as improving the audiovisual systems in the school’s auditorium for student performances and school gatherings.

Whether welcoming a student onto a freshly resurfaced court, supporting hands-on learning in an updated lab, or hosting families for a Friday night event, the entire GPS Family works to create safe spaces for student success. Check out our gallery below to see the work completed over summer break. 

Summer Campus Projects and Improvements

• Campo Verde High School
  • Asphalt Repair
  • Gate Modifications
• Gilbert Classical Academy
  • Gate Modifications
• Gilbert High School 
  • Auditorium AV Renovation
  • Meats Lab Renovations
• Mesquite Elementary
  • Playground Renovation
• Mesquite High School
  • Stadium Restroom Renovations
  • Tennis Court Repair
• Patterson Elementary
  • Modified Painting
• Sonoma Ranch Elementary
  • Kitchen Renovations
• South Valley Junior High
  • Complete Flooring Renovation
• Spectrum Elementary
  • Asphalt Repair
  • Multi-Purpose Room Flooring Replacement