SSC Newsletter May/ June 2020

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SSC SERVICE S FOR EDUCATION Newsletter MAY / JUNE 2020

New technologies are coming to SSC through our collaboration with our sister company Crothall, who provides facilities services to healthcare institutions. Take 27 minutes and listen to Seth and Rich discuss all the innovations this collaboration is bringing about, and how it will be helping you to grow your client and community’s confidence as we return to school.

Stand up and be Recognized Prepare for Change Work Together Guest Writer in Grounds Tips for Hour Home MSU is Green It’s a Good Idea to Loose 300+ Goats on your Campus— Sometimes Do More, Be Great

In This Issue

“Thanks Renata! Everything is looking great. R2i2 is probably the cleanest and shiniest it’s ever been, including when we first opened. I appreciate the quality work you and your team are doing.” Richland 2 School Disctrict

“A big thanks goes out to you guys for staying on top of things! During this pandemic, I am very proud to have SSC as a partner.” Texarkana Arkansas Schools

In the last month we have received numerous letters of thanks and appreciation from the clients and staff at the campuses we serve: how proud they are of the staff at their sites and how thankful they are to have you working to keep everyone safe. More are coming in every day, but here are just a few we wanted to share with you: We say it in every Newsletter and we will keep shouting about it: We have Amazing People Working at SSC!

Please join us in congratulating Dennis Gray as one of this year’s recipients of the President’s Meritorious Service Award. Dennis was nominated for the award and then chosen for his great work with the Deferred Maintenance program .

SSC | SERVICES FOR EDUCATION | NEWSLETTER | MAY/JUNE 2020

Being Prepared for Change

It’ Time to Work Together!

Last issue we showed how the SSC Warehouse is working to collaborate with our sister companies to keep the supply chain moving during the uncertain first weeks of the pandemic. Now it ' s proudly time to show off the SSC Graphics Shop at Texas A&M University. They have been gearing up for back to school by helping Chartwells HED, K-12, and 14 other sectors prepare their spaces for students and customers to safety return, gather, and EAT! Producing hundreds of pieces of custom COVID signage , the Graphics Shop is just getting started as plans to work together expand.

Rusty West’s team at Bastrop ISD embraced the challenge of a tight deadline to bring smiles to the faces of over 600 graduating seniors and their families. More than 1,200 T-Posts, 600 Banners , and 2400 zip ties were strategically placed in the front driveways at each high school in less than 10 hours by our facilities and grounds teams. This included making a template to make sure that all 600+ banners were aesthetically placed.

It wasn’t all work , though . Sandra Callahan, Bastrop ISD CFO , brought the team notes of thanks and cookies!

SSC | SERVICES FOR EDUCATION | NEWSLETTER | MAY/JUNE 2020

There is a lot of Green at Murray State University and everyone is getting in on the action! This month the Murray State Grounds Team gleefully unpacked their 4 electric gators and 2 electric mower s from Mean Green. “SSC made a promise to our Jackie Morgan , SSC Grounds Manager at MSU.

Photo by Robert Thiemann on Unsplash

clients to bring green and electric technology to a prominent place in our organization. Every time we unpack another piece of green equipment, I can’t help but smile at the impact we get to make in our community,” said

Grounds Tips for your Home:

It wasn’t just the SSC team that was excited about the new deliveries, MSU President, Dr. Jackson , couldn’t wait to take a mower for a test drive.

If you’ve been out in your yard this past week and notice that some of your roses, fruit trees, or vegetable plants have skeletonized leaves, it’s a good bet you’re about to experience a Japanese beetle outbreak. Although this beetle has wings, he most likely didn’t fly in from across the neighborhood, but rather came out of your lawn. As with any pest you’re looking to control, alway s READ THE LABEL of any pesticide. The label is the law, as we say in the industry. The most common control is “Seven” and can usually be found in all the big box stores (Lowes, Home Depot, and ACE). It is a highly effective control but is very harmful to bees. “Neem Oil” is an organic approach but will lose efficacy the later you go into the outbreak. “Pyrethrins”

like (PyGanic brand name) are also organic and can be very effective. These controls work on the beetles and ants, ticks, other beetles, etc. If you’re looking to control the larva in the soil , do it in the fall and early spring, use Cease or DiPel Pro, brand names for Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT). BT is naturally occurring bacteria that will kill and/or disrupt the life cycles of many soil-born larva and worms. If you have a small number of these beetles, you can remove and dispose of themmanually. You will have to be diligent, but it will work. Hope this helps, enjoy your gardening bounty and efforts. Erik Proksch Regional Grounds Manager

Murray State University President, Dr. Jackson , taking one of the new electric mowers for a spin

SSC | SERVICES FOR EDUCATION | NEWSLETTER | MAY/JUNE 2020

You Guys, THE GOATS ARE BACK at Athenian! Vendor providing goats: Martin Boer Goats from Tracy, CA

in goat business since 2007 Goats under management: about 1000 Goat Herder: Angel The goat herder lives on a travel trailer that is brought to the site. He stays with the herd 24/7 during the placement to address animals that have escaped or are in distress, as well as potential predators, vandals, or neighborhood kids who tried to kidnap one of the younger goats. The herder also sets up fence sections to move the herd throughout the property – they are focused in confined areas to clear vegetation and then shifted to clear the next section. The only requirement for the herd is running water. Guard Dogs: Rosie & Daisy (Great Pyrenees-Anatolian Shepherd Mix), Bo (Border Collie) The dogs stay with the herd and help scare potential predators or others that may interfere with the goats. They also herd goats from area to area.

Why goats: Using goats to control and remove vegetation is not only entertaining to watch, but also aligns with the school’s mission for environmental responsibility by avoiding the use of chemical herbicides or gas-powered mowers and landscape equipment. Goats are also much more effect ive for clearing areas that have steep slopes, uneven surfaces, narrow ravines , or dense trees and shrubs. Goats can clear areas that are difficult/impossible to navigate with tractors and mowers and as well as too dangerous to safely operate handheld line trimmers. The goats clear almost any vegetation, including grasses, weeds, leaves from trees and shrubs , and other hard-to- manage plants such as berry thickets that have thorns on the stems. Goats can reach to areas 4-5 feet off the ground by standing independently on their hind legs or balancing on a tree trunk using their front legs. A herd of 350-400 goats can clear vegetation , as well as temperature and, terrain will affect the herds’ progress. Random goats wear bells around their necks – when the activity of the bells approximately 1 acre per day. However, density and type of

goats are herded into that area and the previous sections removed . The set-up involved the arrival of a convoy of vehicles including: • A truck pulling a travel trailer • 2 pickup trucks, each pulling 2-story livestock trailers • A pickup carrying supplies for the fencing and other enclosures From arrival to deployment of the goats: less than 2 hours

escalates, it helps alert the goat herder to a possible predator or other activity that threatens the safety of the herd. Getting ready for goats: Goats are controlled with a flexible netting that is powered with a rechargeable solar battery. The herder travels with several sections of netting so that they can encompass areas of varying sizes and terrain. When the herd is ready to move, a separate fenced section is erected , and the

SSC | SERVICES FOR EDUCATION | NEWSLETTER | MAY/JUNE 2020

Strive to Be More

The Student Advocate Award is presented to a Greensboro College staff or faculty member (outside of the Student Development staff) who has displayed earnest & intentional development of Greensboro College students through his or her mentoring, dedication, and support of the mission of Student Development and

Greensboro College. Nominations are solicited from SGA and Stu-dent Development staff and voted on by the Student Development staff.

Would you like to contribute to next month’s newsletter? Please contact us with your idea! SSC S ervices for Education PO Box 52370 Knoxville, TN 37950 865-546-8880 Contact@sscserv.com www.sscserv.com

Fast forward to minute 3 to help us celebrate Justin Liszka, Director of Facilities at Greensboro College , and a leader at SSC since 2013.

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