When the phone rings in the middle night and the answering machine plays Superintendent Brian Forget’s voice announcing no school, Mr. Christopher Walsh is partly to thank for that.

Leading up to a possible school-closing storm, Walsh says he monitors the conditions of the schools in person, while keeping up with weather alerts and forecasts, and then reports back to Forget, who then works along with police and public safety officials to make the final call. Snow-day preparation is one of the many responsibilities Walsh takes on here at Triton.

For over fifteen years, Walsh has been the Manager of Facilities and Grounds of the entire Triton Regional School District. His main job to ensure that all of the district’s facilities are maintained and functioning properly. In addition, Walsh is a member of all of the schools’ safety committees and is also responsible for various budgeting and administrative duties.

Walsh started out as Head Custodian at Newbury Elementary in 1996 and was then promoted in 2001 when the newly created position of Manager of Facilities and Grounds for the entire District.

Since then, he says technological advances have made a huge impact on the school and have significantly changed the culture of not just Triton, but all the schools in the district.

“It’s mission critical now,” said Walsh. Technology is now involved in almost every aspect of the facilities and operations of the five schools, touching security, safety, scheduling, communication, and more. “Before you could get away with it, but now everybody needs to come in and get onto to their devices.”

“What I like most about working here is being part of the Triton community and I enjoy the school atmosphere and the faculty, staff, and students,” said Walsh. “As far as from an operational standpoint from the school administration and school committee”, Walsh says he is confident in the district’s performance.

As facilities manager however, Walsh agrees that some areas of the schools are need of improvement.

“I just wish there was more monies available to do more improvements,” said Walsh. “As typical in any municipality or school district, you have to budget your money and something has to be given up.” Walsh says it’s “no secret here” that the restrooms in the high school, which are almost 50 years old, are in need of improvement. At the end of the day, Walsh says he is most concerned with the “safety, comfort, and care of the students and staff.”

Walsh says he takes pride in this school and despite the ups and downs, “I wouldn’t rather be any other place.”