Bio
As Deputy Director of Facilities for Community School District 3, Joseph Lazarus oversees 50 Manhattan public schools located in 30 different buildings to ensure that 4 million square feet of school space is safe, clean and warm for teachers and students. Facilities is the department responsible for making schools run: garbage, recycling, heat and air conditioning, sanitation, refrigeration, electrical work, repair, asbestos abatement, playgrounds, yard maintenance, and security measures like cameras and metal detectors. If it’s connected to a school, Lazarus is involved. It’s a job he’s meticulous about. Each month he visits every school, walks every floor of every building, meets with every principal. “I want the principals to focus on curriculum, not on facilities,” says Lazarus.Taking out trash and keeping boilers working isn’t the most glamorous part of education, but teachers, principals and students alike recognize its vital importance. “The physical space creates the culture,” says one principal. Lazarus is praised for his diligence, his attention to detail, and his ability to get things done. “He does rapid response,” one of his cleaners says. “Whereas the typical time-frame for maintenance is months or even years, Joe thinks in terms of days and weeks.” A wellspring of innovation, Lazarus is leading the drive to make schools more energy efficient and through his initiatives, his schools are on track to achieve a 30 percent reduction in electricity use by 2017. He’s also at the fore- front of sustainability programs, engaging students in recycling programs and launching a groundbreaking composting program so successful it’s been rolled out to more than 50 schools. Says one school principal, “I’ve seen a lot of facilities people in 15 years. Joe is the best.”
