The Teachers
Every school has someone who quietly keeps everything running.
At Erie Day School, that person is Tom Dombrowski.
For the past 20 years, Mr. Tom has been the steady presence behind the scenes, making sure our campus is safe, beautiful, and ready for every student who walks through the doors.
If you've ever met Mr. Tom, you know that working around children has rubbed off on him in the very best way. He's quick with a smile, never afraid to be a little silly, and always ready with a joke. In fact, if you've spent more than a few minutes talking with Mr. Tom, chances are you've laughed. His sense of humor is just as much a part of Erie Day School as the buildings themselves.
But beneath that playful personality is someone who takes enormous pride in his work.
His favorite day of the entire year is the first day of school.
Not because the summer projects are finally finished—but because that's the moment when months of hard work come together. The floors gleam after countless hours of polishing. Freshly painted walls brighten the hallways. The lawns are perfectly manicured. Every classroom is ready to welcome students back for another year of discovery.
Long after students head home in June, he and his year-round teammates are hard at work tackling projects that keep Erie Day School looking its best. This summer alone, they've been deep cleaning every corner of the building, painting walls, replacing worn carpet, installing new stair treads, trimming trees, updating lighting, and overseeing the resurfacing of the soccer field.
And those are just the projects you can see.
Behind the scenes, Mr. Tom is responsible for an astonishing amount of work that most people never realize. Erie Day School is a large campus, and keeping it operating smoothly is a full-time job in itself. He oversees ongoing HVAC maintenance, monitors building systems, troubleshoots mechanical issues, and helps ensure every classroom stays comfortable no matter the season.
His team carefully checks the depth of the playground mulch to cushion falls, inspects sidewalks and stairs for tripping hazards, maintains mechanical systems, and handles hundreds of details that most people never notice—unless something goes wrong.
On any given day, his phone is likely buzzing with requests from faculty and staff. A classroom bookshelf needs to be moved. A piano has to be relocated for a performance. Tables and chairs need to be rearranged for an event. A lock won't latch. A faucet starts leaking. A projector suddenly won't work. A door won't close properly.
If something breaks, Mr. Tom is usually the first call.
For two decades, Mr. Tom has helped create the environment where learning happens—not from the front of the classroom, but by making sure every classroom, hallway, playground, and pathway is ready for the students inside it.
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