A physical developer at The Columbus School does not have an easy job but Juan Fernando Mesa takes his position to another level because of his love for the TCS community.

“If I didn’t love this place I would not spend 14 years of my life here,” Mesa said.

His experience in planning, developing, and seeking security for students and staff, has made The Columbus School a place where students grow to become a community.

Many students do not know or often see Mesa, but he has been playing a very important role along with his team for quite a long time. Most buildings at the TCS were Mesa’s projects approved by the junta directiva. He’s also in charge of the security as well as the transportation companies that work for the school.

“I know that it’s a lot of work to make sure more than a thousand students and employees are safe and happy with the school’s campus. But this is what I do best, and most importantly, what I love,” Mesa said.

The Beginning

Born in 1964 in Medellin, he worked at many places with an ambition to achieve his dream, to one day become the manager or boss of a successful company. He studied business administration and worked at La Universidad Nacional in Medellín for 12 years.

About that same time help left that job, Mesa was diagnosed with Wolf-Parkinson-White or (WPW), a heart condition leading to periods of rapid heart rate.

Several weeks later, Mesa could find the job at The Columbus School, after a meeting with David Cárdenas, a former TCS superintendent. Mesa then got hired as the director of physical development.

“I don’t really believe in miracles, but I reckon to call this a miracle because, at the same time my wife was praying to the Virgin, I got the call for the job I most wanted,” Mesa said.

His Day

4:00 AM: Mesa wakes up, he gets ready by having a shower and a quick breakfast.

7:00: He arrives at the Columbus School, ready for the new challenges that the day will bring by playing the role of Director de desarrollo físico, or (director of physical development). On the 2nd floor of the administration building, he has an office and starts his busy day by checking his agenda, looking for the meetings of the day.

9:10 AM: Mesa meets with the managers of one of the bus companies that take students to or from school. The meeting was brief, the participants of the meeting invited Mesa to an Algo or to have a snack, Mesa rejected the invitation, now that he’s very careful with the possibility of getting infected with the Covid-19 or its variables.

When Mesa is not busy with meetings or work calls, he plans new constructions and renovations with an Adobe program projected on a big screen in his office.

10:00 AM: Mesa has a simple snack, mostly fruits, now that he wants to have a healthier lifestyle, achieved by correct eating and plenty of exercises that are present at his job.

10:30 AM: After his snack, Mesa goes walking to the construction he and the development team planned and finally comes to reality. This construction is basically roofing the pedestrian exit since there are many students exiting the school on foot, and when it rains the path can get wet all the way to the exit. It can get slippery and students could have a chance of harm.

“All the ideas my team and I propose are for the benefit of the students. And for me, the best feeling is the satisfaction that one of our projects is approved,” Mesa said.

When Mesa was checking the roofing construction he stumbled across the architect of the structures and talked briefly about how long it was going to take.

Mesa says he loves this job, and that it’s what he was made for, now that it is everything except for ordinary, because every day there is something different to do, so Mesa never gets bored with it.

11:15 AM: Mesa walks towards the k-4 cafeterias and talks about some renovations he is planning, such as expanding the windows and ventilation system for better natural lighting and air circulation. Also, Mesa wants to make a bigger cafeteria for the children in 4th and 5th grade.

Mesa is in charge as well of managing the security with the company G4S, he is always alert with their phone calls, as well as a full report of what has happened in the school cameras. Mesa can get called to see something captured by the cameras, and sometimes has to go walking all the way to the camera and security department located in one entrance of the middle and high school colosseum, which no one has access to.

“I know that many students at the school know me as the FBI, other than that it is because I always catch them when they do something wrong,” Mesa said.

1:15 PM: Every staff member at the administration building has their lunch, Mesa concludes it at 1:45 PM. He works for a while on the computer, either in the architecture app or in another virtual meeting.

2:30 PM: Mesa checks if every bus has arrived at the school, he calls the manager of each company to verify if there are no buses missing or late to pick up. The Elementary school students exit their classes at around 2:25 PM, and the arrival of buses in charge of transporting the Middle and High School students arrive at 3:00 PM.

In addition to all his other responsibilities, Mesa manages the contract with each and every school bus company that works in the TCS, such as Asia, Buseticas, Alto Nivel, etc.

4:15 PM: Mesa speaks with the managers of each of these companies and makes sure that every student makes it home safely.

“For me, the best part of the day is when the school bus manager calls me and informs me that all students are at home with no problems at all,” Mesa said.

4:20 to 5:00 PM: Mesa does not have an exact time to leave the school every day, it depends on what he’s doing at the time but normally exits around.

10:30 to 11:00 PM: Mesa says that five hours is enough sleep for him, he doesn’t even need an alarm to wake up the next day at 4:00 AM.

Juan Fernando Mesa loves what he does, he always comes with a smile on his face, and with the aspirations for TCS to always be safe, and a place all students will always remember.

“I’ll give you a tip. Never choose a job only for the money you are going to earn. Choose something you really like to do, and that’s one key to happiness,” Mesa said.