Sean Auclair smiles at the Tupper Lake Middle-High School on Monday. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

TUPPER LAKE — In his 21 years with the Tupper Lake Central School District, Sean Auclair has probably encountered — and solved — almost every school infrastructure issue imaginable.

Whether it’s arriving as early as 3:30 a.m. to begin plowing, sanding and salting parking lots and sidewalks or sticking around until 11 p.m. fix an issue that night before students, faculty and staff return to the buildings, Auclair’s often around-the-clock dedication and ingenuity has proved pivotal time and time again to ensuring a safe and uninterrupted school day.

TLCSD Director of Special Programs Trish Wickwire is often one of the first employees to arrive each morning. She said that on bad weather days, Auclair already had the lot largely taken care of.

“Not only do I always arrive at a cleared parking lot, (but) Sean takes a moment to have me pick a parking spot that starts the rows off where he wants them, and sets out cones so that the rows of parking can be straight and safe, even if we can’t see the lines on the pavement,” she wrote. “It seems like a little thing, but it makes the flow of traffic, vehicle spacing and poor weather days go so smoothly!”

TLCSD Superintendent Jaycee Welsh said Auclair was nothing short of indispensable when it came to the district managing an old-fashioned Adirondack winter, with a seemingly unrelenting barrage of snowstorms, or when the district discovered that a chilling vessel at the Tupper Lake Memorial Civic Center — which is owned and operated by TLCSD — was inoperable right at the would-be beginning of ice season, which could not commence at the civic center until it was replaced.

“I am not sure how our school district would have functioned without him after the events this fall (and) winter,” Welsh wrote. “As the superintendent, I count on Sean for countless structural, maintenance and historical knowledge of this district.”

Auclair, who graduated from TLCSD in 1995, began his time as an employee with the district in 2004. He started as a bus driver and cleaner. He was later appointed the head bus driver in 2014 before moving up to his current position as the senior maintenance worker in 2022.

Growing up in Tupper Lake and walking the halls once as a student gives Auclair an extra bit of pride as he makes the laps through those same corridors, now in charge of the district’s maintenance. And walk he does — Auclair is affectionately well-known among students and staff for moving throughout the buildings with a blazing fast pace that can make it a task for even those in strong physical shape to keep up with, according to L.P. Quinn Elementary Principal Elizabeth Littlefield.

She added that Auclair frequently gathers input and ideas from building staff as he decides on the best approach to the task at hand.

“Sean often stops by the Main Office with a quick, ‘Can I pick your brain?’ as he explores ideas for improving spaces and tackling new projects,” she wrote. “His behind-the-scenes leadership keeps our building and grounds running smoothly year-round, and we’re grateful for the dedication and pride he puts into every corner of our campus.”

Despite his decades with the district, Auclair approaches each day with an open mind.

“Every day you learn something new,” he said. “Managing your time, people, the projects that you need to get done — every day is a learning experience.”

He said that while this time of the year is generally focused on cleaning up the sand that was spread on parking lots throughout the winter and making sure the athletic fields are in good shape for competition, there is no such thing as a typical slate of assignments for a day.

“It all changes in a phone call,” he said. “If something breaks or there’s an issue in one of the schools, we have to address that first.”

TLCSD Athletic Director Hayden LaMere said Auclair’s ability to handle situations on the fly has been crucial to the student-athletes’ ability to train and perform throughout the year.

“Being a first-year AD, I can’t imagine being successful without Sean,” he wrote. “Several times this year, I have found myself in a pinch or a time crunch and Sean has responded by making any of my requests a reality.

“Our facilities are kept in excellent condition and I know this starts with Sean’s attention to detail and the pride he takes in his work,” he added. “Our district is extremely lucky to have him as an employee and as a fan of Tupper Lake Athletics.”

Auclair attributed much of this to the staff on his team, and throughout the district.

“That’s why I’m able to do what I do — because of the people we have here,” he said.

Auclair said one of the most difficult aspects of the job is trying to balance the desire to maintain as high-quality building and grounds as possible with meeting a tight budget with a relatively small number of staff.

“We try to be creative in what we do sometimes and get projects done,” he said.

Middle-High School Principal Chris Savage said from what he’s seen, Auclair seems to thread the needle and is, at the end of the day, driven by a desire to do what is best for the students.

“Sean is the definition for hard work, dedication and district pride,” he wrote. “I see him approach every task with an admirable attention to precision and an unfailing commitment to what is best for our students.”

This sentiment was echoed by Monique Seafuse, the head custodian at L.P. Quinn Elementary. Seafuse is also Auclair’s fiance, and said his industrious character and persona extend beyond his professional career into his personal life.

“Sean is one of the hardest workers I know,” she wrote. “His dedication to his job and the pride he takes in his work are truly inspiring. I’m so proud of the effort he puts in every day and the way he works so hard for our family.”

Tupper Lake Youth Hockey Association Vice President Briggette Shaheen said Auclair has dedicated a lot of his time to the hockey community over the years — making a big impact that goes well beyond just maintaining the infrastructure needed for the association to put on its seasons in Tupper Lake.

“Sean’s been a constant in our youth hockey community for many years!” she wrote. “Always stepping up to help out at association events and has even coached a whole season when needed. His dependable presence and behind-the-scenes support have meant a lot to the kids and families over the years.”