Winter in Chicago would not be complete without below-zero wind chills, cloudy skies and heavy snows, not to mention rain and sleet. With the prospect of facing these conditions for more than three months, it is no wonder that Chicago natives are constantly looking for ways to entertain themselves in the great indoors-whether it's catching a movie or heading to a local museum.

Few places present the challenge of maintaining floors in a high-traffic, low-budget situation like schools. These facilities - from the elementary school level through college -are bombarded with hundreds of sneaker- and boot-clad feet and sliding desks and chairs each day.

It's Spring Break, the one-week block when the custodial departments of educational facilities typically begin planning for the traditional summertime task of stripping and refinishing their floors. The quiet week also provides the perfect opportunity to evaluate the facility's current finished floor care program. If the program falls short of being able to stand up to the high volume of traffic in a school facility, it may be time to adopt a different program to help maximize the life of the floor finish, saving time and money through minimal interim maintenance.