Schools require a lot of different people putting in various different types of work in order for the school to be what it is. So, just whom do we need to thank for making schools run well? It may not always be the teachers and the administrators. While those people put in a lot of time and work to help a school be successful, so do many other people, just in different ways. Who else do we need to thank? In this blog series I will share just whom the country needs to thank for schools being a success.
Wandering the halls of most schools you will most likely see shiny floors, clean water fountains and bathrooms that should be neat and tidy. Who do we need to thank for that? The custodian’s, of course!
Without school custodians our kids would be attending a dirty, messy, smelly school. Who wants that? Custodians who work hard and take pride in the school in which they work should be thanked! Many of these people work for very low wages but do so because not only do they love that kind of work, but they also love the children that attend these schools.
Are you surprised that students often develop a rapport with the custodians who keep their school clean and neat? I am not. I have seen it first hand when I was teaching. Custodians are all over the school, cleaning where the kids are. It makes sense that many custodians bond with the students they see everyday. Many students can count on a friendly “hello” and a “how are you doing” from the custodian upon seeing him or her.
Besides this bonding, custodians have a much under-appreciated job in the school system. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated the custodians who worked where I taught. Not only did they fix my heat, replaced broken lights and kept my room stocked with paper towels and toilet paper, they also cleaned my room and made it smell amazing. Amazing as could be for a small room without windows! Let’s face it, if a school were dirty and in need of repair, it would be hard for kids to learn. Custodians make learning just a bit easier by keeping the school clean and in working order. It is important for everyone to remember that!
Without our school maintenance workers, our schools would be, a mess! The next time you walk into your child’s school and notice something looking nice, clean, or repaired, give a shout out to the custodian. They are truly under-appreciated in a job that relies on them for a lot!