Thankful for Custodians

 A custodian's job and work often goes unnoticed until there is a problem.  Starting in my first year, I got to know the custodians as they cleaned my classroom every afternoon.  I’ve tried to make it a point each year to get to know the custodians who ensure my classroom is clean and looking nice and it has paid off.  My first three years, I can remember the custodians walking by my classroom to check on me throughout the day to make sure I didn’t need anything.  One day in particular I was teaching at the board and I noticed someone dancing by my classroom door window and it was them.  I always found that they were going above and beyond in my classroom and I thanked them for all they were doing and tried to do my part as well.  Last year, in my 10th year, I did a cut and glue activity which always results in a mess however, this level of mess was one I had never seen before.  I tried to clean my classroom but little pieces were EVERYWHERE and so I warned the head custodian and apologized.  When I came into the classroom the next day my room shined, it was spotless.  I immediately went to let the head custodian know how amazing my room was. I learned that a new custodian who had been working so hard had just been switched to cleaning my room.  She had a huge smile on your face when I told her how much I appreciated what she had done.  I know we are all busy but take a minute or two each day to get to know them, learn when their birthday is, learn about their families, and learn what you can do to make their life a little easier.  At my current school it makes their life easier if the kids put their chairs on top of the desk at the end of the day, this is a 2 second task for each student which saves them a lot of time.  We have to work together.  Thank you to all the custodians who work hard day in and day out without anyone noticing, you rock.