Oct. 2 is National Custodian Appreciation Day in the United States. Although this day is set aside to show appreciation to custodians, the custodial staff at Owatonna High School puts in countless hours to prepare the school every day. They are often unrecognized despite the work they do for students and staff. Because of this, the custodians of OHS are the first group of “Unsung Heroes” that allow the school to operate successfully.
There are 16 custodians employed at Owatonna High School. They are divided into the “day shift” and “night shift.” The day shift arrives at the school early to do a sweep of the school, making sure it is ready for students. They walk the parking lot, hallways, restrooms and classrooms to make sure the facilities are all ready for use. The day shift also sets up the cafeteria and commons for breakfast and lunch. As the school day continues, they are responsible for cleaning up after students and completing other maintenance tasks. Work done by the day shift custodians ensures the cleanliness of the school is preserved as the day progresses.
The night shift custodians are responsible for cleaning the school from top to bottom. They restock the bathrooms, clean floors and classrooms, set up for after-school activities and restore the building to its perfect condition. These custodians work from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. every night to accomplish these tasks. Their work, late into the night, allows for students and staff to arrive to a fresh building every day.
The Head Custodian at OHS is Mr. Jonathan Fuller, a day shift custodian. Mr. Fuller has worked in Owatonna for five years at OHS. For Mr. Fuller and the rest of the staff, no two days are the same. Mr. Fuller described his role as “maintenance” and “on-call cleaning.” Aside from the wonderful facility at OHS and his duties, Mr. Fuller loves the people he works with and the students he serves.
Mr. Fuller said, “It’s a great place. I’m here mostly for the people.” He is “as close as can be” with his fellow day shift staffers, making for a fun work environment.
Mr. Fuller continued by saying, “The safety and security of this building and how it operates is my number one priority, but I am here for the people.”
The staff at OHS could not function without the hard work of the custodians. Some teachers do not have one classroom they teach in, but instead rotate rooms throughout the day. Ms. Lisbeth Magdaleno-Garcia is one example of this type of teacher. The custodial staff is a great help to her.
Ms. Magdaleno-Garcia said, “It is nice because every day is a fresh start in the room because they make sure it is in tip-top shape.” She went on to say the custodians play a critical role in making sure her classrooms are organized and ready to go for classes.
Custodians also work with coaches and advisors to make sure furniture and supplies are set up for activities. Ms. Marcia Anderson is the coach of the Speech team. The Speech team has home meets each year. The custodians make sure the building is prepared for each meeting.
Ms. Anderson said, “They make sure everything is set up whether it is the auditorium or the cafeteria. They make sure the tables are taken down.” This coordination between coaches and the custodial staff goes unseen but allows for events to successfully take place within the OHS facilities.
Beyond the work of the custodians, their sacrifice to preparing the school is vital to OHS. Ms. Anderson stated, “{The custodians} don’t get appreciated enough. They do so much…I would love it if we could help them out.”
Students and staff of OHS benefit greatly from the time and effort put in by the 16 custodians within the school. The custodial staff cleans up after students, works with coaches to make sure events are prepared for, keeps the building safe and so much more. This work is greatly appreciated by teachers who are able to come into a clean room each day. The OHS could not function without the hard work of the custodians.
