Our people work after the school day ends, whereas in-house custodians are there during regular school hours. We turn off lights and equipment accidentally left on. We're there when the water heater breaks. And we're there during after-hours school activities. In school settings, teamwork is critical.
Many schools do what they can to make the cleaning staff feel part of the family.
We do what we can to make our staff feel part of the team. Because custodians are part of the team, they sometimes have to pitch in unexpectedly. In one school, two custodians helped a teacher control a fire started by a student. Other safety concerns also move well beyond cleaning. At the Hopkins Minnesota School district, Larry Lutz, Director of Buildings and Grounds, says school violence is one of the topics in the district's disaster manual.