As a busy high school student, it doesn’t take much to overlook some of the amazing things the people around us do. Within the parameters of our school building, so many staff and faculty members dedicate their time and effort into the things they do for us on a daily basis. Amidst those people are our custodial staff.

“They are always willing to do whatever is asked of them in order to provide a great school and great environment for staff and students,” Custodial Staff Overseer, Daniel Barrett said. “Our custodial staff is a really great group of people, and they really do care about the building, their jobs, [and] the students.”

Some people have a positive passion for cleaning, and it comes naturally whereas others see it as a grueling task. Custodial Staff Member, Loretta Dean, used her passion to create a way of life for herself.

“I decided to be a custodian because I like cleaning,” Dean said. “I’ve been cleaning all my life, so I decided to clean at the school.”

Not all heroes wear capes which can make the greatest ones nearly invisible. Heroes don’t always come in duos like Batman and Robin or have the pleasure of riding around in the Batmobile. Some heroes are difficult to recognize because they use a broom and carry a mop.

“Well, I feel like I am [an unseen hero of the school] because everybody comes to me for almost everything,” Dean said. “And I love doing it.”

Our school’s custodial staff stays prepared and ready to handle whatever may come their way. They are a group of caring and enthusiastic individuals who will do anything to provide an amazing environment for staff and students.

“It’s always those unknown things,” Barrett said. “They don’t hesitate when it comes to those jobs and they are willing to do whatever they can and whatever they need to do.”

When it comes to difficult situations people can either fear negatively or fear positively: they can ‘forget everything and run’ or ‘face everything and rise’. Dean is here to rise and overcome.

“The hardest part of my job is during the summertime when we have to move a lot of furniture, but I overcome it all,” Dean said. “I just love being here.”

Students come in around 7:45 a.m. and get to leave around 3:25 p.m. What they don’t notice is that there is no period of time during each day where there isn’t a custodian in the building doing what needs to be done. The first shift of custodians comes in around 6 a.m. and the last shift doesn’t leave until eleven o’clock at night. The custodians even dedicate hours outside of school to meet the needs of the building.

Dean feels that students often don’t keep the cafeteria clean and don’t want to pick up after themselves. It is understood that accidents happen, but students should always try to be respectful and keep in mind that custodians are here to help with the things we can’t necessarily do on our own, not the things we don’t want to do.

“[Just be mindful], we know accidents and spills happen,” Barrett said. “The custodians are here to provide you with a clean building, not pick up after you, doing your due diligence to pick up after yourself would be great.”