SJSD custodial staff honored for continuous hard work
May 23—Facilities and maintenance workers were recognized on Thursday for the work they do to keep schools clean in the St. Joseph School District.
The Cleanest Building Contest recognized the work that all custodial staff did during the 2023-24 school year.
The winner for the overall cleanest building went to Hillyard Technical Center, and the building's crew was honored.
Cody Kelly, lead engineer for Hillyard Technical Center staff, said the crew is five members strong and they get along well, which is a key to the group's success.
"I just try to encourage them and just let them know to just keep up the good work every day because it's not easy to keep a school building clean and keep it up," Kelly said. "We're in the buildings every day. I know for me, I wouldn't want to come into the school and use the restroom, and it just be gross so I try to keep things clean and my crews the same way."
The 2023-24 school year was Kelly's first as the lead engineer for the crew. It meant a great deal to him to have his staff be recognized with the top honor.
"To get first place, it's just exciting, it just makes me want to work that much harder and maybe try to win it again next year," Kelly said.
Other awards were presented to various custodial crews, including to Lafayette High School, which won the award of Most Improved Location.
Darby Lynch, facilities supervisor for the St. Joseph School District, said the event is a great way to recognize the hard and sometimes unnoticed work that each custodian does for the district.
"At 5 a.m., our crews start every day, getting the classrooms and restrooms ready. We have crews that work clear until 11 at night with basketball games, football games, volleyball," Lynch said. "There is something always happening. We've got a real good team that knows how to make it happen every day."
The district faced a challenge at the start of the school year, with the entire custodial staff for the district being short by 20 people. Lynch said staffing numbers have been trending in the right direction, with only 11 vacancies now.
"We had a lot of men and women that stepped up to the plate and said, 'I can work extra. I can work two shifts.' Without that kind of work ethic, I don't know really what we would have done," Lynch said. "We have a really strong team of men and women that every day, they do what's best for students."
Lynch said each day, district custodians work to provide students with a clean, safe and secure learning environment, and that work will continue.
Going into the next year, Kelly is excited about what is next for him and his crew at Hillyard in the 2024-25 school year keeping that goal in mind.
"Every day is a challenge. (We) just try to keep one foot forward and just do the best we can and whatever happens, happens," Kelly said.
Riley Funk can be reached at riley.funk@newspressnow.com.
