Keeping students safe
Jan. 21—Josh Murphy averages about 50,000 steps a day as the head custodian at Daviess County Middle School.
His job has always been active, but when students returned to in-person learning full time, he and other school custodians had to increase their frequency of sanitation and deep cleans. They also had to quickly learn a lot about various chemicals and cleaning products, as well as how to make schools the safest and cleanest they could be for students and staff.
"We got new tools and learned new protocols," he said. "It was a lot in a short amount of time, and we were constantly evolving, and our suppliers still continue to find better ways to keep people safer, as fast as possible."
As a daytime custodian, Murphy cleans classrooms after each class. He also cleans high-traffic areas multiple times a day and ensures public spaces, like the cafeteria and media center, are sanitized often. He and others have also stepped in to assist cafeteria workers to provide the safest meal experiences for students.
For example, they helped rearrange the serving line in the kitchen, though Murphy and the other custodians weren't the only ones assisting with that task.
"Anyone in the building who could help was helping, and it was cool to see everybody pitching in like that," he said. "That's why I love working here. It's a family, and we all help each other so the kids can be safer here at school."
Dale Masteller, head custodian at Estes Elementary School, said teachers also have been helping with some cleaning in their classrooms, especially between classes.
He said a difference in the last two years has also been the level of PPE he and other custodians wear each day. Their days and nights are spent sometimes cleaning up after sick students and teachers, so safety for them is of the utmost importance so they can continue doing their jobs.
"If a student or teacher becomes sick, then we all empty out the entire classroom, and we give it a thorough cleaning," he said.
As the pandemic continues, custodians are learning more about how to better clean against COVID-19, he said.
The district has also changed to different chemicals designed to exclusively target the virus, and they have special tools designed to clean varying surfaces quickly, like pumps and electrostatic sprayers.
Masteller works during the day keeping the school clean, along with another custodian who comes in midday. Then a deep cleaning happens at night with the evening custodial staff.
"We do our best to keep things as clean as possible," he said, adding that it's all in an effort to keep children safe.
Masteller, like Murphy, said the best part of his job is having the opportunity to interact with students. Masteller has been with the Owensboro Public Schools district since 2016. He said the kids definitely make everything he does worthwhile.
"You have to love kids to love this job, so it's perfect for me," he said.
Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315
