Trash cans overflowing with yesterday’s waste, cafeteria tables left filthy, dust piled in every corner, Styrofoam McDonald’s cups decorating the parking lot and street gutters: this is a world without our custodians.
Every day begins at 7 a.m. for head custodians Curtis Allen and Vicky Day, in which they prepare the buildings for over 1400 students. They make sure the commons, hallways, doors, lights, flags and everything else is in order for the incoming pupils. They manage the aftershock of the lunch and breakfast time masses, then proceed to clean the windows, mop the floors, dust the shelves all the while attend to other jobs that are needed throughout the day. Around 4:30, they close up shop as the night crew takes their place.
“I believe everyone at some point feels underappreciated, but by far I believe that I am overly appreciated by the staff and students,” Allen said. “I really like my job and being a part of Randall.”
Allen started the job 23 years ago part-time and was soon offered the head custodian position in which he supervises a crew of 5 custodians. Day began her job as custodian in August of 2002 working the night shifts.
“I worked at another job and the company wasn’t doing well,” Day said. “I found an ad in the paper for this job so I came down and applied to Canyon. For the first year I worked in the west with Curtis before I was head custodian in the east.”
Allen and Day work approximately 9 to 10 hours a day with the exception of longer days during football season and one hour on Saturday and Sunday. From the time school lets out for summer up until July 15, Day said her job entails taking down and putting back up clean lenses for lights, “de-gumming” tables, desks and chairs, and extracting carpets. Also, every room with a tile floor has to be stripped and coated with wax. During the breaks Allen works 47 hours a week when the air conditioner and heating systems are turned off. Allen said his favorite part of his job, however, is the help he gets from a particular group of students.
“I love working with the kids and staff of TLC,” Allen said. “I’m an unofficial Special Ed aid. This is the most favorite part of my day. I also like encouraging my crew to provide the most excellent service. Our worst thing seems to be littering. [I’d like if students would] try to provide that little extra attention to detail. Truth be told I hate to clean.”
Day explains the worst part of her job to be removing snow during the winter. She’s here at 4:00 a.m. when there’s a bad snowstorm and takes the task of snow blowing, shoveling and salting to make the roads and concrete walkways safe for students and staff. Be that as it may, Day maintains a positive attitude as she describes some of the perks of her job.
“Everyone tells me they appreciate what I do,” Day said. “I don’t [feel underappreciated]. I know that we all have jobs to do and I do the best I can. Everybody’s very polite, they treat me nice, [the kids are] great, they always say hi to me. In the last ten years I’ve had probably one person disrespect me. I enjoy my job [and as for the staff] we all work together; it’s like a family.”
Allen makes similar claims regarding the appreciation he receives. He says that he’s treated well and that Randall students are as good or better than other schools in Texas. He speaks sincerely when he shares a few encouraging words to the students of Randall.
“Be involved,” Allen said. “If you can’t find something you’re interested in, find students of like mind, get a sponsor and start your own thing.”
