Teenagers are messy creatures. And shoving hundreds of them into a building for hours, multiple days a week, can only cause a lot of waste. When you come back to school the following day, the mess from the day before doesn’t magically disappear like we wish most of our problems would. 

Custodians, fairies that we seldom see, are hardworking staff who keep schools clean and manage facilities. It’s an on-foot job that performs routine maintenance through intensive cleaning duties such as sweeping, mopping and scrubbing floors. 

With COVID-19, the custodial staff in schools around the world were unsung heroes. They were in charge of disinfecting surfaces so that students could come to class and learn safely. 

“Most of our custodians work about 8 hours a day. The staff is split between two shifts, a day and night shift,” assistant principal, Dr. Cavaliere said. “Unfortunately, Clear Lake High School is historically short staffed and 3 of our custodians work both shifts. That’s why it’s critical that Falcons do their part and clean up after themselves.” 

According to Indeed, the average custodian in Texas has a salary of $27,807 at a $15.43 dollar pay per hour. Imagine having to deal with messes as your job. Do you ever see the commons or the bathroom a mess and think, “Glad that’s not my problem!” Well guess what? It’s theirs. 

To celebrate these special and underappreciated workers, National Custodian Day is celebrated and takes place on Oct. 2 every year. On this day, schools and other maintained facilities encourage their students, workers, or residents to show their appreciation for the custodians through little surprise or gifts. 

Nevertheless, it is always important to take the time to thank custodians when you see them and remember to pick up after yourself, not just on Oct. 2, but every day. 

As a Falcon, will you do your part and keep your space clean to aid our staff?  

Custodian Salary – https://www.indeed.com/career/custodian/salaries/TX