Custodial Team Works Hard to Maintain GCHS for Students and Staff

Madison Stakelin

Head custodian Les Taulbee can usually be found greeting students during lunch blocks. Maintaining the cleanliness of the cafeteria during breakfast and lunch is a daily tasks for custodial staff.

A school the size of Great Crossing High School couldn’t function without its support staff.  Secretaries, teacher’s aides, cafeteria workers and custodians all play an important role in making the school day run smoothly.  These people that fulfill these positions often get little recognition, and much of their work is done outside the view of students and staff.  That is especially true for the custodial staff. 

Custodians are tasked with maintaining the cleanliness of the building and cafeteria, handle minor repairs in restrooms, and set up for a wide variety of school events.   

Head custodian Les Taulbee has been at GCHS for six years, and he knows the work of a custodian is never really done. Taulbee said, “I am really busy in the mornings. I arrive around 7, and my first main job consists of working breakfast and taking care of the teachers first thing in the morning. Throughout the day, my main priority is meeting the needs of the staff here at Great Crossing.” 

With all of the hard work Taulbee puts into his job, he has experienced his job being overlooked and unappreciated by many young individuals.  He stated, “Many of the students don’t really understand why what we do is a major priority. They see a clean school, and many of them take advantage of the work we do. No matter the trouble or mess, I still live for my job, and it’s the best job in my eyes.”

Greg Juett, another member of the GCHS custodial staff, has also felt underappreciated at times.  Juett said, “Students think our job isn’t important when really it is. We  custodians put in so much effort, and we know deep down the students care for us, but in reality they do not show it sometimes.” 

Many truly don’t understand the amount of work put into keeping Great Crossing High School running. Assistant principal Austin Haywood works closely with the custodial team. Haywood said, “I have to say that our custodians are amazing.  They are a HUGE part of the wonderful, positive culture that we’ve built here at Great Crossing.  I think our dayshift custodial staff are highly visible, and the people that our students and staff would recognize.  Les, Greg and Rob are all over the building throughout the day, responding to whatever crazy situation arises.  But, we also have a 2nd and 3rd shift staff that most people NEVER see.  They work in the evenings to clean each room, restrooms, hallways and all the other spaces we have throughout the building that require cleaning.  For all the tireless work that all our custodians do, I think it’s easy for us to take that for granted on any given day.  Imagine if 1,750 people came through your house every day.  If they ate, did science experiments, cooked food, raised live animals, used the restroom, played ball games…how much work that would be to try and keep clean and fully functioning…and have it ready by 7:30 the next day to do it all over again. Our amazing custodial staff does that every single day. I would encourage all our students and our staff to give a big thanks every time they see one of those men or women.”

Some students do understand the importance of the role our custodians obtain and that their school environment is made better by the custodial staff. Junior Cole Fitzpartick stated “Our custodians motivate me by showing care for the school environment. They bring such positivity and love no matter how difficult their days could be. For example, Mr. Les always gives me as well as others a fist bump with a big smile and he always asks how I am doing every time I see him.”

Taulbee continues to cherish his role as a custodian due to the influence that he knows he has over students in the building. Taulbee shared, “I love nothing but seeing the kids that appreciate you, to see expressions and sense of humor. That is why I do what I do. I love my job and even on the hardest days the kids remind me of the purpose of my job. I would say having the knowledge to know that sometimes I am all the kids got. We as custodians don’t know their home lives, so if we are able to put smiles on their faces and care for them then we will.”

Haywood understands the impact made by each individual to make our school a better place for all. He stated “I value a great number of things about our custodians. They respond to our every need to make this run every day. They stand outside and greet students, no matter the temperatures or weather, and do it with a smile. They fix and clean areas of this building most people don’t even know exist.  They prepare our building for events on the weekend, when everybody else is enjoying their time at home.  They create a place that we are proud to welcome all of Warhawk Nation into.  The thing I value the most about our custodians is their commitment to making Great Crossing a place where students, staff and community members feel welcomed.”