In the quiet hours that follow the daily activities of Redwood High School’s students and staff, a dedicated group of custodians step into the spotlight. Their work, largely unseen, plays an important role in maintaining the school’s cleanliness and functionality. As the final school bell rings and students depart, Amanuel Gebremichael, with 16 years of service at Redwood and Roberto Cordoba, with 25 years of service at Redwood, both shed light on the custodial team’s nightly routines.
A typical evening for the custodial team involves setting up and cleaning up after events such as sports games. Beginning with the bathrooms, each custodian takes responsibility for cleaning 30 classrooms, tidying hallways and clearing scattered debris across the campus. For Gebremichael and Cordoba, keeping the bathrooms clean is a major focus, not just for cleanliness, but also for health.
“The top priority is always the bathroom; everything else can wait. We always need to carve out time for the bathroom,” Gebremichael emphasized.
Roberto Cordoba shares a common struggle that comes with cleaning the bathrooms.
“Almost every day, the toilets are clogged. They [students] put juice boxes, milk cartons, oranges, apples and bananas into the toilets,” Cordoba explained, referring to students flushing down inappropriate items.
The custodian workload requires multiple individuals who each put in an excessive amount of hours a day to keep the school clean.
“One day may be an easy day, maybe 45 minutes to finish a bathroom; most days are not that easy. This is how it is; this is what we’ve been dealing with the whole time. We are here until midnight, doing things that are supposed to be done, but sometimes we struggle,” Gebremichael said.
The Redwood custodians also dedicate much of their work to the classrooms. Gebremichael provided a glimpse into their everyday classroom tasks: cleaning desks, erasing graffiti, vacuuming floors and replacing trash bags.
Working from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m., they work through the night with dedication and persistence. In the classrooms, custodians face challenges beyond just keeping things clean. Cordoba highlighted the frequent task of cleaning profanity from desks, citing examples like the recurring dinosaur drawings around the campus.
“Kids get bored and draw on their desks but don’t understand that someone has to clean up their mess afterward,” Cordoba emphasized.
The custodians’ relationship with teachers plays an important role in creating a supportive environment for them to work. Gebremichael expressed gratitude for the teachers who understand their challenges and encourage students to contribute to maintaining a clean school.
“The teachers are great, they try to make our jobs as easy as possible by staying organized and telling students to clean up after themselves,” said Gebremichael.
The custodians’ dedication to maintaining a clean and functional environment, despite the challenges they face, reflects their commitment to the well-being and success of the entire school community. While their efforts may go unnoticed by many, their impact is undeniable.
