And you thought it had been a long time since someone thanked you

By Kristi Johnson Smith

Take time to show your appreciation for secretaries, custodians, and other support staff in your school.

It was 7:28 in the morning. Class had started only three minutes ago, and Jessica had just thrown up on the floor. After sending her (with a peer escort) to the nurse’s station, I paged the office to request a custodian. He arrived a few minutes later, and by 7:40, classroom order had been restored.

He was the same custodian who had cleaned up after the food fight in the cafeteria. I had also seen him at athletic events — picking up garbage in the bleachers and sweeping the floors. When the state evaluated our school, we were identified as needing improvement in almost every category — except for school maintenance.

I didn’t fully appreciate the efforts of this custodian, or his team, until I worked in a different school where efforts weren’t extended as often. In those schools, there was more trash in the hallway and less paint to cover graffiti in the bathroom. The students there received the indirect message that they didn’t deserve better than a dirty, disorganized learning environment. And in that context, it was hard to convince them that their school believed they could do — and be — more.

I don’t know how well members of the non-instructional staff do their jobs in your school setting. I don’t know if the custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, secretaries, nurses and so many others leave you impressed or wanting much more. But I do know that if we as teachers aren’t often thanked for our efforts, the non-instructional staff receives even less appreciation. The services provided by those individuals are vital, but the people who provide them are too often ignored.

Do you know the name of the man or woman who serves your food in the cafeteria? Do you speak to the secretary when you come through the office door? Do you ask your students to clean around their desks before leaving the classroom, both because they are responsible for the mess and out of respect for the custodian? Those are simple things, but each has a powerful impact. Recognizing the efforts of someone who has been supporting you behind the scenes improves their life, and it could improve yours.

So say a quick thank you the next time the custodian empties your garbage or the school secretary takes another phone message. In addition to demonstrating respect for a person who has earned it, you are building a relationship with someone who can offer you invaluable support. I have turned to custodians for quick clean-ups, secretaries for help finding last-minutes subs, and cafeteria workers for the plastic cups I forgot we needed to do a class demonstration. Those requests are easier to make, and more likely to elicit desirable reactions, when you know the people you’re asking. And a great way to get to know them is to point out that you’ve noticed and appreciate their work.