Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1349911
catching catching catching u p w i t h o u r custodians What is a custodian? The term "custodian" means a person who has responsibility for or looks after something. In every school in our state, custodians play an integral part in ensuring the safety and well-being of the students and education employees learning and working in the buildings they maintain. Our custodians are Education Support Professionals (ESPs) who have the skills, knowledge, and training to keep our schools clean and safe, to keep our schools in good working order, and to provide their services with attentive care. They are members of our communities who have chosen their professions because they care about kids, their safety, and their well-being. Ask any custodian why they do this work, and you will invariably hear some version of: "These are my kids, one and all. I am here to make sure they have clean, safe learning spaces. Our kids know I care." WEA has many ESP members who are custodians – this is one of their stories: "We can be the example of goodness and hope for them." — Pam Bulow Pam calculates that she has affected the lives of thousands of students over the years. When asked why she does this work with such dedication, Pam responds, "Some kids have bad homes, some kids need to feel valued – we can be the example of goodness and hope for them. We raise them up to be good citizens, no matter what. We know they need us for discipline sometimes and for love and safety always." Their kids attended Shoshoni Schools, and after her daughter died unexpectedly in 2015, they are raising two grandchildren who are both students at Shoshoni School. Pam has been a custodian at the Shoshoni School (K-12) for 31 years and is a proud WEA member. Her mother, Diane Taylor, was also a custodian there for 32 years. The mother and daughter team worked together for over 15 years keeping the Shoshoni School well-function, safe and clean. By: Elise Robillard Pam is a graduate of Shoshoni High School, and a picture of her graduating class hangs in the very school where she works. Not only was she a student in Shoshoni, but Pam met her husband Ernie there, they married before graduating, and they have been married for 42 years. Pam with students. Pam's high school graduation photo (far left pink shirt) still hangs in Shoshoni High School, where she works. 6