Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1390700
catching catching u p w i t h o u r custodians "...the kids here at school are my kids. I am looking out for them, keeping them safe and making sure they are well" 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: — Margie Dallas Margie Dallas, like all custodians, is on the frontline in fighting COVID-19. She believes the current COVID-19 pandemic has made her role more critical than ever. While the district and the custodial staff have always had very high standards, with COVID-19, the responsibility of keeping the school safe and clean is more crucial than ever. By: Elise Robillard Margie and the other custodians in Teton County worked together with the guidance of experts to develop rigorous COVID-19 cleaning and sanitizing protocols. She has been trained to use a fogging unit and other sanitizing tools, and she has special equipment to keep her safe while she works. When asked why she is committed to her work, Margie says, "I have always had compassion for others, and I love to be of service. It gives me a sense of doing good in the world. I love children, and since I have none of my own, the kids here at school are my kids. I am looking out for them, keeping them safe and making sure they are well." Left to right: Margie and WEA Northwest Region UniServ Director Jeny Gardner. April 2021. Margie at work at Munger Mountain Elementary in Jackson. April 2021. Save the Date ESP Statewide Conference September 24-26 Lander, WY 29