Health
A CLean bill of health
T
he fluorescent lights flicker, illuminating smooth linoleum floors and tables still damp from disinfectant. Machines hum as they spray cleaning solutions on lunch tables. Stray hand sanitizer runs down the side of a desk. A discarded mask sits next to the trash. This is the battleground. And custodians are the soldiers on the frontlines In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the Blue Valley community has faced uncertainty during the 2020-2021 school year. Beginning with a delayed start, and facing a mix of virtual and in-person learning, returning to school buildings has been a battle. Throughout this process, BVN’s custodial staff has been on the frontlines, working to manage facilities and keep our schools clean and safe. Despite increased workload and danger of infection, custodians at BVN have used new and old protocols in an attempt to limit outbreaks within the
walls of our school. Despite the risk of increased exposure to COVID-19, almost all of the Blue Valley custodial staff members have chosen to return to their jobs this school year. To limit the spread of coronavirus
Custodians at BVN navigate new protocols to keep our community safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
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the pay is decreased. but the work has increased. - terry linz
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among students, custodians are disinfecting “touchpoints” throughout the building, which includes any surfaces that a high volume of students and staff make contact with. This includes doorknobs, pencil sharpeners, telephones and multiple other objects within classrooms and common areas. However, this increase in workload has
28 | The North Star | December 2020
by caroline clarke
also been accompanied by decreased pay for custodians. Lead custodian Terry Linz said that this is a concern for people on his team. “But ... usually custodians make more money with permits. So anytime that somebody rents out a part of the building for say, a dinner, or something like that, we get paid extra,” Linz said. “But there’s been a lot less of that going on. So the pay is decreased. But the work has increased.” Another challenge during this school year has been acquiring adequate supplies for the school. This includes protective gear, such as masks and gloves, as well as basic supplies, such as toilet paper. Matt Brooks, the custodial coordinator for Blue Valley Schools, said that it has been difficult to anticipate which items will have shortages. “Is toilet paper going to be short? Do I need to order more paper towels?...That’s really the toughest thing,” Brooks said. “That goes with machines, too....especially the foggers. We bought some of them [that]
