{"id":12425,"date":"2024-06-21T16:29:08","date_gmt":"2024-06-21T20:29:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=12425"},"modified":"2024-06-24T12:28:53","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T16:28:53","slug":"custodians-honored-for-their-hard-work-and-dedication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/custodians-honored-for-their-hard-work-and-dedication\/","title":{"rendered":"Custodians honored for their hard work and dedication"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"VBCPS<\/a>
VBCPS custodians were honored at a “Custodian Appreciation Day” luncheon on June 17 at Ocean Lakes High School.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Cindy Butler Focke<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Walter Land Jr. and other custodians are frequently greeted by students in the hallways of Princess Anne High School with a \u201cHey Unc!\u201d<\/p>\n

The nickname is short for \u201cUncle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou build relationships with the kids and that\u2019s cool,\u201d Land said.<\/p>\n

He and other Virginia Beach City Public Schools custodians were celebrated at a \u201cCustodian Appreciation Day\u201d luncheon on June 17 at Ocean Lakes High School.<\/p>\n

Director of Custodial and Distribution Services Sam Nix said the group works tirelessly behind the scenes for the more than 62,000 students in VBCPS.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey set the tone for our kids when they come into a clean building,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Nix said custodians are \u201cthe concierge of our buildings.\u201d They not only clean the school, but set up for special events, assist with buses, monitor the cafeteria, accept school deliveries, set up and remove classroom furniture as<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Director of Custodial and Distribution Services Sam Nix, right, chatted with custodians as they waited in the lunch line during the “Custodian Appreciation Day” luncheon on June 17 at Ocean Lakes High School.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

needed, and more.<\/p>\n

They are usually the first to enter the building in the morning, and the last to leave.<\/p>\n

Most of the approximately 500 custodians attended the luncheon and were applauded, treated to lunch and given a pair of canvas folding chairs.<\/p>\n

The event also provided them the opportunity for fellowship and camaraderie, Nix said.<\/p>\n

Land, who has worked for VBCPS for the past 20 years, said his job is rewarding.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnowing you are making a clean and safe environment for the students, and also the teachers and staff, is a good feeling,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Kellam High custodian Shekia Lawrence, left, and Joshua Gremillion from College Park Elementary said they enjoyed the \u201cCustodian Appreciation Day\u201d luncheon at Ocean Lakes High School.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Damion Davis is known as \u201cMr. D\u201d to students at Corporate Landing Middle School. The head custodian has also worked at Christopher Farms, Landstown and Malibu elementary schools.<\/p>\n

He takes pride in his job and believes in giving every child a chance. \u201cKids can be kids,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI encourage them to stay on the honor roll,\u201d Davis said. \u201cPart of the reward is seeing students do well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kellam High School night custodian Shekia Lawrence said she enjoys her job because she likes being organized and having things in place. \u201cThey know when I\u2019m not there,\u201d she said with a grin.<\/p>\n

Joshua Gremillion works year-round as a custodian at College Park Elementary. His job is both challenging and enjoyable, he said. \u201cI try to be a role model.\u201d<\/p>\n

He likes to interact with the students and sometimes challenges them to a game of \u201cRock, Paper, Scissors\u201d in the hallway. \u201cI kind of see myself in them,\u201d said Gremillion, a Kellam High graduate.<\/p>\n

John Graham retired from the U.S. Navy after serving 22 years as a welder and then worked for almost 20 years in the private sector. Several years ago, he joined the Glenwood Elementary custodial staff.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Thoroughgood Elementary custodians Evjeni Plaku,left, and Teresa Walker enjoyed lunch at the \u201cCustodian Appreciation Day\u201d luncheon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The students are the best part, he said. \u201cThey come tell me I did a great job and tell me their ups and downs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teresa Walker said she loves her job as custodian at Thoroughgood Elementary. \u201cWe have a blast and like seeing those happy faces every day,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Her co-worker Evjeni Plaku agreed. \u201cThey really appreciate us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Nix said custodians provide a relationship with students from a unique perspective.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents see them as adults they can easily communicate with and are always interested in the work they perform.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Custodians were treated to lunch and given a pair of canvas folding chairs at the “Custodian Appreciation Day” luncheon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
VBCPS custodians, including Jackson Mathews from Cox High School, were treated to lunch and given a pair of canvas folding chairs at the \u201cCustodian Appreciation Day\u201d luncheon on June 17.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
John Graham joined the custodial staff at Glenwood Elementary several years ago after two careers, including the Navy. He and other VBCPS custodians were honored at a \u201cCustodian Appreciation Day\u201d celebration at Ocean Lakes High School.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Cindy Butler Focke Walter Land Jr. and other custodians are frequently greeted by students in the hallways of Princess Anne High School with a \u201cHey Unc!\u201d The nickname is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":12429,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12425"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12425\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12444,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12425\/revisions\/12444"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}