There is so much that goes on at LT, from the ring of the first bell to the last practice ending at 8:30 pm - students at LT are always on the move. With any movement comes dirt, grime, trash, and germs. Working behind the scenes are LT’s Building and Grounds, a group of people working tirelessly together to keep LT not only clean, but safe. I had the amazing opportunity to walk around with Dan LeBeau, a janitorial worker who is stationed in the Vaughn Building.
Dan LeBeau continues to keep the Vaughn Building clean, but he first started out at South Campus. At South Campus he worked in the third shift, working throughout the night to make sure that, when students and teachers returned the next day, the room was cleaned and ready to be filled with students. When Dan was offered a position during the 7-3 shift, he took it. For the past year and a half, Dan has been working on keeping the lower gyms, PE office, health classrooms, and more cleaned.
The first step to being so successful in his career here at LT is staying organized. From all of the unique products that are used, from scrubbing desks, chairs, and even toilets. Dan has an army of cleaning supplies ready to command.
Not only does Dan spend his time cleaning, he also works with admiration and teachers completing work orders. A work order is used when a teacher needs furniture, replaced, moved, or swapped. The mass of tables that are set up for AP, ACT, and SAT testing? Those are all done by Building and Grounds. A major skill that is required is the ability to see another’s vision for a set up. A majority of the time the people who filled out the work order are not there. So it is up to Dan to follow the directions and problem solve on the spot.
Dan is always on the move. From the lower gyms vacuuming and collecting trash to sweeping the stairs, Dan is there. Dan not only daily cleans each part of his section but each day focuses on one part to do a deep clean. That way, it is more manageable to keep everything clean and in order.
While on this walk around I got the opportunity to experience Dan’s daily job. I learned just how many different types of cleaning products are used to keep my classrooms cleaned. I saw just how hard these people work to keep us clean. Dan goes out of his way to make sure he doesn’t disrupt a class. I also learned the importance and responsibilities of students to keep these areas clean. When students are respectful of a particular area, it stays cleaner for longer. The best example is the bathroom.
While on my walk around with Dan I got to get my hands dirty and clean the dreaded highschool bathroom. Luckily, it was in the PE office. However, Dan showed me how when he doesn’t have to worry about a mess, he is able to focus on the little things that make our school cleaner. While on this walk, Dan joked about having one of his colleagues saying that he shouldn’t make me do his job. However, having to scrub the toilet gave me an already deepened respect for Dan and his coworkers.
It is up to us students to keep our school clean. The Building and Grounds department is filled with the most dedicated people like Dan. However, it is up to us to truly determine how clean we want our school to be. So, the next time you go for that paper basketball shot and miss, pick it up. See a yellow pass on the ground, move it to the trash. These small changes not only make our school cleaner but allow our talented janitors to keep our school as clean as possible.
Interested in hearing more about Dan? Listen to his story with Jack Hull below!