Custodians cope with COVID-19

Custodians in the Milton School district have had to adapt in order to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

District Custodial Supervisor Ms. Carolyn Yordy described the changes to custodial positions along with precautions taken to combat the virus.

A full-time custodian was hired in October, Ms. Yordy said, and another was approved at the November school board meeting, for a total of five full-time district custodians.

Ms. Yordy said that custodians work five days a week with an eight-hour shift, the different shifts being 5 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. and 9 a.m.- 5:30 p.m., which is different from last year’s non-overlapping shifts that started later in the morning or ran later in the night when people were not in the building.

She said that the change in shift times is to “implement continual disinfecting of all touch surfaces while students and staff are present.” She added that custodians occasionally work overtime due to call offs and after school events.

Custodians have been provided with new supplies such as Peroxide Multi Surface Cleaner Disinfectant, said Ms. Yordy. This is a switch from the old Ecolab cleaner because of Peroxide’s “45 second kill claim against Covid-19,” she said. Other supplies, added Ms. Yordy, like hand sanitizer, face masks, face shields and desk shield have also been provided to fight COVID-19.

Ms. Yordy said that the schools purchased three new fog disinfectant machines along with the three they had previously for extra cleaning. The Clorox T360 machines, she added, cost about $3,999 each, and another two sprayers cost $2, 940 each.

Mr. Jim Snyder, custodian of the high school for about 18 years, said that these machines are used every day, and there is a rotation to ensure that rooms are cleaned regularly.

If a student is diagnosed with COVID-19, Ms. Yordy said, the places the student was in would be deep cleaned using one of the fogging machines then all hard surfaces would be wiped down and all floors would be vacuumed or mopped.

Areas of focus for cleaning include door handles, hand rails, light switches, water fountains and restrooms, but “we strive to make all areas a priority,” said Ms. Yordy. Restrooms were usually cleaned during the night shift, but are now being cleaned multiple times throughout the day, she added.

Ms. Yordy said that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available to custodians to protect them from the virus; Mr. Snyder said that he is provided with facemasks, face shields and gloves. Ms. Yordy added that the school has not provided custodians with a monetary bonus over the course of the pandemic.

The most significant difference of this year is the constant sanitizing, said Mr. Snyder. He added that the most challenging part is covering shifts.

Ms. Yordy said custodians have told her about the grateful comments they received from students and staff. Ms. Yordy said that she is most proud of the custodial team for their ability to work together on deep cleaning days, and their willingness to do an exemplary job for the school district.