When we think of the foundation of a school ecosystem, what do we envision? Maybe the principal, of course, and the teachers, but what about the core of a school district, the groups of people that school communities runs on?
I have identified three jobs in a school district that truly serve as the backbone and glue. The first one is bus drivers, The second is the school custodian and finally is the school lunch staff. All of these jobs, and the wonderful individuals that fill them, when combined create a flourishing and thriving school district, one that is crucial for our education and future generations.
So I have decided to write a three part series to highlight the valuable contributions of each of the members of those described positions. I also wanted to discover their viewpoints on various issues to properly value their impact on our world. I asked them about the stress and the difficulty of their jobs, a fact that does not typically come into consideration when talking about people and these jobs. I wanted to examine the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the staff and their ability to complete their jobs.
In every school district, there are invaluable people making everything work every day.
— Matthew Gemme
I have learned so much about these positions and now have a much better appreciation for their jobs and the unique struggles that go along with them.
Members of these positions, at least to me, have been misrepresented by the mass media leading to numerous falsehoods and misconceptions that have done serious damaging to their reputation. The goal of this series is to spread awareness about these jobs and try to dispel any preconceived notions.
Join me as we look at the core of not only our school district, but school districts around our nation.
Tuesday, October 24: Custodians
Wednesday, October 25: Bus Drivers
Thursday, October 26: Lunch Room Staff
