David Catherman runs maintenance for the West Branch Area School District. He’s in charge of coordinating and ensuring things run smoothly for the school’s staff and students. Catherman’s daily routine includes checking the computer system, which changes the temperature and gives information about the water system. Catherman communicates with the shifts to ensure everything is going as planned and to check on the custodians. He’s in charge of arranging and fixing any issues that may arise. 

The biggest challenge that Catherman faces is when someone calls off sick. It’s harder for them to find a replacement and the custodians are understaffed. This puts more pressure on them because more work must be done. The custodians work hard and pace themselves faster to overcome this challenge. Catherman says, “The staff here is great and they work hard to keep the place clean.” Despite the challenges, the custodians and maintenance team work diligently together. An example is the team cleaning out old furniture from the elementary school. There are no other upcoming projects for the custodians. Cathermen mentioned that many of the custodians have been working here for a long time and many of them have been here for more than 20 years! 

John Galley is one of the custodians at West Branch, his daily routine consists of cleaning specific rooms assigned to him. Each custodian is in charge of certain responsibilities. John’s big job for his routine is cleaning the cafeteria. John is in charge of taking out the trash from the cafeteria and sweeping the floors after lunch. He also helps out if the power goes out and food needs moved in the cafeteria. He is a major contributor to the team.  John’s biggest challenge is getting all the work done in the summer before school starts. He’s responsible for cleaning 106 rooms and coating the floors four times. Another big challenge he faces is during the winter when the sidewalks and roads need to be salted. John is a big help along with the other hardworking custodians. 

The staff here, especially the custodians, work extremely hard to keep the school clean and nice. It’s important to appreciate their work and to thank them for everything they do. This school wouldn’t be the same without the wonderful custodians and maintenance staff.