Sustainability Spotlight: Outstanding Custodians
Lincoln Public Schools strives to bring sustainability efforts to each of our buildings, whether that be through waste initiatives, growing gardens, or environmental clubs. To achieve waste initiatives, like recycling and composting at all of our schools, custodians play a huge role in managing those waste efforts. This month’s Sustainability Spotlight features just a few of the many custodians throughout the district that are helping LPS be more sustainable.
Meadow Lane Elementary
This past summer, Joe Smith was hired as the Assistant Custodial Supervisor at Meadow Lane Elementary School. Meadow Lane students have been participating in the cafeteria compost program since 2018, so Smith jumped right in to practice sorting lunch waste with them. “So far I have been loving being on the daytime crew and being able to interact with the kids,” said Smith. As he has become more familiar with LPS waste programs, he found that if the students knew why they had to sort their cafeteria waste, the program was more successful.
“Helping students understand why we compost is important to get them to care and take this seriously so we can all limit any plastic going in the compost.”
Having students understand the program early has also been a key to success. “Once the younger students feel confident about how to sort their compost they will carry that with them as they get older.” Many new employees to the district have shown personal interest and support for environmental action. Smith is one of those employees who has adopted a sustainable lifestyle at home and is glad he is able to support those same interests in his work.
Humann Elementary
Humann has enthusiastic staff and students participating in the cafeteria compost program. Andre Bond, Assistant Custodial Supervisor, helped Humann begin the cafeteria compost program back in 2017. Bond says the program is successful because there is a lot of teamwork and support that goes on in the cafeteria.
“It’s important to communicate with staff and students as best as possible because nothing will change if you don’t have a good attitude about it and help each other out. ”
He also mentioned that it’s important to collaborate between schools. “I communicate with a lot of other custodians around the district who ask about the compost program and how it works. A lot of us [custodians] collaborate and work together to come up with solutions for challenges we might come across.” It was evident that Bond does his best to always have a good attitude with the compost program along with everything else. In the cafeteria, third graders sang Bond’s praise about his contagious positivity.
“He is very kind and gives a lot of high fives. I like how happy he always is.”
Beyond composting in the cafeteria, Bond has been looking ahead to more waste diversion efforts in the future. “I have been hearing a lot about composting in the classrooms so our team is trying to be flexible and open minded for that change when it comes.”
Robinson Elementary
In August of 2022 Robinson Elementary opened with school-wide composting. This means that aside from composting in the cafeteria, students and staff are able to compost in classrooms, restrooms, and offices. Buildings with school-wide composting are able to divert more waste from the landfill and strive for a 75% diversion rate or higher due to the compost and recycling programs. Steve Humann has been with LPS for 12 years but this was his first time opening a brand new building as the Custodial Supervisor. In this role, Humann coordinates all waste collection in the building. He mentions that success with the school-wide compost program starts in the cafeteria.
“Having the cafeteria compost program is a big help for composting in the classroom. In the cafeteria we are able to be hands-on with the kids and help them sort so hopefully they think about that when they sort compost in the classrooms too.”
Although the school is only partially occupied right now, Humann stays optimistic about waste goals for the building going forward. “A goal would be better sorting so contamination [in the compost] is not as big of an issue,” says Humann. “Every little bit of one on one contact helps the students make an effort with sorting and thinking about [their waste].”
There are many LPS staff members that go above and beyond to help our waste initiatives thrive within our schools. Thank you to all of these hard working individuals and to our custodial champions!
Updated January 3, 2023
