Custodial Program for
Montgomery County Public Schools

Montgomery County Public Schools employs 105 custodians that provide custodial services to over 2,000,000 square feet.  Custodians play a very important role in the functioning of our schools.  Custodians are essential school employees who interact daily with students, teachers, parents and the community in their daily job function. 

THE CUSTODIAN’S JOB

The process of teaching children in school involves not only the teacher, but support staff and parents whose services contribute directly or indirectly to their educational growth.  In the course of day-to-day work, it seems that it is an endless job of cleaning rooms that will be dirty again tomorrow.  As true as this may be, it should be remembered that how well we do our job can affect not only the health and safety of the children, but the morale and atmosphere of the entire school.  Custodians are responsible primarily for cleaning the school building. Buildings, equipment, and grounds are in our care.  Operations and preventative maintenance includes security to prevent vandalism and theft.  The community, teachers, and students take pride in a well-kept attractive school and will help keep it that way.

CRITICAL TEAM MEMBERS

The principals and teachers need the assistance of professional custodians. The district realizes the importance of the custodian’s position and appreciates the fact that a clean, well-kept, properly heated and ventilated building favorably affects the teachers in their teaching and the children in their learning.  We strive to gain good will for the school through efficiency and a friendly attitude toward pupils, teachers, and visitors. The public expects all district employees to be dependable, courteous and cheerful.

Custodians are part of the school’s team. As team member’s, we support all staff in a manner, which will reinforce their efforts in the performance of their duties. When it is necessary for custodians to go into a classroom during class time, we enter very quietly and do whatever is necessary with as little commotion as possible.

TEAM CLEANING AND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Team Cleaning is a flexible, efficient and cost effective cleaning system for custodial operations.  Team cleaning offers solutions to the many challenges that managers face through better deployment of labor, effective cleaning methods, improved appearance levels and simplified training programs.

The essence of this successful approach is re-engineering the work.  It’s a scientific approach re-routing the workflow and to teach people how to take advantage of the latest technology, equipment and tools.  Setting standards and following procedures to provide cleaner healthier buildings and training custodians to do work easier faster and better.  Replacing the old zone cleaning methods with team member cleaning specialist.  As new techniques are absorbed, team cleaning “philosophy” begins to crystallize: Custodians take ownership of the whole building. They take pride in their work, and they work together in a coordinated framework rather than random area or in their own zone.

In zone cleaning every custodian has to have his or her on equipment and tools due to every custodian cleaning and doing the same jobs. Zone cleaning requires that every custodian perform every task, which promotes more equipment needs and more time cleaning and caring for equipment. Team cleaning is about saving time, money, energy, etc.

Team cleaning is first created on paper, based on a building analysis.  From a blue print or a schematic, team cleaning’s “parts” – workers, tools, skills, job cards assignments, and building areas or quadrants – are made to precisely mesh and coordinate producing clean, safe, healthy buildings at lowest expenditures of time, energy, and other resources. 

Cleaning tasks are typically grouped in four distinct functions: The Starter or Reference as Light Duty Function (dusting, empty trash, spot cleaning glass, etc.), Vacuum Specialist Function, (Vacuuming carpets and hard floors), Restroom Specialist Function  (cleaning, sanitizing and restocking restrooms), and Utility Function (cleaning lobbies, cleaning glass, mopping and scrubbing floors, high speed buffing, etc.).

One person can complete all steps of the team cleaning process, by performing each function in prescribe sequence, and can do so more quickly than can be done in zone cleaning.

Training is straightforward and easy to understand with a few cleaning task to learn and perform. By focusing primarily on one type of work (while cross training and rotating for flexibility) each team member becomes more skilled, more effective, and more knowledgeable about safe, sound procedures for that job.  Our goal is to provide a stress-free environment where all expectations and customer needs are consistently achieved. This allows our customers to focus on their business, never having to worry about facilities issues associated with their janitorial needs.

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT IN FACILITIES

The actions and interactions of the people involved in the districts Integrated Pest Management program (IPM) are the key to its success. Education is a vital component of pest management. Pest management objectives will differ from site to site and will be consistent with the districts goals of protecting the health and safety of students and staff, maintaining the integrity of buildings and structures, providing the safest playing and athletic surfaces possible, and maintaining a productive working and learning environment. Pest prevention measures will include regular inspections and monitoring, sanitation and pest proofing, and modification of environmental conditions leading to pest problems.

NOTE: School/site staff is not authorized to bring any pesticides onto district property, or to apply any pesticides. This includes any/all products such as Raid, Insect Spray, etc. that can be purchased at your local hardware/ department store for home use. Handling of all pesticide products will be done by properly trained and licensed pesticide applicators. The IPM coordinator authorizes personnel from the Office of Facilities Services to confiscate any/all pesticides found at any site that does not have a licensed applicator, or any chemical not on the approved list.

Inspections

Head and Senior Custodians are responsible for fulfilling all the requirements listed below:

·        All Exit lights/batteries in the facility are tested/inspected monthly and inspection tag and/or log marked accordingly with date and initials of person performing inspection.

·        All Fire Extinguishers in the facility are inspected monthly and inspection tag marked accordingly with date and initials of person performing inspection.

·        All Emergency lighting in the facility is tested/inspected monthly and inspection forms dated and initialed by person performing inspection.

·        Facility Fire alarm systems are tested monthly. Facility Administrator required to perform one drill for each month school is open. Head Custodian will participate in these drills to assure fire alarm system is in proper working order.

·        All playgrounds at the facility are inspected daily for trash, animal feces, broken glass, etc. and removed immediately.

·        All playgrounds at our facilities are inspected weekly to ensure that equipment and surfacing are in good condition.

·        Perform a monthly walk through of facility, using the Monthly Preventative Maintenance sheet as a guideline.

·        Perform random classroom/area assessments of each Custodians assigned area to assure that rooms/areas are being cleaned and maintained properly.

·        Perform a monthly IPM walk through of facility, using the Monthly Integrated Pest Management Checklist as a guideline.

·        Perform daily, quarterly, pre-holiday Energy Conservation inspections using the Energy Conservation checklist as a guideline.

·        Head Custodian participates in the Clean Campus Committee, which is responsible for the monthly Clean Campus inspection required by the District for accountability.

ENERGY CONSERVATION IN FACILITIES

Wise energy management is good for everyone. It contributes to the national goal of energy conservation, therefore extending the life of our available natural resources.  It helps preserve our environment.  Reducing the demand for electricity will reduce the amount of emissions that power plants add to the air and will reduce the number of new power plants that will need to be built.  Whatever we can do to modify our behavior and become more conscious of how energy is used and not wasted will benefit us all.

Being energy efficient is everyone’s job.  Most of the energy we use comes from non-renewable sources, like oil or natural gas or coal. Conservation is crucial to ensuring the availability of precious resources so energy will be available for many years to come. And, energy is costly. In Montgomery County Public Schools, as in nearly all schools across America, electricity is the single largest expense each year after salaries for our employees. Paying for electricity exceeds what we spend for supplies or textbooks or diesel fuel for school buses.

Our custodians have the responsibility to operate the school safely and efficiently. The following areas have been identified as opportunities for improving both the health and safety of the building and reducing wasted energy.

To reduce energy consumption for air conditioning and heating:

1.    Check the calibration and operation of thermostats and verify proper HVAC response. Be sure fans are set in the “auto” position when the room is not occupied.

2.    Minimize conditioning of seldom-used spaces, such as storerooms or unoccupied classrooms.

3.    Keep exterior doors closed, even on nice days.

4.    Check for good fitting doors and windows. Frequently inspect caulk and weather stripping around doors, windows and other building penetrations.

5.    Block morning and afternoon sun from shining through windows.

6.    Adjust hot water temperature to the minimum level.

7.    Schedule building cleaning to minimize the time lights are on and the space conditioned.

To reduce energy consumption for lighting:

1.    Turn lights off in areas when they are not occupied, pay particular attention to cafeterias and gyms that are often vacant during the school day.

2.    Reduce lighting levels where safety and performance would not be adversely affected, such as in hallways.

3.    Check outdoor security lighting to ensure it is off during daytime hours.

4.    Turn off athletic field and parking lot lights when not in use.

To reduce energy consumption for equipment:

1.    Turn off computers, overhead projectors, VCR’s, TV’s and copiers when not in use.

2.    Turn off water coolers and vending machines during vacation periods.

3.    Disconnect AV equipment during vacation periods.

4.    If possible, stagger the start times on major equipment, such as air handlers and exhaust fans.

To reduce energy consumption for water use:

1.    Check sink faucets, commodes, and water fountains frequently to ensure they have no leaks.

2.    Do not operate outside irrigation systems during daylight hours.  Early morning is best.