Custodian Maria Najera has worked at South for 13 years, but started work this year on the Grounds Team. Clocking in at 5 a.m., her work varies daily, from cutting grass and maintaining the athletic fields, to preparing spaces with flowers to make South beautiful for students, Najera said.

The Buildings and Grounds Department consists of one manager, two assistant managers, and 28 custodians, Javier Benitez, Assistant Buildings and Grounds Manager, said. The work is split between a first shift that handles daytime maintenance and responds to issues during school hours, and a second shift that focuses on cleaning and preparing the building for the next day, Benitez explained. Together, the custodial staff manages everything from routine cleaning to event setups and takedowns, Benitez said. The work environment at South gives Najera energy, from seeing happy faces to bonding with custodians, Najera shared.

“The work I do, I do with my heart,” Najera said. “This is the place I spend more time at because I like to take care of this place. I really love my job.”

Benitez starts each shift at 1:30 p.m. by ensuring every area of the school has a custodian assigned and preparing for a shift that could stretch until midnight. As the school day winds down and students head home, Benitez and his team are just getting started.They make sure every hallway,classroom, gym, and space is not only cleaned, but reset and ready for the next day, Benitez said.

“When we get one of those big setups, like state testing in the Field House, there are so many tables and chairs, and we try to get nice lines,” Benitez said. “Once we finish, there are always nice compliments that we get from teachers that see us working very hard.”

Working the first shift, Custodian Razzouk Adam starts at 6 a.m., he said. He turns on lights and checks the cleanliness of bathrooms, then spends the day cleaning high-traffic areas like the cafeterias and restrooms until his shift ends at 2:30 p.m. One of his favorite parts of the job is interacting with students, and many students recognize him in the halls and greet him with high-fives, Adam said.

“I worked three years for the Dean’s Office and watched the kids in the cafeteria,” Adam said. “It is silly, but I joke with them because I like to deal with kids.”

Benitez’s team’s ability to handle large setups and their willingness to step in and help wherever needed is a source of pride for him, Benitez said.

“When people ask us for anything, we are always ready to help,” Benitez said. “We are here to help everybody in the school have a better experience and a more clean environment.”