As school students embrace their impending freedom, the onset of summer truly begins. In the hectic environment of a school, teachers and students often take center stage. They work from September to June to build rapport, create a community that is unique and special.  It becomes ‘our place’. Throughout the daily hustle and bustle, students of all ages gravitate to their various groups; for some sports teams, various clubs, while others are content to stand alone.  While school can be a bastion of energy, there is always room for caution, to be openminded to the unexpected.

For many years, public education was my home. As a school principal, it was my responsibility to anticipate problems, advocate for the needs of all students, and provide the message to parents that “your children are safe here.” About 10 years ago, I was principal a rural area school. The school held a strong presence in the community- its events were attended by all.

As the school district undertook their regular reconfiguration and assessing how to create upheaval, the district superintendent came to my school to discuss matters.  He was there to reveal the path forward, and I was expected to fall in line. As we chatted, he said, “you are the most important person in this school because you set the tone and direction for students and teachers.” Talk about an ego boost! However, there is a limit to vanity. My response was swift and sincere. I told him that teachers at the classroom level are the keys to success. For students, they require consistency, stability, fairness, and kindness. A school could be very poorly run at the administrative level, yet the individual student can excel with effective teaching.

However, while that was a large part of my overall approach to successful education, our system really rests on the shoulders of unsung heroes. School custodians and bus drivers rarely take centre stage. They go about their daily tasks with a quiet sense of responsibility and humility. They have a ‘fly on the wall’ point of view of the daily happenings. They see fairness on display and injustice as it quietly creeps in, often in the form of bullying, or students being excluded.

I have been lucky to have had custodians who cared. They took pride in the appearance of the school. Their work frequently taken for granted or overlooked. Having coached many sports teams, I would take these teams to other schools to compete on a regular basis. Without fail, someone would comment how clean ‘our school’ was in comparison, a badge of honour for our custodians.

I would regularly talk with the custodians. I was once told I shouldn’t carry out a bag of trash as I was ‘the principal.” My response? We all play different roles in the lives of each child, with one no more important that the other. My custodian noticed which students need things beyond the classroom.  They saw who did not have lunch, what child did not have winter boots, and which student was constantly picked on. While I was weighed down by policy, procedure, and scheduling, they were able to see joy and happiness in its raw form.

As for school bus drivers, in the rural areas, they are members of your community who know the state of affairs. The bus driver is the first person a student meets that marks the beginning of their school, day. A chipper and welcoming, ”good morning George!”, makes all the difference. Sadly, these bus drivers also see children get on the bus who are troubled, scared, and withdrawn. They will notice, and they will readily share their concerns. Report cards are issued, lockers emptied, and in my mind of an older generation “School’s out for summer” by Alice Cooper blasts. As we part way for summer, lets all – teachers, parents, students, and yes principals- salute the unsung heroes of our school community. No matter what type of organization you occupy, be sure to acknowledge it truly takes many at all levels to create meaningful success.