Upon walking into school every morning, the first person I see is the security guard. I’m always greeted with a smile and a ‘good morning’ or ‘have a good day.’ While I typically respond with ‘you too,’ I am often too busy or preoccupied to fully engage and therefore miss the opportunity to show genuine gratitude for the job that the security guard is doing.
Throughout the day and after hours, the CESJDS staff keeps the school running. They work tirelessly to ensure everything is working so that we can have the best overall experience possible. Even though we are busy during the day and don’t have many opportunities to talk to them, it is important to find ways to show appreciation for our staff.
We often don’t see all of the behind-the-scenes work that must be done to keep a school in order. For example, the work that the maintenance staff do to fix and repair our facilities happen frequently in every classroom. From the bathrooms and water fountains to the projectors and lights, it all requires a tremendous amount of time and effort. Without these things our school would not be able to function.
Additionally, the security team plays a significant role in keeping our students and teachers safe. Their contribution is even more vital as we are a Jewish school, and must take extra measures to ensure safety in times of heightened anti-semitsm. Each student can walk into the building and feel safe, allowing them to focus on their learning rather than having to worry about possible danger.
As with security, students also take for granted the classrooms and hallways that are recleaned each day. Every morning I walk into the freshly cleaned hallways that were filled with dirt and left over trash from the day before. The cleaning staff deals with all of this no matter how untidy or dirty a place is. They help make our learning spaces organized so that we can use these areas whenever we need.
In addition to those who work to keep the building clean and functional, the cafeteria staff provide the entire Upper School with food everyday, making sure no one goes hungry. Though most of us don’t interact with them other than occasionally when purchasing food, it is important to thank them for their service to our school. The cooking and cleaning that is not apparent to students and teachers is nevertheless important.
It is easy to remember to thank a teacher after each class for the lesson, but it is harder to do so for staff that students don’t interact with everyday. Taking a minute out of the day to thank those people can have a large impact on their day. Giving gifts, making posters and creating videos also accomplish this goal. Additionally, writing a note or sending an email to someone can be an effective way to show appreciation. It is also important to keep spaces tidy, clean up after messes and use spaces and materials with care in order to show respect for the staff’s time and effort.
As we often do with teachers or administrators, taking a moment to write a letter, send an email or simply verbally thank a staff member is essential. In order to continue to foster the JDS kehillah we must make sure we are not taking for granted the hard work of each and every person at our school.
