“Mr. Adrian” is a popular guy at Oak Meadow Elementary School.
As the head custodian, Adrian Gonzales makes it a point to connect with the students, families and staff on campus. He’s always on the move, whether it’s making the school shine or stopping by the playground to throw a football around with students.
He takes a lot of pride in his work. He also takes great pride in being someone the kids can count on.
“It’s very important to me that these kids have a great education, and they succeed in life,” said Gonzales. “There are many educators here these kids can go to, but when they choose to come and talk to me it makes me feel great.”
Gonzales goes above and beyond to make every child’s day a little brighter. Kids love to tell him it’s their birthday because during lunch he’ll lead the entire cafeteria in a ‘happy birthday’ serenade.
There’s also the ‘Golden Trash Can.’ This weekly contest is a huge hit with the students. The tidiest classroom gets to keep the Golden Trash Can trophy for the following week. While the competition is for bragging rights, it’s also instilling our kids with ownership and responsibility.
Gonzales doesn’t have to do any of this. But for him, it’s worth it if he gets to make one child’s day.
“This is a great environment to be in. I just love it here.”
Custodian Appreciation Day is celebrated on October 2, and we want to thank and celebrate all the hard-working NEISD custodians who work to keep our schools clean and connect with our students.
Are you looking to make an impact too? We are hiring. View our NEISD careers and apply today!
You can also send a custodian a thank you through our Staff Shout Out system. Remember, if you can’t find who you’re looking for try selecting ‘All NEISD Employees’ as the location.
