National Custodial Worker’s Recognition Day was on October 2nd, and Briar Woods celebrated the quiet heroes of our school.

Briar Woods is a place that students and staff feel proud to call their school, and this can be attributed in large part to the behind-the-scenes staff that make our school what it is. Every day, our custodians work tirelessly to keep our school spotless and safe, all with a smile.

“[I enjoy] taking care of the school and taking care of the kids, because kids are the most important to us,” said one of our school’s beloved custodians, Silvia Aleman. She prides herself on keeping the school clean and safe for the student population.

Briar Woods has a student population of nearly 2,000 kids and the custodial staff cleans up after all 2,000 of those students. From cleaning the lunchrooms to mopping the floors to taking out the trash from every classroom, our custodians do much more than many realize.

Many custodians look after our student population to support not only themselves, but their families. For Carmen Quintanilla, her work day doesn’t even end at Briar Woods. She works two additional jobs to support her two children in college. However, her dream is to attend school herself, and is hoping to enroll in NOVA after her children graduate. 

In the midst of the work, the custodial staff is always willing to chat. Both Quintanilla and Aleman enjoy talking to students and staff alike. “I like when students are respectful because I like being friendly with everyone,” said Aleman. She has a message for all the students at Briar Woods: “Do the best you can. You are very special.” 

Our custodians go above and beyond to make our school one to be proud of. October 2nd may have come and gone, but Briar Woods will continue to celebrate our extraordinary custodial staff every day.