BILLINGS — With a new school year fast approaching, it's the busiest time of the year for school district custodians who have spent all summer preparing for the new year.
Their work began the first Monday of summer and will go all the way up to the first day of school as they deep clean the hallways and classes, while making any maintenance fixes needed.
Watch this video for a look at the Will James crew:
Head custodian at Will James Lance Fyfe said he doesn't get tired of the constant labor.
"I'm more of a hands-on type of guy," Fyfe said. "I'd rather be out doing this stuff than sitting behind a desk."
Their work is more noticeable during the school year when classes are in session, but Fyfe said in the summer the projects become bigger.
"During the school year, we're just doing the maintaining of the classrooms, cleaning them and keeping them disinfected," Fyfe said. "In the summer, we do the deep cleaning, we clear out all the rooms, strip them and wax them before we do the same for the halls. Just to get it nice, fresh and clean for the start of the new year."
Much of the work done by his team goes unnoticed, but it doesn't bother Fyfe or fellow custodian Steve Nicol.
"I prefer to be behind the scenes," Nicol said with a laugh. "I can just be on my own and get my work done."
Nicol said that in the summer, it takes a full team effort to finish all of their work in time for the new year.
"We're all working together, you're not working by yourself most of the time," Nichol said. "Just doing what we can to make it shiny like a brand new penny."
That team approach was crucial this year. Due to a change in schedule, Billings Schools didn't get out until mid-June and that has forced Fyfe and his crew to speed everything up.
"We kind of got to pack a little bit more in each week to get it all done in time," Fyfe said. "Sometimes it gets a little stressful, but we always get it done in time."
No matter what, they'll make sure the hallways are sparkling for students when they arrive for their first day — even if that deep clean doesn't last very long.
"It's paid off for a little bit," Nichol said with a laugh. "They make short work of it real fast. You know, everything is not built to last. That's why we do it every year."
Fyfe said it's always fun when the students catch on to how busy he and his co-workers truly are.
"Kids wonder what you even do here sometimes," Fyfe said with a smile. "Then when you tell them all the things you do, they're like, 'Oh wow. I didn't realize you did that.'"
That's why his crew is committed to do everything they can to insure the hallways and classrooms are clean for students.
"When they're happy, we're happy right?" Nichol said. "They deserve a clean space and everything like that to be able to learn in."
