School janitors are very important and teachers and students should make them feel appreciated because they are literally the eyes and ears of the building they are taking care of.
A custodian can have many roles.
They are always in the hallways making sure that everyone is following the protocol, they work with safety officers, and they are part of emergency planning for each school.
Sadly enough, they often don’t receive the recognition and respect they should.
However, in some cases, janitors are considered not only a member of the school staff, but a family member both from teachers and students.
Like in the case of John Lockett, or Mr. John, as he was always referred to by everyone in the Georgia school he worked.
Mr. John had not always been a school janitor. He used to work in construction, but after he retired, he became a janitor and worked at two schools in Carroll County, Georgia.
The man worked there for twelve years, and over this decade he became close with everyone in those schools.
As Sand Hill Principal Carla Meigs told CNN about the grandfatherly figure,
“He’s a role model for the students. He is the epitome of a hard-working human being who has been put on this earth to serve others.”
When he reached the age of 83, his health started failing, and he was advised to retire for good.
In fact, Meigs insisted on him retiring in December 2018, but he wouldn’t leave before the end of the school year, so he ended up retiring in May 2019.
On his last day of work, Mr. John went to the school as usual, only he had been asked to get there a little earlier.
Little did the elderly man know that teachers and students had organized a huge party for him so that they could send him off as he deserved.
Indeed, Mr. John was handed a basket by the principal and was asked to walk down the hallway. He had no idea what was about to happen.
When the doors opened, Mr. John saw dozens of students waiting for him with banners and cards in their hands, ready to say goodbye to him in the best way they could.
Mr. John was also given a crown to wear, and he was named “King for the day”, while the staff decided that they’d celebrate his retirement anniversary as “Mr. John Day” from then on.
The elderly man walked down the hallways and collected all those beautiful cards.
He was so touched by the teachers’ and students’ surprise that he could not hold back his tears.
“There’s so much I didn’t do in my younger days. I had to find a way to make my life mean something. I made it my business to be a good steward. I want to make the kids the heroes,” Lockett told CNN.
He also shared with Good Morning America:
“This school means so much to me. I really love my job, it is for the kids.”
What a heartwarming story!
Head over to the video below to see Mr. John’s eyes welling up when he saw his big surprise!
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