Substitute Custodian

Revised September 2025. Schedule: Mid Shift (11:00 am – 7:00 pm, Monday - Friday) or Night Shift (2:30 pm – 10:30 pm or 3 pm - 11 pm, Monday - Friday). Location and hours may vary.

About The Role

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Director of Buildings & Grounds and Engineer at the school level, the Substitute Custodian performs general cleaning and maintenance in school buildings. As a key member of the district's building and grounds department, the Substitute Custodian maintains equipment in functional condition and provides cleaning and custodial assistance to students, teachers, visitors, and others as necessary. The role ensures that equity is at the center of the district's building and grounds services to positively impact student learning and employee practices as expressed in Board Policy 7:12: Ensuring Racial and Educational Equity.

Responsibilities

• Checks and secures building at the beginning and end of shift to ensure safety and cleanliness.
• Cleans rooms, hallways, cafeterias, restrooms, offices, stairways, and other areas of the building according to school district standards.
• Sweeps, mops, buffs, strips, and waxes floors.
• Cleans rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture, and blinds.
• Washes and dusts walls, ceilings, woodwork, windows, doors, and sills.
• Removes graffiti and cleans glass areas.
• Replaces light bulbs.
• Sets up and breaks down chairs, tables, and equipment in meeting rooms and functional rooms.
• Clears snow from entrances and walks, spreads sand and ice-melting chemicals.
• Performs grounds-keeping duties, clears debris, and maintains grounds as needed.
• Receives deliveries and assists in unloading trucks and storing supplies.
• Delivers supplies and materials to classrooms, bathrooms, and other areas of the building.
• Empties wastebaskets, picks up and removes trash, and assists in recycling programs.
• Assists parents and other visitors to school buildings with special events and programs.
• Performs other related tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Requirements

• High School Diploma.
• Reasonable knowledge of cleaning equipment and techniques.
• Fluency in reading, speaking, and interpreting English.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull over 50 pounds.
• Good human relations skills.
• Ability to understand and follow directions provided orally and in writing.

Skills

Knowledge Of:

• Proper cleaning techniques and sanitation standards for schools, including use of cleaning agents, disinfectants, and custodial equipment.
• Safe operation and routine maintenance of custodial tools and machinery (e.g., buffers, vacuums, carpet cleaners, snow blowers).
• Basic safety procedures related to facility cleaning, lifting, snow/ice removal, and chemical use.
• School district expectations and procedures for custodial, groundskeeping, and building maintenance.

Skilled In:

• Operating, adjusting, and maintaining cleaning equipment and tools.
• Cleaning and maintaining various surfaces (e.g., tile, wood, carpet, upholstery, glass, metal).
• Floor care procedures including sweeping, mopping, buffing, stripping, and waxing.
• Performing minor maintenance tasks such as light bulb replacement and graffiti removal.
• Snow and ice removal using manual tools and applying melting agents safely.
• Loading, unloading, and delivering materials, supplies, and equipment safely.
• Interacting respectfully and helpfully with staff, students, visitors, and parents.

Ability To:

• Follow written and verbal directions and safety instructions with minimal supervision.
• Maintain confidentiality, professionalism, and a customer-service orientation in a school setting.
• Prioritize tasks and respond promptly to urgent custodial or safety needs.
• Lift, carry, push, and pull objects weighing over 50 pounds on a regular basis.
• Work both indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Perform assigned duties with accuracy, reliability, and attention to detail.
• Assist with special school events, including room setup, crowd assistance, and cleanup.

Pay

$19.55 per hour.

Ideal Team Member Profile

The ideal team member in District 97 is a visionary and equity-centered leader who inspires excellence and fosters collective responsibility for student success. This individual:

• Champions the district's vision and drives forward-thinking, innovative practices that anticipate future educational needs.
• Stewards public trust and resources with fiscal responsibility and ethical transparency.
• Demonstrates relentless commitment to student success, ensuring that every decision supports equitable opportunities and outcomes for all learners.
• Organizes and empowers teams to work collaboratively toward shared goals, recognizing the interdependence of roles across departments and schools.
• Fosters a culture of care, learning, and service, grounded in authentic engagement with students, families, staff, and community members.
• Models integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality, serving as a role model for ethical and respectful conduct at all levels.
• Thrives in a culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse environment, showing a deep passion for inclusive practices and building belonging for all team members.
• Seeks and embraces feedback, especially when it challenges them to grow and improve in service of students and colleagues.
• Understands the powerful intersection of leadership, learning, and equity, and aligns their work to dismantle systemic barriers.
• Courageously addresses unprofessional behavior, holding self and others accountable to high standards in service to the community and students.

Physical Requirements

• Regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and depth perception.
• Occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts; noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.