December 26, 2001

Dynamic janitors get day off

Eastern holds appreciation event for custodians

By LISA PERKINS
Herald staff writer
       Christmas came early for Mr. Ron and Mr. Jerry, as they are known to the students of Eastern Elementary, when they were honored by the school's students, staff and parents last week.
      School custodians, Ron Lukowski and Jerry Stremlow, were recognized for the job they do and they way they do it at an assembly where they received gifts from the P.T.O. and praise from principal Bill Smith.
      "He is small of stature, large of heart, slow to anger and quick with cart," quipped Smith about Mr. Ron.
      "They are both hard workers and always have a smile. They go above and beyond keeping everything neat and clean," Smith said.
      During the school assembly, Smith praised their work ethic with his own nursery rhyme inspired verse: "Jerry had a little mop, and it was white as snow, everywhere that Jerry went, the mop was sure to go."
      Lukowski and Stremlow received their honors as part of the school's STARS program which recognizes students and staff who represent star qualities:
      Scholarship
      Trustworthiness
      Appreciation
      Respect
      Self Direction
      "The staff came up with the idea to do this for them, we wanted to do something special," Smith said, adding that the assembly was just the beginning of a special day for the honorees.
      To the surprise of Lukowski and Stremlow, when they returned from their lunch with staff, they were shown to an area prepared just for them. Two leather recliners were set up in the hallway, along with a television, tapes, a guitar and a book for each of them filled with letters of appreciation from the students. The display case behind them was filled with student art work depicting the two hard at work.
      "You may have the rest of the day to relax, the kids are going to take over," said Smith as he put on a plastic apron, readying himself to clean up after the lunch rush.
      Heeding the principals advice, Stremlow kicked back and put his feet up while the students spent the rest of the day showing their appreciation.
      Stremlow was equally thankful for the students. "The kids are very respectful, they make it fun to work here. It's nice to know that the kids think so much of us," he said.
      Students expressed their sentiments to Mr. Ron and Mr. Jerry in their own words, including:
      - "Thank you for locking the doors so no one breaks in."
      - "Thank you for wiping the floor."
      - "Thank you for getting the balls off the roof."
      - "Thank you for picking up shoes and not throwing them away."
      - "Thank you for fixing the pencil sharpener when it is stuck."
      - "Remember the time the second-grade toilet flooded and you fixed it-you are the best janitor in the world!"
      "This doesn't happen to janitors very often. Everyone at this school is really great," Lukowski said.