Along with his team of custodians, Mr. Robert Bazzinotti, the senior day custodian at Boston Latin School, has been keeping the building clean for 36 years. Even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he and his team have continued to help.

At BLS, there are 10 custodians, three during the day and seven during the night. Often working behind the scenes, they assist with the cleanliness and organization of the school. 

In March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, the custodians continued to work five days a week until the end of March. In April and May, they worked once a week for two months. Since June, they have been working full time.

With students back in school on a hybrid schedule, a heavier emphasis has been placed on sanitizing the building. “There are so many kids at school and especially with [COVID-19], everything needs to be cleaned and sanitized more often. I’ve really noticed how hard they’ve been working to keep the school so clean,” says Lillian Butler (IV), a student currently learning in the hybrid model.

The typical schedule for a day custodian would be to arrive at BLS at 6:00 A.M. to open the building to get ready for students. Then, they would check in with administrators for any concerns and inspect the building for problems. When their day ends at 3:00 P.M., they pass on any remaining issues to the night shift custodians.

Despite these long days, Mr. Bazzinotti remains cheerful. He says his favorite part of his job is “working with people throughout the day and helping as much as [he] can with different problems.” He and the other custodians are always there and ready to help.

The students also appreciate how dedicated Mr. Bazinotti’s team is to its job and the school. Grace Sullivan (II) says, “As someone who commonly stayed late after school for clubs […] I would see custodians in the hallway picking up what BLS students have left for them. They are always cheerful and sometimes even playing music on their radio when I see them. I don’t think the custodians get the credit they deserve for all their hard work.”

The custodians do all their work with a smile that never goes away. Whether it is cleaning after students leave or sanitizing the building, they are always friendly and helpful. Their job is truly important, from keeping our schools clean to keeping the student body and faculty safe.