After two weeks of cancellations and delays caused by what is likely to be the largest snowstorm this winter, the return to school was both dreaded and highly-anticipated by the staff and student body who stayed at home from Jan. 26 through Feb. 6. However, the eventual ease of Stone Bridge’s transition back to in-person learning is a direct result of the school’s dedicated custodial staff, who braved the cold and strenuous conditions to clear the campus of snowy hazards.  

The custodial team, led by head custodian Iris Chavez Ayala, adjusted their typical, day-to-day work responsibilities during the blizzard. In addition to the helpful work they continued in the hallways, the staff spent hours shoveling away rock-hard snow and frozen sheets of ice to clear a safe path for students. 

“It is part of our job, but this year it is especially hard to do because we don’t have the equipment,” Ayala said. “We have some equipment, but not what we need because ice and snow are different. This is the first time [it’s been this bad]. I have been working at the school for fifteen years, and I remember in 2016, it was kind of the same.”

Although the infamous 2016 snowstorm is comparable to the most recent storm in regard to accumulation, the ice of this year’s storm is what made the task of clearing the sidewalks particularly challenging for the custodial staff. The compact layers of snow, sleet, and ice, deemed ‘snowcrete,’ frozen on all the pavement surrounding the school only magnified the difficulty of freeing up walkways. 

“[We were] sent an email to do [the shoveling],” custodian Ana Santana said. “We had to be outside for five days. It wasn’t snow; it was just ice. And now they’re telling us to go out and clear the ice still for the cars. It’s really hard to do, we use heavy things to break [the ice].”

While the roads were deemed unfit for student drivers, administrators, and teachers, the custodial team still arrived at the school building, making it possible for other LCPS members to return a week later. 

“It was hard to stay outside in the cold and freezing,” custodian Jose Zelaya Reyes said. “We drive [to work]; some staff drove from West Virginia.”

When the job of removing all snow and ice on the school’s sidewalks and pavement fell on the shoulders of these hardworking individuals, they rose to the challenge as the definitive unsung heroes of the snowstorm, hacking away at January’s icy hazards. 

“The Stone Bridge High School custodial team has once again gone above and beyond, working quickly and tirelessly to clear the school’s paths, roads, and parking lots,” school social worker Michelle Martin said in a nomination for LCPS staff who went ‘Above and Beyond.’ “What may seem like a small task on the surface has made a huge difference—giving students a safe place to gather, play, and reconnect, and allowing our administrative team to arrive ready to support the school community…”

“Their dedication, care, and behind-the-scenes hard work keep Stone Bridge moving forward, and we are incredibly grateful for everything they do for our Bulldogs, every single day,” Martin said. 

Members of the custodial staff who are not represented by the interviews include Jose Amaya Navarro, Martha Canales Sandoval, Cesar Castillo, Reyna Fuentes Robles, Andrea Hernandez Torres, Ok-Ja Hwang, Colby Kay, Irma Navarrete, Cecilia Nehme, and Rose Posada. 

Translators: Ashly Ramirez Ramirez Gutierrez & Arianna Ordonez Revollar