Opinion | This week, express your appreciation to a custodian near you

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Do you remember that gut-punch moment when you found out Santa Claus wasn’t real? Or that Hallmark pretty much invented the Easter bunny?

Well, I had one of those moments recently. For years, I thought Oct. 2 was National Kiss a Custodian Day. Turns out, it’s actually National Custodial Workers Recognition Day.

Kind of the same — but not really.

Being a school custodian is still the best job in the world. And here’s why:

It comes with unique rewards you won’t find anywhere else. Sometimes it’s dumpster-diving for a lost retainer — not only finding it, but two days later finding a loaf of banana bread on my desk from a grateful mom.

Custodians are often the first ones in and the last ones out. We get to school before most of you have even hit your REM cycle, and we’re still here long after the student laughter has faded and the staff lug home their three bags of “homework.” We fix what breaks, mop what spills, clear what clutters, shovel what piles up and somehow keep the wheels from completely falling off.

But being a custodian is more than a mop and a ring of keys.

A custodian is someone who knows more than they say and sees more than you realize. We are caretakers of more than a building: We’re caretakers of memories, safety and spaces where children learn, play and grow.

We notice when a student is struggling, when a teacher could use a hand, when the playground has uninvited flying guests that make recess an adventure or when the sidewalk is too slick for little shoes. Schools may be built with bricks and beams, but they stand because so many people care — and custodians care deeply.

So on this National Kiss — sorry — Custodial Workers Recognition Day, thank you for letting us do what we love. And if you see one of us in the hallway today, don’t worry — a smile or quick wink is all we need.