For the past six years, Laura Manners has been employed on campus as a custodian. Initially assigned to the Wachsman Athletics Complex, she now works in the Kendall Classroom Building. The job opened up after the previous custodian of the Kendall retired, and Ms. Manners enthusiastically took it. “It was a nice move,” she said. “The Kendall is a lot nicer it has character.”
Ms. Manners works the second shift, which starts at 2:00. She explained that, in the classrooms, she “clean[s] the boards, the trash, and all the little paper crumbs all overthe floor.” Additionally, she “help[s] the teachers stock up with tissues and towels.” Regarding her work schedule, she said, “It’s not too bad but it can be very busy.”
Ms. Manners came to Deerfield because she needed to be closer to home. She said, “For seven years, my husband and I took care of his mom because she was in declining health.” She continued, “I used to work up in Springfield, but that was quite a long drive. I needed something closer, and when Deerfield had an opening, I applied. I’d always heard about Deerfield.”
For almost every holiday from Halloween to Valentine’s Day, Ms. Manners decorates the building with her self-made creations. “I love Halloween because I can showcase my creative outlet,” she said. For Ms. Manners, decorations aren’t just about the aesthetics: “I love brightening up the building, giving it a little spirit,” she said. “It’s nice to hear students
come in and see how the different decorations make them smile.”
Ms. Manners decorates the Kendall for two other holidays. “When winter starts to approach, I do a little Christmas-y thing,” she said. “And on Valentine’s Day, the hallways up the stairwell are just lined with hearts. I put those up because I want students to write notes to each other,” she said. “It’s something I love to do, and I think it brings a touch of home to the Kendall.”
As much as Ms. Manners loves her job, she wishes that there was more acknowledgment of her work and the custodial team. “I wish it was more encouraged,” she said. “We’re seen but not heard, it would be nice if people realized our role is so much more than cleaning.”
For Ms. Manners, the decorations are more than adding some festive touches, it’s about building a sense of community. She believes it is a small gesture that invites connection. Ms. Manners wishes that there could be more moments where custodians went out of their way to make the community more positive. She also wishes that those moments were noticed by the broader community. In addition, much of the decorations that are displayed come out of her own pocket. She puts together the paper hearts for Valentine’s Day, which takes her many weeks to cut out. “The walls from the hallway up the stairwells are covered with handmade hearts. That takes a lot of time,” she said.
“This year has been kind of rough, but next year is going to be awesome,” she said, with an optimistic smile. And for those already looking ahead to next Halloween’s decorations, she has a little hint: “Next year’s theme? Let’s just say…Wingardium Leviosa!”
