Due to the coronavirus pandemic, teachers at Camas High School are forced to teach online. However, there are some staff members who are unable to do their jobs online. This select group of people includes cooks who served students lunch, the security who kept the students safe, and custodians who kept the school halls and rooms clean. Remote learning has caused many staff member’s jobs to change and they have had to adapt to new regulations.

CHS Junior Covey Stark expressed how custodian’s jobs have become key to keeping the building running amidst the pandemic.

He said, “I believe that custodians will have an important role as they will have a large role in the prevention of Covid.”

CHS custodian Bill Swacker stays at the high school making sure that every inch of the high school virus free. Swacker’s impact is definitely felt by staff and students that go there every day.

He said, “We start out doing the normal thing, cleaning the bathrooms and the classrooms. We sanitize all high touch points 3 times every day and once at night.”

Swacker added, “For the most part, making sure everyone is safe is important to us. If one person is sick, then it would cause a disastrous chain reaction. If we don’t react fast, the virus might spread.”

He spends his entire day working to make sure the school is clean and said he has almost no free time.

Lunches have been another big change for both staff and students.

CHS Junior Aiden Murray said, “Many friends of mine had gotten lunch from school, so it seems important to get out to students during the pandemic.”

Another member of the CHS staff that was affected by the Covid outbreak is Tracee Williamson who was the lead cook at CHS. Williamson’s job has changed to adapt to the new regulations. Today, she still makes food for kids, but now she makes it for many different schools.

Williamson said, “We send lunches to Helen Baller, Hayes, JWR, special needs at liberty, a group that picks up lunches on Wednesdays, and the bus routes are all over.” 

“There is really no downtime. We set up lunches the day before and pack them up in crates and put them in coolers so they are ready before 8:30 am for pickup for the busses. We make around 240 bags per day,” she added.

Although the CHS staff are working hard every day, they still have a bit of time to look forward to the future.

Williamson said, “What I like to happen is that we get to go back to our schools and be around our students. It might change a bit until covid isn’t a problem. I hope that normalcy will return soon. I hope to see the staff at CHS again.”

CHS students understand the “behind the scenes” work staff is putting in and shared their gratitude. 

CHS Sophomore Britain McGill said, “I’m glad they are taking care of the school even during COVID-19 almost every day.”

Camasonian journalists Luke Dizon and Garrett Monroe contributed to this article.