at Lincoln Public Schools Sustainability Sustainability

Celebrating Custodial Sustainability Champions

Lincoln Public Schools strives to bring sustainability efforts to each of our buildings. We do that through activities like waste initiatives, growing gardens, or environmental clubs. Our custodians play a huge role in managing those waste efforts at schools like recycling and composting. We wanted to recognize a few of those outstanding custodians who help LPS be more sustainable.

Robinson Elementary School

Robinson Elementary opened with school-wide composting in August 2022. This program allows students and staff to compost in classrooms, restrooms and offices in addition to the cafeteria. Buildings with school-wide composting are able to divert more waste from landfill and strive for a 75% diversion rate or higher due to the compost and recycling programs.

Steve Humann has been with LPS for 12 years, but this was his first time opening a brand-new building as the custodial supervisor. In this role, Humann coordinates all waste collection in the building. He mentions that success with the school-wide compost program starts in the cafeteria.

“Having the cafeteria compost program is a big help for composting in the classroom. In the cafeteria, we are able to be hands-on with the kids and help them sort, so hopefully they think about that when they sort compost in the classrooms too,” Humann said.

Although the school is only partially occupied now, Humann stays optimistic about waste goals for the building going forward. “A goal would be better sorting so contamination [in the compost] is not as big of an issue,” he added. “Every little bit of one on one contact helps the students make an effort.”

Many LPS staff members go above and beyond to help our waste initiatives thrive within our schools. Thank you to all of these hard-working individuals and our custodial champions!

Humann Elementary School

Humann has enthusiastic staff and students participating in the cafeteria compost program. Assistant Custodial Supervisor Andre Bond helped Humann begin the cafeteria compost program in 2017. Bond said the program is successful because there is a lot of teamwork and support that goes on in the cafeteria.

“It’s important to communicate with staff and students as best as possible because nothing will change if you don’t have a good attitude about it and help each other out,” Bond said.

He also mentioned that it’s important to collaborate between schools. “I communicate with a lot of other custodians around the school district who ask about the compost program and how it works. A lot of us collaborate and work together to come up with solutions for challenges we might come across,” he added.

It was evident that Bond does his best always to have a good attitude with the compost program and everything else. In the cafeteria, third graders sang Bond’s praise about his contagious positivity.

“He is very kind and gives a lot of high fives. I like how happy he always is,” Humann third grade student Marlow said.

Beyond composting in the cafeteria, Bond has been looking ahead to more waste diversion efforts in the future.

“I have been hearing a lot about composting in the classrooms, so our team is trying to be flexible and open-minded for that change when it comes,” he said.

Meadow Lane Elementary School

Joe Smith was hired as the Assistant Custodial Supervisor at Meadow Lane Elementary School this past summer. Meadow Lane students have participated in the cafeteria compost program since 2018, so Smith jumped right in to practice sorting lunch waste with them.

“So far, I have been loving being on the daytime crew and being able to interact with the kids,” Smith said.

As he has become more familiar with LPS waste programs, he found that if the students knew why they had to sort their cafeteria waste, the program was more successful.

“Helping students understand why we compost is important to get them to care and take this seriously so we can all limit any plastic going in the compost,” he added.

Having students understand the program early has also been a key to success.

“Once the younger students feel confident about how to sort their compost, they will carry that with them as they get older,” he said.

Many new employees to the school district have shown personal interest and support for environmental action. Smith is one of those employees who has adopted a sustainable lifestyle at home and is glad he is able to support those same interests in his work.

Lincoln Public Schools and Lincoln City Libraries cordially invite you to “Walk Together” and explore the literature and art contributions of African Americans at the annual African American Read-In.

This year’s event will be held Tuesday, Feb. 7, from noon to 1:00 p.m. at 5905 “O” St. in the Boardroom of the Steve Joel District Leadership Center (LPS District Office).

The Read-In is an annual collaboration between Lincoln City Libraries and Lincoln Public Schools. The experience will feature a diverse collection of readers, presenters and performers who will illustrate African Americans’ rich history and contributions to literature, arts and music and the role it has and continues to play in shaping the world we live in.

You can also view the event live at LPS.org, the Lincoln Public Schools Facebook page and City of Lincoln LNK TV.