When you think of custodians, you probably think of people who pick up trash around the school, pushing gray trash cans and cleaning the halls on their big blue machines. But custodians are so much more than that.

“The most important thing is taking pride and appreciation in your school. We [the staff] all love the students, and we only want the best for them,” Ankeny High School’s (AHS) head custodian Brett Iverson said.

Who is Brett Iverson?

Iverson joined us over the summer as our school’s new head custodian. He came to Ankeny from Hartley Melvin Sanborn Community School District in Hartley, Iowa, where he was the district custodian. Now that he is in Ankeny, he works to not only keep AHS clean, but also safe and functioning.

“He was responsible for coordinating the cleaning, [and] polishing every nook and cranny in this building while we still had activities taking place,” AHS head principal Dr. “DJ” Johnson said.

Iverson took over the massive responsibilities of keeping the building running smoothly, and so far, he has done exactly that.

“I like to provide a safe and clean environment for students and staff because that’s when things are clean and that’s when everyone thrives,” Iverson said.

So far, Iverson has proven to be reportedly an excellent head custodian, but he is more than just a custodian. He came to Ankeny to be with his fiancé. Iverson is passionate about his role as the school’s custodian, but he also has other passions.

“I was a student mentor and positive role model for all students and staff K-12,” Iverson said.

Iverson looks forward to bringing his passion for mentoring and supporting students on a more personal level. Iverson is a supporter of diversity, and he wants everyone to feel included.

“Any student here is welcome to reach out to me if you need support or guidance,” Iverson said.

Iverson also has a tradition of supporting special education students, bringing small gifts and tokens on special occasions to show that he cares. Along with his passion for mentorship and supporting all students, Iverson has some out of school interests.

“I love watching sports, baseball. I love to play golf, football. I enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, pretty much anything that’s outdoors,” Iverson said.

Roles of a custodian

Custodians are vital to any school, so it is important to find the right people. As with any job, employees have to have the skills and personality to fit the position. They need to be someone who can improve the space.

“When students walk in, we want them to feel like they’re coming to a place that cares about the area and the environment in which they’re learning,” Dr. Johnson said.

In order to create a warm welcome for AHS students, custodians have a multitude of small tasks. These accumulate to improve and maintain the building.

“We set up for events. Tear down for events. [If] light bulbs are out, we change those. You know, minor repairs…we can take care of it,” fellow AHS custodian Rukyius Wardmaer said.

Iverson seemingly played a huge role in setting the tone for the whole school year. He was in charge of keeping the school running over the summer and preparing it for the new students to come.

“[He’s a] really nice guy, very earnest about his work, and sincere about his work and wanting to serve the high school,” Dr. Johnson said.

While he has been a member of the Hawk family for just a few months, he has already made a difference in the atmosphere. The staff has had lots of positive feedback about the way the school is being maintained now that Iverson has taken over.

“He’s willing to do the work, and he is knowledgeable about how to get the work done. And I tell you, he’s darn honorable about it as well,” Dr. Johnson said.

Dr. Johnson detailed how Mr. Iverson would get so caught up in solving problems that he dipped into things that weren’t even his job to fix.

“He goes the extra mile,” Dr. Johnson said. “He is very thorough, very thorough.”

HAWK values

Iverson seems to be a great addition to AHS, but also a great man, according to Dr. Johnson.
“Does Mr. Iverson embody that [characteristics of a Hawk]? I would say yes, he does,” Dr. Johnson said. “He’s the right man for the job.”

Wardmaer explained that because Iverson is new to AHS, he has had to adapt to new ways of operation, which Wardmaer said he has done spectacularly with. Whenever he has needed help with his transition, he has gone to his team and asked for said help, proving he is a great leader and fit for AHS, Wardmaer said..

Iverson has proven to be an excellent role model, and someone students can strive to be like. And to achieve that goal is quite easy really.

“It’s about being patient and understanding and caring about each other, because we’re all a family here, when you look at it,” Iverson said.