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Position Title: School Custodian
Location: Hamden / New Haven, CT
Reports To: School Operations Manager / ECS Facilities Manager
Employment Type: Part‑Time, Hourly
Start Date: Immediate Start (SY26–27)
Hourly Rate Range: $18.00 – $20.00 per hour, commensurate with experience
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
ECS seeks a reliable, hardworking, and team‑oriented School Custodian to support the daily cleaning, maintenance, and care of our school building and grounds. This role is essential to ensuring that students, staff, and families experience a safe, clean, and welcoming school environment every day.
The Custodian will perform routine cleaning, light maintenance, and operational support tasks across classrooms, hallways, restrooms, offices, common areas, and outdoor spaces. This position may support daytime or evening operations depending on school needs.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who takes pride in their work, values teamwork, and wants to contribute to a mission‑driven school community.
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Key Responsibilities of the Role
As a School Custodian at ECS, you will be primarily responsible for:
Building Cleanliness & Daily Operations
Clean and maintain classrooms, hallways, restrooms, offices, stairwells, cafeterias, and common areas to ensure a safe and welcoming environment.
Sweep, mop, vacuum, buff, strip, and wax floors as needed.
Clean carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, blinds, and other surfaces.
Wash walls, windows, doors, ceilings, and other building surfaces.
Remove graffiti and clean glass areas throughout the building.
Empty trash and recycling receptacles; support school recycling efforts.
Restock supplies in restrooms, classrooms, and common areas.
Light Maintenance & Building Support
Replace light bulbs and perform basic repairs as needed.
Report maintenance concerns (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, safety issues) promptly to the Operations Manager.
Assist with receiving deliveries, unloading trucks, and storing supplies.
Move, set up, and break down furniture and equipment for events, meetings, and school functions.
Groundskeeping & Seasonal Responsibilities
Maintain outdoor areas by clearing debris, sweeping walkways, and supporting general grounds upkeep.
Clear snow and ice from entrances and walkways; apply salt or ice‑melt as needed.
Operate basic groundskeeping equipment (e.g., snow blowers, mowers, leaf blowers) when required.
Safety, Compliance & School-wide Support
Follow all safety procedures, including proper use of cleaning chemicals and equipment.
Wear appropriate protective gear and comply with all safety protocols and safety data sheet guidelines.
Support school-wide routines such as arrival, dismissal, and event setup.
Secure the building at the beginning and/or end of shift as assigned.
May be asked to support custodial needs at other ECS campuses as needed.
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Qualifications of the Ideal Candidate
While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications enumerated below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:
Required Qualifications
High school diploma or equivalent.
Prior experience in custodial, facilities, or building maintenance work.
Ability to follow written and verbal instructions and complete tasks independently.
Ability to lift, move, and carry up to 50 pounds and perform physical tasks such as bending, climbing, and standing for extended periods.
Ability to work safely with cleaning chemicals, tools, and equipment.
Strong work ethic, professionalism, reliability, and attention to detail.
Ability to work collaboratively with school staff, students, and visitors.
Valid CT driver’s license or reliable transportation.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience working in a school, hospital, community center or similar environment.
Experience with floor‑care equipment (buffers, scrubbers, extractors), hand tools of trade and related power equipment, (e.g. brooms, mops, vacuum cleaners, snow blowers, shovels, power mower and hand tools, etc.)
Bilingual or multilingual proficiency (Spanish preferred).
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Mindsets We Value
Our team is passionately committed to the vision and values of Elevate Charter Schools and our individual campuses. The ideal candidate will have a positive mindset, a very strong work ethic, an inner drive for excellence and will thrive working in an entrepreneurial and results-driven environment
Additionally, we deeply value, and are actively seeking candidates who demonstrate, the following mindsets and beliefs:
Mission-Driven: In addition to deeply aligning and embodying the mission and values of ECS and BTWA, you believe in the brilliance and promise of all students, particularly students of color, and want to be part of their success story.
Growth-Oriented: You welcome feedback, are deeply reflective on your personal practices, and are constantly seeking to improve your craft.
Entrepreneurial: You are flexible, solutions-focused, and energized by the opportunity to build something from the ground up.
Collaborative: You thrive in a team-based culture and believe that collective effort drives school success.
Commitment to Excellence: You hold yourself, and others, to the highest of standards and have a student-centric, “whatever it takes” mentality to create a learning community where all students and stakeholders can grow and thrive.
Additional Role-Specific Mindsets Include:
Pride in Work: You take ownership of your responsibilities and understand how your work impacts the entire school community.
Reliability: You show up consistently, follow through on commitments, and maintain high standards.
Team Orientation: You collaborate well with others and contribute to a positive, respectful work environment.
Flexibility: You adapt to changing needs, schedules, and priorities in a dynamic school setting.
Commitment to Students: You believe every student, staff member and stakeholder deserves a clean, safe, and welcoming school environment.
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Compensation and Benefits
At Elevate Charter Schools, we are committed to ensuring fair and equitable compensation based on the skills and qualifications required for the role. Our salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on an individual’s skills, education, and years of experience relevant to the role.
The hourly rate for the this position is up to $18.00-$20.00 per hour, commensurate with experience and aligned to our organizational compensation scale. Final compensation may be adjusted based on relevant experience and qualifications.
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Physical Requirements
This position requires the ability to perform the following physical activities with or without reasonable accommodation:
Mobility: Ability to move throughout the school building and grounds, including classrooms, hallways, stairwells, offices, and outdoor areas, to complete cleaning and maintenance tasks.
Lifting & Carrying: Ability to lift, move, and carry materials, equipment, and supplies (typically up to 50 pounds).
Standing & Movement: Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, push, pull, and climb ladders or step stools for extended periods while performing custodial duties.
Vision: Clear vision to safely operate cleaning equipment, read labels and safety instructions, and identify maintenance or safety concerns throughout the building.
Hearing: Ability to hear alarms, communicate with staff, and respond to safety‑related instructions or situations.
Equipment Operation: Ability to safely use custodial tools and equipment such as vacuums, floor machines, snow blowers, mops, and basic hand tools.
Environmental Conditions: Ability to work in a variety of indoor and outdoor conditions, including heat, cold, rain, or snow, and occasional exposure to cleaning chemicals (with proper protective equipment provided).
Elevate Charter Schools is committed to providing a supportive work environment and will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.
Elevate Charter Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Elevate is a non‑profit charter management organization serving public charter schools in Connecticut’s urban communities. Our scholars are 99% Black and Brown, and Elevate deeply values inclusion, representation, and diversity across our staff.
Elevate Charter Schools is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment for all stakeholders. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds and experiences to apply, especially those who share a similar background to the communities we serve.
If you have questions about the application process, experience any challenges, or need support completing your application, please reach out to our talent team at talent@elevatecharters.org. We are committed to ensuring an accessible and welcoming experience for all candidates.
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