Edison Elementary custodian reflects on long career

Isaac Jeffery fairly glows when he talks about his job as custodian at Edison Elementary School.

“I wouldn’t trade this job,” he said. “I leave happy every day. I look forward to coming to work. It’s a blessing to get to work with the kids.”

Jeffery has been sharing his positive attitude with children for the past 28 years, 27 of them at Edison. He worked as a sweeper at the former Western Hills Elementary School for one year before transferring to Edison.

Jeffery, or Mr. Isaac to the students, can be found doing a variety of jobs most days, from emptying trash cans to sweeping the halls. But some of his most important roles are not in his official job description. He doesn’t hesitate to take part in an impromptu game of basketball during recess (he needs to work on his shooting skills, according to one student), or to help with an art project in the kindergarten class.

“I was in the classroom getting the trash and the kids invited me to the classroom (to help make apple trees). If they want me to do something, I will do it,” he said with a big smile.

Jeffery said he tries to find something fun to do with each grade level, kindergarten through fifth grade. That includes playing tag with first graders or singing the ABC song.

“I just like to have fun with them,” he said.

Jeffery sees his most important job as instilling a positive attitude and being a good male role model for the students.

“I let them know they are important, they are special,” he said of the students. “There’s nothing they can’t do in life. I try to let them know they can succeed in school.”

Jeffery has seen lots of changes in his 27 years at Edison. The biggest one, he said, is the change in the family dynamic. He sees more single-family homes now.

“Kids will tell you they are looking for a positive male role model,” he said. Jeffery tries to fill that void by intentionally interacting with every student.

It’s an intentionality that is not lost on students. Walking past a line of students exiting the playground after recess, Jeffery gave hugs to several who called out his name and high-fived one student.

“Mr. Isaac is just a good guy,” said Edison student Izaiah Chatman, 11. “He’s one of the best custodians. He is fun to be around.”

Bryson Penick, 10, concurred.

“He’s being fair to everybody (on the basketball court),” Bryson said. “He makes everybody try new things. He is trying to make people good at basketball when they go sign up for it.”

Jasper Taylor, 10, said he enjoys playing basketball with Jeffery.

“Me and Mr. Isaac make a good team,” Jasper said. “He passes the ball, but he needs to work on his shooting skills.”

Because Jeffery has been at Edison for so long, some of his former students remember him when they see him outside of school.

“A lot of them remember me giving them a free milk when we had lunch in the gym,” he said. “Most of them just remember me having fun. I try to make school fun for them.”

Jeffery has made an impact not only on the students, but also on the parents.

“They tried to get me to be an assistant supervisor, but a couple of parents and teachers called Mr. Hime (Kevin Hime, superintendent of Lawton Public Schools), and they left me here,” he said. “This is where my heart is. I have enjoyed every moment of it. I’m blessed to talk to kids and encourage them to be better students.”