Duane Marsh, now 74, spent 20 years as a custodian for Waukee CSD.

After seeing a social media post about our upcoming Support Staff Career Fair, Duane reached out to share why working for the District made such a lasting impact on him.

“Being a custodian for a school district is one of the best-kept secrets in the job market.”

Decades as a District CustodianDuane retired in 2017 after working on the custodial teams at Eason Elementary and Waukee High School, with the majority of that time at the high school.

“That statement [about the best-kept secret] always stuck with me. It’s just the overall environment — it was amazing for me.”

“A lot of times when I saw an ad for being a custodian in a school district, even for Waukee, the first two things that come to your mind are the puke and pee and everything else that comes with it — the disgusting stuff. But you know, that part of the job is so minuscule that you don’t even know you’ve done it.”

The other memorable moments outweigh any of the not-so-pleasant requirements of the job. Some of Duane’s favorite memories came from the relationships he built.

Why It Was Worth It“One of the things I enjoyed was working with a special education student. On his last day, I put him on the riding floor scrubbing machine for the lunchroom because I found out his dad would let him mow the lawn with a riding mower. Of course, I walked right by his side. He was grinning from ear to ear. I bet all those years at Waukee High School, that was one of the best days of his life.”

Duane also recalls helping fulfill a dream for another student.

“Another student that I worked with wanted to learn to play the electric guitar, but his parents couldn’t afford to buy one. So, I got him one.”

Nearly a decade into retirement, Duane still speaks fondly about his years with the District. In fact, on his last day of work, he snapped a selfie to remember the place that had meant so much to him.

“It was one of my favorite places to ever work.”

If Duane has inspired you to consider Waukee CSD, join us at our Support Staff Career Fair on Monday, July 20, 2026, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Waukee High School. There, you can learn more about all of our openings, including custodial, nutrition, child care, and classroom special education associate positions! Save yourself time by applying before you go!

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