It’s a difficult job to keep a school clean for the many children who wander through the halls or study in the classrooms each day.

Janet Hergenroeder took great pleasure in it, however, serving Waterloo students for four decades until she retired this year.

Hergenroeder, along with her husband, has lived in Monroe County all her life.

Cleaning has long been something of a passion for her. She recalled doing housework for neighbors as a teenager, eager to stop by and get the job done.

She started her professional career at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic School in Waterloo, where she worked for roughly 25 years.

Hergenroeder later jumped over to Zahnow Elementary, where she closed out her career.

Like with many teachers she’s worked alongside, Hergenroeder noted how her lengthy career – including the change in scenery – has allowed her to see kids grow up.

“Children that I’ve seen go through Ss. Peter & Paul actually are teachers now at Zahnow,” Hergenroeder said.

She had plenty of good and hardly any bad things to say about her time as a school custodian. Hergenroeder often worked outside of school hours, listening to the radio as she cleaned through the evening.

Also of note for Hergenroeder was summer break. Though she lamented how many people seem to think all school staff enjoy vacation through the summer months, she emphasized that that’s the time much of the heavy work happens, with janitors moving desks and other furniture in order to deep-clean classrooms.

Of course, some of the fonder memories she made over the years happened when she was getting work done during the day.

“I enjoyed when I got to work,” Hergenroeder said. “Of course, I worked evenings, but I got to work days. I got to see the little ones, and that was always fun talking to them. I tried to help out at lunch time, got to know them better, and they came to be familiar with you. It was always enjoyable when I went into work to see the little ones and wave to them and talk to them for a little bit.”

Hergenroeder was broadly positive about the personal aspect of her job. She noted fond memories she had over the years with teachers, principals and other staff members.

It was the kids, of course, that helped spice up her days and provide Hergenroeder with plenty of smiles.

“It was always different,” Hergenroeder said. “The kids with the little things they do to make you laugh, the funny things they do, funny things they say.”

Though she emphasized how much she enjoyed her job – she also voiced her appreciation to those teachers who were generally able to keep students from making exceptional messes – she also said she’s eager to enjoy retirement.

“I’ve always cleaned, that was one of my things,” Hergenroeder said. “I enjoy cleaning, but now that I’m retired, I’d rather not.”

As she steps into this next phase of her life, Hergenroeder said she’s looking forward to embroidering and spending plenty of time with her little dog.

Hergenroeder added that she’ll be keeping plenty busy as she attends her grandchildren’s cheerleading performances and basketball games. 

Hopefully those schools will be as clean as Hergenroeder left hers.