Day Porter in Dorchester, Massachusetts at Codman Academy Charter School

Job Description: Day Porter

Position: Day Porter
Location: Lower/Middle School (LMS) and Upper School (US)
Reports To: Chief of Staff/Designee
Status: Full-Time

Schedule: School hours. Hiring Manager will review specific arrival and departure times.

Compensation: Our pay scale ranges from $47,626 (HS, 1 year experience) -$69,998 (MA, 8 or more years experience), depending on education level and years of experience.

Codman Academy Charter Public School seeks a dependable, proactive, and detail-oriented Day Porter to support the daily cleanliness, safety, maintenance, and overall appearance of the Lower/Middle School (LMS) and Upper School (US) campuses.

The Day Porter is responsible for maintaining clean, safe, welcoming, and functional school facilities throughout the instructional day. Unlike evening custodial services, the Day Porter provides continuous attention to the buildings and grounds while students and staff are present and responds promptly to cleaning, maintenance, safety, and facility needs as they arise.

The position also includes daily responsibility for the care and routine maintenance of Codman Academy's outdoor environmental spaces, including the school's microforest and nine rain gardens.

Daily Building Operations – LMS and US

The Day Porter will:

• Conduct an opening walkthrough of both LMS and US to identify cleanliness, maintenance, safety, or facility concerns.

• Maintain cleanliness and appearance of hallways, stairwells, entrances, lobbies, common areas, offices, classrooms, and other shared spaces throughout the school day.

• Continuously monitor high-traffic areas and address cleaning needs as they arise.

• Sweep, mop, vacuum, spot-clean, and remove debris as necessary.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, including door handles, railings, counters, and other common surfaces.

• Respond promptly to spills, accidents, bodily fluids, and other immediate cleaning needs using appropriate safety procedures and personal protective equipment.

• Empty trash and recycling receptacles throughout the day and replace liners as needed.

• Ensure trash and recycling are transported to the appropriate collection areas.

• Maintain entrances and exterior walkways so they are free of litter, debris, and other hazards.

• Assist with receiving, moving, and distributing deliveries, supplies, furniture, and equipment when requested.

• Set up and break down spaces for school meetings, student activities, assemblies, special events, and other programs.

• Perform minor maintenance tasks that can be safely completed without a licensed tradesperson.

• Identify and immediately report maintenance concerns involving plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC, doors, windows, locks, lighting, leaks, pest activity, or other building systems.

• Monitor both campuses throughout the day and communicate emerging facility needs to the appropriate administrator.

• Support emergency facility needs as directed.

Restrooms must receive particular attention throughout the school day. The Day Porter will:

• Inspect all student and staff restrooms on a regular schedule throughout the day.

• Clean and disinfect toilets, urinals, sinks, counters, mirrors, floors, and other restroom surfaces as needed.

• Restock toilet paper, paper towels, soap, sanitary products, and other restroom supplies.

• Empty trash and sanitary receptacles.

• Address odors, spills, graffiti, vandalism, or other concerns promptly.

• Check toilets, faucets, sinks, dispensers, and other fixtures for proper operation.

• Immediately report leaks, clogged fixtures, broken equipment, or other plumbing concerns.

• Maintain a restroom inspection/check log if required by the school.

The Day Porter will assist in maintaining clean and sanitary cafeteria and common eating areas by:

• Cleaning spills and debris during and following meal periods.

• Emptying trash and recycling as needed.

• Cleaning tables, floors, and surrounding areas as assigned.

• Supporting rapid turnover of spaces used for multiple purposes.

• Reporting equipment, plumbing, pest, or sanitation concerns immediately.

The Day Porter is responsible for routine daily monitoring and care of Codman Academy's microforest. Responsibilities include:

• Inspecting the microforest each school day.

• Watering trees and plantings according to seasonal needs, weather conditions, and established maintenance requirements.

• Checking soil moisture and identifying areas that are excessively dry or saturated.

• Removing litter, trash, and foreign materials.

• Removing weeds and invasive growth as appropriate.

• Checking mulch and soil conditions around trees and plantings.

• Monitoring trees and vegetation for signs of damage, disease, pests, drought stress, or other concerns.

• Ensuring paths and surrounding areas remain clean, accessible, and safe.

• Protecting the area from avoidable damage during school activities and facility operations.

• Promptly reporting damaged, dying, or unhealthy plantings and any condition requiring professional landscaping or arborist attention.

The Day Porter will inspect and maintain all nine Codman Academy rain gardens as part of the daily grounds routine. Responsibilities include:

• Conducting a visual inspection of each rain garden.

• Removing trash, leaves, branches, and other debris.

• Watering vegetation as necessary, particularly during dry periods and while plants are establishing.

• Removing weeds and unwanted or invasive vegetation.

• Monitoring plant health and reporting dead, damaged, diseased, or stressed vegetation.

• Checking for erosion, exposed soil, damaged mulch, or displaced materials.

• Checking drainage areas, inlets, outlets, and surrounding surfaces for blockages.

• Identifying standing water or drainage problems that remain beyond what would normally be expected following rainfall.

• Ensuring water can properly enter and move through each rain garden.

• Maintaining the general appearance of each rain garden so that the areas remain attractive and consistent with Codman's campus standards.

• Reporting conditions requiring specialized landscaping, drainage, irrigation, or facilities attention.

The Day Porter will:

• Conduct regular exterior walkthroughs of LMS and US.

• Pick up litter and debris from sidewalks, entrances, courtyards, school grounds, and perimeter areas.

• Keep exterior trash receptacles clean and emptied as needed.

• Monitor exterior areas for hazards, damaged fencing, broken fixtures, graffiti, illegal dumping, or other concerns.

• Remove leaves and minor debris from entrances and walkways.

• Remove snow and ice response around entrances and priority walkways as directed.

• Maintain outdoor spaces at a standard that reflects positively on Codman Academy and provides students, families, staff, and visitors with a safe and welcoming environment.

The Day Porter is expected to:

• Follow all Codman Academy safety, security, and emergency procedures.

• Use cleaning products, equipment, and chemicals according to manufacturer instructions and applicable safety requirements.

• Maintain appropriate storage and security of chemicals, tools, equipment, and custodial supplies.

• Never leave hazardous chemicals, tools, or equipment unattended in student-accessible areas.

• Place appropriate warning signage around wet floors, spills, or other temporary hazards.

• Immediately report safety hazards, water leaks, security concerns, property damage, or conditions that could affect students or staff.

• Maintain any daily cleaning, restroom, grounds, microforest, and rain-garden logs required by the school.

• Communicate regularly with the Chief of Staff/designee regarding completed work, outstanding needs, supply levels, and repairs requiring outside vendors.

• Maintain professional and appropriate interactions with students, staff, families, visitors, and vendors.

The Day Porter's work should be organized around the following priorities:

1. Student and staff safety

2. Immediate spills, hazards, and urgent facility needs

3. Restroom cleanliness and supplies

4. High-traffic and common areas

5. Cafeteria and meal-service areas

6. LMS and US building walkthroughs

7. Microforest and all nine rain gardens

8. Exterior campus cleanliness and appearance

9. Minor maintenance, setups, deliveries, and other assigned facility responsibilities

The successful candidate should possess:

• Prior custodial, porter, facilities, maintenance, landscaping, or related experience preferred.

• Ability to work independently and identify work that needs to be completed without waiting for direction.

• Strong attention to cleanliness, safety, organization, and detail.

• Ability to move regularly between LMS and US during the workday.

• Ability to safely use standard custodial tools, equipment, and cleaning products.

• Basic knowledge of grounds maintenance and willingness to learn appropriate care practices for rain gardens and the microforest.

• Ability to communicate facility concerns clearly and promptly.

• Reliability, punctuality, professionalism, and sound judgment.

• Ability to work effectively in an active K–12 school environment.

• Ability to successfully complete all background checks and other employment requirements applicable to employees working in a Massachusetts public school.

The position requires regular standing, walking, bending, reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling. The employee must be able to perform custodial and grounds-maintenance duties indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions, and to safely lift and move supplies, equipment, trash, furniture, and other materials, consistent with the requirements of the position.

Success in this position will be measured by the cleanliness, safety, functionality, and overall appearance of both Codman Academy campuses; the condition of restrooms and common spaces throughout the school day; responsiveness to facility needs; consistent care of the microforest and nine rain gardens; completion of assigned duties; and timely communication regarding concerns that require additional maintenance or professional service.

The Day Porter is expected to take ownership of the condition of the school environment during the day and to approach the position with the understanding that clean, safe, well-maintained facilities contribute directly to student learning, school culture, and the experience of the Codman Academy community.

Codman Academy Charter Public School is an equal opportunity employer.