The cleaning staff at WY has gone under major changes since the beginning of summer. CPS hired a private firm called Aramark as its cleaning crew, prompting cuts in WY’s janitorial department. There are as little as four members that remain from last year.

Aramak is now responsible for cleaning the building, the restrooms, and managing the lunchrooms. The food service staff has remained the same, but the lunchroom manager is a new addition.

After a troubling start during the summer, some of the new workers were let go. John Fanning, dean of students, remarked, “I would’ve liked to have seen some things done, cleaning the lockers for example.”

According to Fanning, certain areas have improved since the summer. The lunchrooms are being well kept by the custodians, but not the students. Fanning explained how the students are the reason the lunchrooms are always full of garbage and trash, causing complaints from other students. They leave their waste on the tables, which the cleaning crew cannot do much about. It is the students’ responsibilities to properly dispose of their trash.

Fanning said, “Students should realize we do not have to allow them to bring takeout food into the building.”

More teachers have expressed disdain with the students’ cleaning abilities.

“I don’t know how the students do things at home, if they throw their garbage in their beds, but that is not how we do it here,” said Neil Tejano, English teacher.

Students are even disgusted by the state of the lunchrooms, especially the ones that take care of their messes after lunch.

“I always throw my garbage away after lunch. It’s not rocket science. I don’t get how kids can’t just pick it up and put it in the trash cans when they walk out. But at least it’s better than last year,” stated Sophia Catania ’15.

Although Fanning is impressed by the lunchroom situation, students and teachers have noticed problems concerning other areas of the school. The messy state of the restrooms has stood out in particular.

“I attempted to wash my hands the other day after ceramics, and I noticed there wasn’t any soap in the bathroom. It’s gross,” said Sylvie Stolar ‘16.

Carol Platt ’16 faced a similar problem. After three days of noticing there wasn’t any soap she took up the problem with administration who contacted the custodial department for  her. Their response was that the entire school had been out of soap.

Other students and faculty have noticed similar problems in the rest of the bathrooms. Besides the soap shortage, there have been incidents involving a lack of toilet paper in the restrooms and dirtier areas around the school.