Caretaker – Maple Grove Public School
What do you love most about your job?
What I love are the smiles and greetings I get from the students, and teachers, and office folks, and always being able to learn aspects of everybody’s lives around.
What makes us all the same, is that we’re all so different.
And, I love this school. We have lots of talks. The students come and ask me a lot of questions all the time, and I give my honest answers. I just like the glow, and the colours of every person and child here because they’re so adorable… like, if I go out to fill up holes dug by the animals in the Kindy pen, the little ones are over there with their shovels – they want to help me too. They’re like “Mr. Belsky! Mr. Belsky!” They help me pack down the soil and everything.
All of our students are really good souls. They really are. Yes, some cause mischief and everything like that, but they’re so innocent. I just love the interaction.
They help me a lot with my own bravery. I can get up now in front of 540 students & faculty and give out eco awards now because they encourage me. I could never have done that before. NEVER!
What is a challenge you face?
Overcoming my fears of big big crowds of people. But, I consider this a safe spot, a safe zone, where I’m not afraid to go into a classroom, or talk in front of a bunch of people.
The people here have taught me how to control my sensory overload. I’ll say to the kids sometimes “There’s too much noise here, I need a minute to go into my office” and I’ll come in here and turn off the lights. This is where I have a bunch of colours and shapes around me. I have a lava lamp, and a colourful light, and that helps me recentre myself.
Also, it’s sometimes hard for me to see the kids being controlled and limited so much. We need to just let kids be kids – they’re going to get scrapes. They’re going to get bumps. They’re going to get bruises. It happens. And it’s all going to be ok.
What is a recent quick win, or tiny victory you’d like to celebrate?
I think every day in school is a tiny victory because you’ve helped somebody, or you’ve learned something new. To me, those are the best victories you can ever have! And, I always tell the kids that “You see?! I always learn a lot from you, as well!”
I’ll ask them “Excuse me, so-and-so. What’s the meaning of that expression you kids use nowadays?” And they’ll tell me, they’ll explain it to me.
I love the crazy handshakes they like to do with me. I try my best to remember the handshakes some of the kids come up with.
Every day is a new learning experience for me, and that I help somebody – those are my victories.
Do you have a favourite quote, or some words of love & encouragement for your fellow Humans of HDSB?
I love this quote, “In youth, we learn. In age, we understand.” (Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach).
I say this to the kids all the time – and I tell them “You guys listen to me and everything, but I hope that down the road, in years to come, you’ll suddenly remember that old skateboarding custodian you had – because I move around on my skateboard out here in the early morning – and you’ll take a moment and think ‘yeah, that guy really did make sense!'” So that’s why I go very very high on that one.
What is something others might not know about you?
Have you ever heard of Synesthesia?
That is what they call the mixing of the senses. Basically, I see sounds, and I hear shapes. I’m very big on shapes and colours, and sounds. If I see a shape, I hear it giving a sound – like maybe a hiccup or something. And, if I hear a sounds, it gives me a shape. And that’s what’s gotten me through life because I do shape association with spelling, and even math.
The children around here love it. They say “Mr. Belsky, what shape do you see when we do this?” and I’ll close my eyes, and they’ll tap on the desk, or water bottle, or something.
And here’s a funny story for you. We got a new washing machine about 4 years ago, and when my spouse turned it on, I could see carrots – with their greens still on them – falling all around the washing machine. So, I drew it. I have a notebook where I draw out some of these things, so I drew it.
So it’s a blessing and it’s a curse sometimes. I got teased about it a lot when I was younger because sometimes I would just react, like if someone was wearing a dress with spots, or something, I would just instantaneously like react – turn my head, or have to leave.
But now, people will wear things with spots or stripes that they know I will like because they know I’ll notice and see them, and appreciate it. And I wear interesting things with colours and shapes for the kids too.
Also, I love classic cars. They’re so lovely – the colours and shapes. They all have their own character. I have such a passion for the loveliness and the innocence of the cars back then. They also helped me make friends when I was younger. I met a lot of people who took me under their wing and taught me about different cars. It was a bit of an escape for me – where I could appreciate the shapes and colours and sounds of the cars with people who also had a passion for them.
