‘We appreciate you guys’: Custodial staffers honor Bethel Park students

Some of the more conscientious students at Bethel Park’s William Penn Elementary School received some words of gratitude.

“Thank you for the hard work you do,” they were told recently by George Reganick. “You might not think much of it, but I do.”

Mr. George, as the youngsters know him, joined Jay Martin — he’s Mr. Jay — in acknowledging students who take part in the school’s recycling group, along with those who assist in traffic control, for helping to make William Penn a cleaner, safer place.

As members of Bethel Park School District’s custodial staff, Reganick and Martin presented special certificates to Braiden Froehlich, Faye Kirstein, Marino Monz and Bria Simmons for their efforts on behalf of the environment, and to Preston Christian and Eric Wells for donning vests and making sure motorists proceed in an orderly manner outside the school.

Along with the certificates came midday treats.

“What kind of milk do you like?” Reganick asked the youngsters. Probably unsurprisingly, the most popular answer was chocolate, with one request each for strawberry and, perhaps surprisingly, basic white.

Milk, of course, is a natural complement to cookies, and the youngsters partook of products straight from the oven of Dianne’s Cookie Corner, courtesy of Mrs. Reganick. Her baked goods received rave reviews from the students, who apparently prefer the homemade variety over stuff from the supermarket shelf.

“Just know we appreciate you guys,” Mr. George said.

So do other Bethel Park educators, including Superintendent James Walsh, with further acknowledgement of the William Penn students planned for a future school board meeting.