Photo by David Leong.
Homewood Middle School custodian Roy Jackson
For 18 years, Roy Jackson has kept the halls of Homewood Middle School clean and ready for learning, but students and staff say the 74-year-old custodian’s greatest impact comes through the encouragement, mentorship and servant leadership he shows every day.
When the final bell fades, the lockers are closed and the hallways of Homewood Middle School fall silent, Roy Jackson begins his work behind the scenes, the tasks that few ever see.
With gospel music humming through his headphones, a dust mop in his hands and a scraper tucked into his back pocket, Jackson moves steadily down the hallways. He passes classrooms where lessons were taught, scraping chewing gum from desks and floors, wiping away the shavings from freshly sharpened pencils.
For 18 years, he has helped keep Homewood Middle School clean, safe and ready for learning.
But somewhere between the sweeping and mopping, he has done something far greater: He has built trust, offered encouragement and quietly shaped character.
“When I leave here each night,” Jackson said, “I feel good because I know I’ve given the school my best. And that’s all you can do — come in and do your best.”
At 74 years old, Jackson is more than a custodian. He is a servant leader, a humble mentor and, as generations of students will tell you, the quiet heart of Homewood Middle School.
Jackson has been married for 43 years, and he and his wife share two children and four grandchildren. Last year, he endured the heartbreaking loss of his eldest grandson, Jaheim, a 2019 graduate of Homewood High School. Yet this grief, unimaginable to many, deepened rather than diminished his faith.
“We all have ups and downs in life,” he said gently. “That’s part of it. But you can’t stop living. When you get knocked down, you have to brush yourself off and keep pressing forward.”
He paused, and his words hung in the air like something meant not just for adults but for the students he cares for so deeply.
“Through it all, it shapes us into being better people,” Jackson said. “I’m thankful God has allowed me to live to 74. I know it’s because of His grace and mercy, and I’m forever grateful.”
A deacon and longtime Sunday school teacher, Jackson has spent decades guiding young people. When he first came to Homewood Middle, he knew how to clean, but he didn’t yet know how much the school would shape him.
“I knew what it meant to clean up,” he said with a smile. “But as far as the process here, I learned on the job.”
What he brought with him, however, was already fully formed: kindness, humility, consistency and a deep belief in the potential of children.
Each day, Jackson begins his shift between noon and 12:30 p.m., sweeping the sixth- and seventh-grade hallways before moving into the lunchroom and stairways. At 3 p.m., he heads to the main office to clean the principal’s and assistant principals’ areas, then works his way down the eighth-grade hallway, mopping carefully, scanning for scuffs and scraping gum from the floor.
Photo by David Leong.
Beyond cleaning, Roy Jackson offers practical help to teachers and staff
Beyond cleaning, Roy Jackson offers practical help to teachers and staff, from carrying heavy boxes to walking them safely to their cars after late shifts. Even after decades on the job, Jackson finds joy in the physical demands of his work, walking the halls and tending to every detail with care.
Schools are not easy places to keep pristine. By morning, yesterday’s spotless hallways may look much different — the victims of bustling, lively middle schoolers.
“You can leave the school spotless and come back the next day and it looks like a train wreck,” Jackson said with a knowing grin. “Don’t let that get to you. That took me time to learn.”
Instead, he focuses on effort.
“Anything you do, you take pride in it and value it,” he said. “It may take a while, but don’t give up.”
Even the physical demands have become a blessing. “All this walking, health-wise, has been a tremendous help to me,” he said.
To Homewood City Schools Administrator Matt Kiser, Jackson’s impact extends far beyond maintenance.
“Mr. Jackson is the perfect example of a servant leader,” Kiser said. “He has served students, staff and families for many years and made an incredible impact through his example, dedication and wisdom.”
That leadership often shows up in quiet, practical ways. When teachers stay late, Jackson urges them to park closer to the building. “And if they don’t,” he said, “I give them my phone number and tell them to call me. I don’t mind walking them to their car.”
If someone carries heavy boxes, he offers to help. “I just try to be available,” he said. “Go the extra mile. Be prepared to help wherever I’m needed.”
Jackson’s dedication is well known to students.
“Mr. Jackson is always helping people, and he is so kind,” said eighth grader Carys Coffey. “We all know that he cares about us and wants us to do our best.”
Violet Potts, another eighth grader, added, “He is always smiling. He is so nice to all of us.”
Some of Jackson’s most meaningful moments happen with students in in-school detention.
“Every time I see one of those students, I shake their hand,” he said. “Sometimes they don’t know how. I tell them to give a firm handshake and look me in the eye. Don’t look down.”
He asks their name, establishes a connection and guides them to avoid future mistakes.
“Mistakes happen every day — not just for kids but adults, too,” he said. “We learn from them and try not to repeat them.”
He shows genuine interest in academics and celebrates achievements.
“I tell them I want to see them again,” he chuckled, “but not under bad circumstances.”
Then he plants something deeper, letting students know he believes in them.
“I tell them I see good things coming in their life,” Jackson said. “Even if I don’t see it happen, those words give them a positive feeling. If someone sees something in them, maybe there is something there, and they will believe it.”
Sometimes, “All it takes is just a few words.”
When asked what brings him the greatest pride, Jackson didn’t hesitate.
“The best part is when children come to school and I give them a clean and safe environment,” he said. “Those go hand in hand.”
He understands that environment matters. “A child notices if there are no paper towels, no tissue, or if the floor is sticky,” he said. “Since I’m responsible, I try my best to keep everything at the level the students deserve.”
Because when students walk into a space that feels cared for, they feel cared for.
“If they’re in a healthy, clean, safe environment,” Jackson said, “they have a stronger potential to learn.”
Former students often return — not for textbooks, but for him.
“There have been several students who came back looking for me,” Jackson said. “That made me feel good. You can tell you made an impression on them.”
He has watched sixth graders grow into eighth graders, taller and more confident.
“I say, ‘Wow, I remember when he was so small,’” he said.
He believes each child carries purpose.
“We were all put here for a purpose,” Jackson said. “The key is finding it. When you find it, go for it.”
Adults in the school have a responsibility to remind students of that truth. “We need to let them know we love them and want what’s best for them,” he said. “They are our future. You’ll hit hard roads, but they’ll make you stronger. Keep your head up.”
As evening settles over Homewood Middle, Jackson makes one last round. He checks floors, scans corners, wipes glass and stocks bathrooms. Tomorrow, new footprints will mark the tile and fingerprints will cloud the doors. New mistakes will be made and new lessons learned.
And Jackson will be there again — smiling, sweeping, extending his hand and instilling positive character traits.
In a hectic middle school filled with incredible adults, some of the most lasting lessons come quietly outside the classroom. They feel like a firm handshake, a warm smile and the knowledge that someone truly cares. They look like Roy Jackson, who shows up — every single day — with his whole heart, enduring commitment and unwavering faith.
