Submitted by Noblesville Schools
The year is 1980. Ronald Reagan has been elected president, Blondie tops the music charts, and the average home cost $68,000.
It’s also the year that John Clevenger joined Noblesville Schools. Today, he’s the district’s longest serving employee, still supporting the community through his role as a custodian at Noblesville High School.
Clevenger spent his first three years as a custodian at Hinkle Creek Elementary before moving to Noblesville High School, back when it was located on 17th Street in the building that is now Ivy Tech.
After losing factory jobs due to plant closures, he decided to seek greater security working with the schools. His strategy paid off and he’ll be celebrating 43 years with the district this year.
Change has been the one constant over the years. Clevenger has served under five different NHS principals and jokes that holes in students’ pants used to be a bad thing.
Photo provided by Noblesville Schools
Student hair colors have changed, cleaning equipment has changed, and Noblesville traffic has changed, but the kids are still his favorite part of the job.
He loves seeing all the new things they are up to and all the high school activities they participate in. Teasing about how large and busy the band department has grown, he suggests that they might need their own school soon.
A favorite memory is the opening of the current high school building in 1996. Clevenger remembers long hours working with former building supervisor Steve Coverdale to get the school ready to open. There was a hectic flurry of activity preparing for the open house, last minute finishing touches, the south end running behind schedule, and the feeling of being a little overwhelmed navigating such a big building.
Clevenger notes that his job isn’t easy and requires a willingness to work hard. There are also challenges like being short-staffed and managing multiple activities at the same time on busy weekends.
So what’s kept Clevenger at Noblesville Schools for so long? People sharing their appreciation for how great the facilities look motivates him. But at the end of the day, the reason has been the same all these years. He’s doing it for the kids.