Ryan Kocher was nominated by a colleague, Kim Leslie.
"Three words to describe Ryan Kocher are hardworking, positive, and superhuman," said Leslie. "Ryan has an impossible job. He is the only custodian in our two-story high school, which is fully carpeted, has a large theatre and pool, and numerous classrooms, hallways, and open spaces. He has also been covering for our middle and elementary school custodians while they are on leave. Given that incredible workload and strain, one might expect to find corners being cut, messes piling up, and areas of neglect. Ryan must be superhuman because these buildings are in great shape."
"Our students enjoy clean, comfortable spaces to learn, collaborate, and play. We even just hosted a district administrator's all-day meeting, which required modifying rooms with additional seating, tables, and equipment. Ryan was there with a vacuum on his back and folding chairs in his arms. And the most amazing part? Ryan is always there to share his smile and signature 'Hey hey!' with the students, staff, and community. His positive attitude and spirit are remarkable and an example for all of us. We are deeply grateful for Ryan's incredible contribution to not just one, but three schools in our Alaskan town. This man deserves to be celebrated," said Leslie.
Ryan is amazing! Every time I have visited Seward schools this year all the buildings are clean and taken care of by Ryan. He is hardworking, always positive, and humble. Thank you Ryan for all you do!
Ryan is amazing!! He is here every day with a smile on his face and moves through the school quickly and efficiently, focused on the tasks at hand. He is so friendly and takes the time to say hello and check to see if there is anything we need. He is a wonderful addition to our staff and we are so grateful he is here!
Our students are so lucky to have a hero like Ryan, going above and beyond the call of duty, to make the school buildings positive places to learn and grow. Thank you, Ryan!
Ryan is simply amazing! He does a phenomenal job keeping our school clean. He is so positive and never complains, considering he is taking on extra to keep our elementary school clean since we currently don't have a custodian. He is so efficient and organized. Our school has never looked better. We are so fortunate to have Ryan.
Ryan is the super glue that holds it all together, often in multiple schools. He's a real asset to the school milieu with his friendly personality and sincere eargerness to help out. Wikipedia should have a picture of Ryan under the term "Energizer Bunny."
Ryan should have a cape; he is amazing! Never have I seen our school sparkle as it does now. I just told him yesterday that it smells so clean in here. Ryan never seems to tire, is always cheerful, efficient, knowledgeable, and fast, yet never misses a spot, and doesn't complain about anything, no matter how many hours he has put in that day. Works weekends, middle of the night, the Ever-Ready Ryan! This man super cleans 3 schools and still has time for enjoying life - anything from creating bonsai trees, his greenhouse to Kintsugi, and so much more. Each time he shares a story, I am blown away by this man's talents. Ryan - you are Seward schools' LifeChanger of the Year and we are bedazzled by your energy, friendliness, and your never-wavering efficiency and positivity! Thank you and Hey, Hey!
Ryan is an absolute phenomenal custodian and human! He is always smiling, positive, and helpful. Ryan has gone above and beyond to keep all three Seward schools clean, safe, and organized-and has never once complained. He is an extraordinary person!
One word: ROCKSTAR! Thank you, Ryan :-)
After over 25 years in public education at large and small high schools in this nation, I have never seen a custodian work as efficiently as Ryan. He has great skill in the myriad aspects of his job, and he combines this expertise with speed and accuracy. Every detail--from cleaning crumbs on the lunch tables to snow removal--Ryan performs perfectly! At a moment's request, Ryan can set up tables for special meetings, clean a spill off a carpet or replace a roll of papertowels. I appreciate all the times he has helped me and how he keeps our school looking amazing. He does all this with a smile, and he will even stop a moment to share a gardening tip or story about a moose/bear he monitored in the high school parking lot. How he does this on our campus, all the while, filling in at the middle and elementary schools in the absence of those custodians, well...it's a mystery and amazing!!
Ryan is an amazing person. Always cheerful, helpful doesn't even come close, and very responsive. He is doing an amazing job at Seward High since I've been here for the past year and now that he's also covering the elementary because they don't have a custodian and filling in for our middle school custodian while he was on an extended leave, his performance hasn't diminished at all. He truly is superhuman and we are all lucky to have him with us here in Seward. Thank you for everything you do Ryan.
Ryan is nothing short of extraordinary! He works extremely hard everyday and maintains a positive upbeat mood. He never complains and always had a warm hello. I have rooms at the middle and high school and Ryan keeps them clean everyday, even when he covered for three separate buildings! We are very fortunate to have Ryan and is essential all that we teachers do!
Ryan is "Him". Dude has a motor that doesn't stop and still maintains a positive attitude when others would be cursing their situation and the job. The school is a direct reflection of his hard work and dedication. His contribution in many ways is more essential than the work we teachers do every day. Without him and his efforts, morale declines and school pride evaporates. I'm extremely grateful for his steadfast dedication and herculean efforts.
Ryan is the absolute BEST. The Pool and the School is so lucky to have him. He is efficient and always makes himself available to help in any way. Our pool/school locker rooms are very busy as they are used by the school and the public for sporting events and pool use. Ryan goes above and beyond to make sure they are clean every day. No matter what I ask of him he does it with a positive attitude. He doesn't ever hesitate to come in on his day off to help with any additional work if we have weekend events as well. I am thankful every day for what Ryan does for our school including our pool. No one deserves extra recognition more than Ryan.
Ryan has been so wonderful to us at the elementary school. Our current custodian has been out of the building and Ryan was there to step up and get the job done. He has done a tremendous job by helping the school feel cleaner than when we had 3 custodians! He comes in with his "Hey, hey!" greeting and I would never expect anything else! Anything we need him for, he is there.
Besides being a custodian, Ryan enjoys spending time with his wife and tending to his greenhouse. He has numerous talents and deserves so much praise and gratitude!
Ryan is working at the elementary school this year, in addition to the high school AND the middle school, because we don't have a custodian. . . Even though he his working at 3 schools, he has such positive energy, is kind, helpful, and efficient. He is such a hard worker and is always willing to lend an extra hand.
One day after school this fall a bird flew into my classroom. 3 students and I tried for about an hour to either encourage the bird to fly out the window or catch it to help it get back outside. Ryan came around to get the garbage from the garbage cans in my room and asked what we were doing. We showed him the bird, which was sitting on the at the time flag. . . He instantly grabbed a rag, and a chair, stood on the chair, reached up and gently tossed the rag over the bird, held it is his hand, pet it, and then walked out the door with it and let it fly away! It was amazing!
Ryan is the best and we are so grateful he's willing to help our school out this year, going far above and beyond the call of duty!
Ryan is fantastic! This is my first time working with him as he is filling in for our regular custodian. The quality of work he has shown already is incredible, especially considering ours is the third school he cleans each day. He always has a smile on his face and a friendly greeting. Our school has never looked better and it is all thanks to Ryan. Thank you, Ryan!!
As the secretary, I am in constant communication with Ryan. Our interactions are always pleasant. From the smallest task to a big production he is always willing to get it done with no hesitation or fuss. Staff or students, he is ready to help anyone who asks. With all the hours he puts in, he still comes in the next day with a great attitude. Ryan is a big cog in our system and we wouldn't operate well without him. Without question, he is reliable...........and has a green thumb :)
I second Leslie's statement, he deserves to be celebrated!
Ryan is such a wonderful addition to our schools. He has gone above and beyond his duties to ensure our facilities are in tip top shape. His efforts to keep our facilities in spotless conditions help to provide a comfortable and safe learning and working environments for all. Ryan always has a smile on his face and is so kind to others. His cheerful and friendly attitude is contagious! Having Ryan in our schools keeps us all afloat! He is an essential part of the team we can't do without!
Ryan has more than stepped up to the plate to keep our three schools running and done so with a smile while working extra long days. There is no request he doesn't fulfill even though he is already over-extended. I have a son on the autism spectrum who struggles with the transition to school every year. This year has been our most fluid and when I asked my son Elias what was different about this year, he said that he likes helping Ryan empty the garbage and wipe down tables. And the best part is Elias said, "I think he really likes me helping him too." Ryan has helped Elias feel valued at school, something we all need. Thank you Ryan!
Ryan goes above and beyond every single day. He is an incredibly hard worker and highly professional. Not only has he been keeping all three schools in our community clean (1 school is a full-time job), but he also makes sure teachers have everything they need. He never hesitates to help with things like getting last-minute supplies, moving heavy things, or even chasing away bears. To me, one of the most admirable things about Ryan is that he does everything with a positive attitude. He serves as a positive role model to students and contributes to the school climate and culture.
Ryan is truly amazing!! He works so many hours, gives 150%, and always with a super positive attitude. He is always willing to stop what he is doing and help if someone needs a hand with something. We are so lucky to have him on our staff!! He is very deserving of this recognition!
This is my 29th year at Seward High. Ryan is the best, most efficient, and fastest Custodian we have ever had. The school is in the best condition I have ever seen. He takes pride in all that he does We are very luck to have had him join the staff
Ryan has been working hard to cover three schools (Seward Elementary, Middle, and High schools) custodial duties and does it with a positive attitude. He is professional and handles these extra duties with a smile. Seward schools are extremely lucky to have him!
