Mark Gruber, Head Custodian: Not good at sitting still.
I’m Mark Gruber, Head Custodian for the Pierz schools. In my job I oversee the maintenance of all of the district’s buildings and grounds, and schedule busing for field trips and extracurricular activities. In my free time...just kidding. What free time!?
My wife, Gwen, and I raised our family on a farm that has been in my family for nearly one hundred years. We have five adult children: Stacey, Kristine, Bob, Paul, and Jack; three in-laws: Scott, Connor, and Beth; and nine grandchildren: Felicity, Noah, Lilah, Maggie, Gavin, Miles, Camille, Kaitlyn, and Eli.
Growing up on a farm left very little time to be involved in school events, although I did participate in FFA. Even today, you will most likely find me using my free time to help a neighbor do fieldwork, work in the garden, or tinker around the farm. Near the end of high school, I signed up for the Major Appliance Repair program at St. Cloud Tech College, starting classes the following month. I worked for Thielen Appliance for 14 years before taking the nighttime custodial job for the Pierz school district.
I like my job because it gives me the opportunity to do something different each day. I like problem solving, and with two large buildings with various additions, there are plenty of opportunities to tackle issues that arise. These challenges keep me on my toes—I’m glad I got to know the system piece by piece! A lot of people think that because the teachers have the summer off, we do too. Summer is one of our busiest times as it gives the custodial staff the opportunity to clean each classroom and make necessary repairs and upgrades.
From Principal Karrie Boser: "Mark is someone that truly is passionate about everything he does and it shows in his work ethic and his demand for perfection by all that he supervises. There isn't a problem that is given to Mark that he can't solve. We are lucky to have Mark and his expertise at Pierz Healy High!"
One major change since I started working here is how much more the school is used—mornings, evenings, weekends, and vacations. There is always a group or organization using part of the building. This can sometimes make it difficult to find a time to get the work done, but it also shows that people appreciate the facilities we have and make use of them.
This is my 26th year working in the school district. I have seen a lot of kids go through this building, and have started to see their children, too. I have classmates who have retired, and I hope to join them soon. There are lots of things on the bucket list I would like to do before my body and mind desert me!
My wife, Gwen, and I raised our family on a farm that has been in my family for nearly one hundred years. We have five adult children: Stacey, Kristine, Bob, Paul, and Jack; three in-laws: Scott, Connor, and Beth; and nine grandchildren: Felicity, Noah, Lilah, Maggie, Gavin, Miles, Camille, Kaitlyn, and Eli.
Growing up on a farm left very little time to be involved in school events, although I did participate in FFA. Even today, you will most likely find me using my free time to help a neighbor do fieldwork, work in the garden, or tinker around the farm. Near the end of high school, I signed up for the Major Appliance Repair program at St. Cloud Tech College, starting classes the following month. I worked for Thielen Appliance for 14 years before taking the nighttime custodial job for the Pierz school district.
I like my job because it gives me the opportunity to do something different each day. I like problem solving, and with two large buildings with various additions, there are plenty of opportunities to tackle issues that arise. These challenges keep me on my toes—I’m glad I got to know the system piece by piece! A lot of people think that because the teachers have the summer off, we do too. Summer is one of our busiest times as it gives the custodial staff the opportunity to clean each classroom and make necessary repairs and upgrades.
From Principal Karrie Boser: "Mark is someone that truly is passionate about everything he does and it shows in his work ethic and his demand for perfection by all that he supervises. There isn't a problem that is given to Mark that he can't solve. We are lucky to have Mark and his expertise at Pierz Healy High!"
One major change since I started working here is how much more the school is used—mornings, evenings, weekends, and vacations. There is always a group or organization using part of the building. This can sometimes make it difficult to find a time to get the work done, but it also shows that people appreciate the facilities we have and make use of them.
This is my 26th year working in the school district. I have seen a lot of kids go through this building, and have started to see their children, too. I have classmates who have retired, and I hope to join them soon. There are lots of things on the bucket list I would like to do before my body and mind desert me!
