Custodial staff went “above and beyond” during SOC renovation

DALLAS — Since 1994, South Oak Cliff High School alum Corey Banks has brought excellence to the Dallas ISD Custodial Services Department.

Today, he’s a supervisor and trainer who oversees the maintenance needs of 21 campuses in the southwest area of Dallas. When South Oak Cliff High School recently underwent $52 million in renovations, Banks and his staff stepped up in a huge way to ensure the school successfully reopened to students in January.

“I am a proud alumni member of SOC, and both of my children graduated from the school as well. It was just an honor to see the transformation from when I went to school here, and when my kids went to school here, to this now,” Banks said. “These students deserve to be in a building that’s a distraction-free environment. And that’s what we accomplished by working together.”

Banks and his team were in constant communication with contractors and district staff to ensure SOC successfully reopened to students in January.

His staff, even 35 custodians at one time, coordinated and worked in tandem with construction workers. As soon as contractors finished remodeling an area, the Dallas ISD custodians would immediately make it classroom-ready by dusting, cleaning and waxing the floors. Banks and his team even tirelessly worked over a weekend to get the entire second floor ready for students.

David Bates, executive director of Dallas ISD Maintenance and Operations, said Banks and his team showed commitment and dedication by involving themselves in the process early.

“They attended planning meetings and held their own weekly meetings in order to come up with a plan of action,” Bates said. “We have been involved in a lot of bond projects, but Mr. Banks and his team set a standard moving forward of just how we need to and should open a school.”

For his part, Banks considers the SOC project a success because “everybody’s part was just as important as the next person’s part.”

“I am who I am today because of the education that I received here at South Oak Cliff. That’s why I was so deeply rooted in this project, outside of this being my job,” he said. “The love that I have for this building and for this school community is off the charts. Golden Bears bleed gold and white!”