‘Mr Jay’ – the much-loved cleaning hero at Hasting Christian School
If you ask any student at Hastings Christian School who the best cleaner in the world is, chances are they’ll say “Mr Jay!”.
Hawke’s Bay franchise owner Jay Gounder has been part of the school since 2015, and every term he brings a bit of fun to the classrooms with the Cleanest Classroom Awards. It’s a friendly competition among the 10 primary classes, where the tidiest room wins a pizza lunch and a certificate. At the end of each school year, Jay takes it a step further by treating every student to an ice block – a tradition the kids absolutely love and look forward to.
“They call me Mr Jay,” he says with a smile.
Over the past 11 years, Jay has built strong, lasting relationships with staff and students, becoming a cherished part of the school community. His dedication has also paid off personally. As a successful franchise owner, Jay has been able to purchase multiple business vehicles, buy cars for his daughters and wife, and proudly lives mortgage-free. His hard work has also allowed him to travel across New Zealand and overseas, enjoying well-earned holidays with his family.
“I saved my money and can now afford to do these things for my family,” he says.
Quality Assurance Co-ordinator Charlize Pederson recently got to attend the awards for the first time and was amazed by how excited the students were to see Jay.
“It was really special to see the kids thank Jay for his work whilst he was thanking them for making his job easier. A few kids gave him hugs and told me that he’s the best cleaner,” she says.
Principal Gavin Clark couldn’t agree more. Jay was recently featured in the school newsletter, where Gavin praised his dedication and the strong relationships he’s built over the years.
“One unsung staff member that goes above and beyond in his service to our school is Jay the cleaner. While strictly not on staff, Jay has faithfully served HCS for over 11 years now. He always goes above and beyond the call of duty, such that I have rarely if ever had a complaint from the teachers about the quality of his work. What makes his service to our school that much more impressive is that he himself rarely comes to me with a complaint – even though from time to time the classrooms are not always left in an appropriate state!!
Such is the relationship that we have with Jay, I was invited, a number of years ago, to his daughter’s wedding. More recently his daughter, who now has a son, sat next to me at the primary school production.
We are truly blessed to have him serve our school and look forward to many more years to come!”
Jay Gounder might be known as the cleaner, but to Hastings Christian School, he’s a hero.
