DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — For teachers, the May to August stretch is often seen as a time to rest, relax and be away from school. For custodians, though, that’s when the deep cleaning begins. Michael Pamplin, head custodian, recently led that charge at his school, Montgomery Elementary. He has been recognized as Decaturish’s July “Educator of the Month,” a series featuring education professionals from across DeKalb County. Pamplin is originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and moved to Georgia in 1997. He worked as a debt collector for more than a decade before shifting to custodial work, first at Chamblee High and, since 2022, at Montgomery Elementary. While a career change might intimidate some, Pamplin entered the field confident due to his experience doing custodial work with his dad when he was younger. “It wasn’t a fear of if I could do it. It was, more or less, where I was gonna land in DeKalb,” Pamplin said. While serving as a custodian, he also plays the important role of being a trusted adult for students who might need mentoring, a pep talk or a bit of advice. “I still feel I’m a kid at heart. So, just seeing some of the kids do some of the things that I used to do when I was in school, the ways I used to conduct myself in school … it’s always good to talk to them and try to mentor them a little bit,” he said. Pamplin is the manager of the school’s four custodians. He described the team as an engine, with each custodian being a spark plug to keep it running. While the…
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