Albert Balcita has worked as a permanent custodian in the Palo Alto Unified School District since 2001. He has written a book about it.

Balcita, a custodian at Paly, published "Behind the Mop," a collection of stories drawn from his 29 years in the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD). Some are true accounts; others are semi-fictional, inspired by real encounters on the job, as Verde Magazine reported on Sunday, Oct. 4.

He joined the district in 1997 as a substitute teacher before moving into a permanent custodial role four years later. In that time, he has watched kindergartners grow into high school graduates.

"We're kind of talked about as being at the bottom of the totem pole, but I want to uplift that because this is a professional profession, and we need to take pride in what we do," Balcita told Verde.

Beyond the book, Balcita runs a TikTok account called "Al B the custodian." He posts cleaning tips, behind-the-scenes footage and cleaning methods used in the district. Verde’s Oct. 4 report put the account at about 1,600 followers, with its most-watched video receiving more than 21,900 views.

Balcita told Verde he uses AI tools to polish video descriptions but said the ideas are his own.

He is already working on a sequel. "Behind the Mop 2" will focus on what custodians do over the summer, the work that produces the shiny floors and shampooed carpets students find when they return each fall. Verde’s report did not give a publication date.

Balcita's advocacy for the profession predates the book. In an Oct. 4, 2023, interview with The Campanile, Paly's student newspaper, he called custodians "the backbone of Paly" and described the job as customer service for students, teachers and staff. At the time, Paly's custodial team had 13 members.

Jerry Berkson, Paly’s assistant principal at the time, praised the team in that same 2023 Campanile profile, saying custodians "… get up to do their service with a smile and no problem."

Balcita's message to students: say hello to your custodian, because custodians are the ones "doing the grunt work."