Taunton High head custodian gets massive retirement sendoff. Here's how he reacted.

TAUNTON — “I’ve been hearing stories about him throughout the years,” said Maggie Burrell, Taunton native and Brockton resident, talking about her father, Steven Medeiros, who, this year, is retiring as head custodian of Taunton High School.

Burrell said when she speaks with random customers while working her job as a barber, and they learn she went to Taunton High School, they start talking about this janitor who did acts of kindness, like give students money for the vending machine when they didn’t have enough change, or driving them home when the weather is treacherous and its dangerous to walk home.

They don’t realize the guy is her father.

“He’s a very likable guy who’s always doing the right thing,” said Burrell, adding “for teachers, he goes above and beyond their needs.”

Altogether, Medeiros has served 25 years in Taunton Public Schools, serving as custodian also for other schools, like John F. Parker Middle School and Elizabeth Pole Elementary School.

On Wednesday, April 12, Medeiros got special recognition in front of staff and teachers after school inside the high school auditorium.

It certainly wasn’t his idea.

“I wanted to have a party. He said, ‘No’,” said Kristen Keenan, Taunton High School assistant principal and friend of Medeiros.

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Both Keenan and Burrell said Medeiros isn’t the kind of person who likes attention or recognition.

Instead, the administration called a mandatory faculty assembly that day…only it wasn’t a faculty assembly.

“We’re doing this to show how much he’s done for us, and how much we love him,” Keenan told the staff and teachers, who were only clued into the surprise celebration when they arrived in the auditorium.

Much of Medeiros’ extended family was in attendance, including Burrell and her family, as well as Steven’s wife, Dina.

“I’m very proud of my husband’s retirement,” said Dina Medeiros, who added they will be moving down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, later this year to celebrate their golden years.

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Keenan explained they were going to lure Medeiros into the auditorium by calling in a big coffee spill done by a teacher.

When she made the call, much of the auditorium burst out into laughter when Medeiros responded back, “Clean up your own ***damn mess!”

Speaking with some of the family members, there were rumblings over whether or not Medeiros suspected anything, or that a mole had infiltrated and informed him of the administration’s plans?

Regardless, Medeiros eventually made his way to the auditorium because, as Keenan explained, there were enough staff around him to convince him. The surprise on his face when he opened the entrance doors to the auditorium said it all.

“You have gone out of your way over the years to be there for us. You are an exceptional coworker, a wonderful friend, and we don’t know what we’ll do without you,” said Keenan to Medeiros.

Keenan handed Medeiros a bag of gifts, including high school apparel, balloons, a card and an apple pie, because “it’s his favorite.” 

Scratch and lottery tickets are a personal favorite pastime of Medeiros. The final act of congratulations had every member of faculty and staff in attendance stand in line to give him a scratch ticket, which had been bought by faculty and pooled together by the administration as part of his going-away gifts.

Medeiros was visibly touched by the whole gesture and showed his appreciation for everyone through a hug, handshake, “Thank you” or photo with each person.

When asked what he will miss the most about working for Taunton Public Schools, Medeiros jokingly exclaimed, “the free lunches!”

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton High School head custodian Steven Medeiros retires