Students arriving at school from the bus, parent drop-off or from walking onto campus are then met by campus security, a yard supervisor or another staff member. The Second Smile of the day greets students with a “It’s good to see you,” or “You look great today!”

Mike Gutierrez, a campus security staff member, starts out early at the crosswalk assisting hundreds of high school students each morning, coordinating the effort with buses pulling out and the traffic signal a few hundred yards away. Mike’s partner, Frank Martinez, has also been a full-time security guard at the high school for many years.

“I like to come early and be ready for the day,” Martinez says. “I just love these kids.”

Many students make their way into the school cafeteria and get breakfast. The “Lunch Ladies and Food Dudes” have been at work for several hours already. As they serve the students, the Third Smile of the day is offered up with another “Good morning” and juice as students scan their finger or punch in their code. With a proud smile, Alejandro Urbalejo says, “It’s just great to see them come in early. Not all of them had breakfast this morning, so it’s great to help them.”

“I know my job,” says another nutrition employees, Sharon Beene. “We fuel learning — they can’t do well in school on an empty stomach.”

These First Three Smiles of the day all happen before the first bell has even rung to begin the official school day. Caring adults have been at work for hours before the first greeting by a teacher, counselor or the announcements on the public address system. Dedicated employees are already at work making sure that students arrive safely, are fed, and are ready to learn. There are even more employees behind the creation of the school day to support our teachers in the classrooms. However, these first interactions by caring adults can really set the stage for a great day at school.

In California, there are over 230,000 non-teaching school employees that support our students and an estimated 3 million in the nation. Our classified staff play key roles beyond the ones described here. They are the attendance clerks, custodians, maintenance technicians, grounds workers, secretaries, instructional aides and translators, to name a few. Each of these individuals provide a service to the school, students or parents to make the school operate. Without their dedicated effort, schools might not function at all.

Across the country, students go through the day working with their teachers to learn and grow. Elementary students enjoy lessons, recess and specialty classes like art, P.E. and music. Middle and high school students move through their schedules interacting with many teachers and classmates. But the care and compassion has not ended from the classified staff. As students leave the school, they are often given a “See you tomorrow” by the campus security. Back on the bus, the same driver that picked them up also drops them off with a “Have a good evening.” Caring adults from all over the school community have made a difference to each student. It all started with the First Smile and likely ended with one more.

The best part of education is that it all happens again and again. Unceasingly, kindhearted people truly care for our children and say it with a smile, day after day, from the First Smile to the last one late in the afternoon.

Ward Andrus, Ed. D., is the superintendent of Central Union High School District in El Centro, Calif.