After 45 years of diligent, honest work, PV custodian Rick Larson has announced his retirement.
It is not often that schools are lucky enough to have a staff member who consistently brings positivity and dedication to everything they do, but PV has found exactly that in Larson. Larson has been the glue that holds PV together, no matter his position or location.
Larson has made more connections with students in his career than one could possibly imagine. By constantly striving to be outgoing and bringing excellence to everything he does, Larson has become a local celebrity in the school district.
Larson began his career as a custodian for PV at Pleasant View Elementary School, where he worked for over 40 years. Students and staff from Pleasant View will forever remember Larson as the man who knew everyone’s name. Larson made connections and held special bonds with students from every class that passed through the elementary school.
One of those students is senior Elsa Gilbeck. “I’ve known Mr. Larson since my early days at Pleasant View and he could probably name every single student there. He always greeted every student with a smile and shared a genuine conversation with them,” she said. “Everyone knew they could talk to Mr. Larson about anything as he was and still is a great listener. He had a great impact on me and many other students!” she shared.
While Larson fully immersed himself in the PV community by creating bonds with students during school hours, he also supports them in athletics after school. Larson, also known as “The Voice of Pleasant Valley,” has announced at home sporting events for longer than current senior athletes can remember. His iconic voice and genuine enthusiasm when cheering on the Spartans from the press box made PV home matches memorable for countless athletes and fans.
Home games were not the only after-school events where Larson could be spotted. This year, Larson was selected by PVHS’s Spartan Assembly to be the grand marshall of the homecoming parade. Spartan Assembly executive member Julianne Binto detailed the reasoning behind this decision. “Mr. Larson was the perfect choice to be the Grand Marshal in the Homecoming Parade because of how important he is to our district. I’ve known him since elementary school and I remember how he had a special inside joke with almost every kid he met,” Binto stated. “His cheerfulness, kindness, and humor add so much to our school environment and I was so happy that Spartan Assembly was able to find a small way to say thank you to him for everything he’s done for PV!”
Rick Larson was far more than a custodian for PV. He was and continues to be a kind, enthusiastic and personable member of the school community. Most importantly, to students and staff, he is a caring friend. PV thanks Larson for his valuable years of service and immeasurable impact on the district.
