But now, Dykes—Mr. Bill to those who know him well—will be traveling a new road. At the end of July, Dykes, after 23 years of service, will retire as Willow Glen's daytime custodian, with big plans to travel, and his first stop is Australia.

"I've always wanted to go to Australia because some of my friends live there," Dykes says.. "Maybe after while, I'll go back to Texas."

In the meantime, the Texas-native remains loyal to his roots by cheering on his favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys.

And standing 6 feet 2 inches tall, the 63-year-old wearing his worn-in Cowboys hat is easy to spot around campus.

"His love for the Dallas Cowboys is so strong," says Donna Dean, a third and fourth grade teacher at Willow Glen. "No matter what we liked, it was always the Dallas Cowboys that ruled."

Some may even catch a peek of Dykes tossing a football around with the kids, but his tall, athletic frame looks more like that of a basketball player, as Willow Glen's all-purpose handyman has continually found a way to put is height to good use.

"He's always the one to climb up on the roof, on the hottest freaking day, just to go kick a ball off for one of the kids," said Dean. "

In fact, second and third grade teacher Jean-Anne Bryant says Dykes can even teach teachers a thing or two about strong work ethics and a positive attitude.

And Doretha Davis, a fourth grade teacher, says Dykes regularly updates her on current events.

"He always meets up with me in the mornings to tell me about something he has learned in the news," says Davis. "He really keeps us informed as to what is going on."

But his news updates aren't what Willow Glen's staff will miss most about their beloved custodian. It's his cheerful and positive disposition, his unwavering smile, and his pride in helping others.

To put it simply, says third grade teacher Mike Broxmeyer, "We'll miss Mr. Bill."

Incoming PTA president Andrea Wheeler recalls a time when the entire school was in chaos because of Dykes' absence. During an annual disaster drill, Dykes was instructed to hide until found by a search-and-rescue team. The campus custodian hid so well that that the team could not locate him.

"Some of the students misunderstood and believed that Mr. Bill was actually hurt and missing," said Wheeler. "They were distraught. The teachers had to call for Mr. Bill on the PA system so the children could see he was O.K.."

And although he will be missed, Dykes has good reason to retire. Besides spending more time with his wife of 40 years and two daughters, he will also be earning more money retired than as a custodian.

But Bryant says the decision to retire was still difficult for Dykes. And even he can't choose his favorite memory at Willow Glen because he "worked here for so many years, and there are so many." But Dykes says he will remember "the nice people here."

And as the daily announcements rip through Willow Glen's PA system, Dykes looks up at a speaker and smiles, falling into the same routine he has for more than 20 years.

When there is a slight pause between announcements he points and says, "There is going to be more after this."