Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Response Award topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dr. Putnam accepts Raymond Sarbaugh leadership award, credits staff for flood response
Summary
Haywood County Schools received the Raymond Sarbaugh leadership award; Dr. Putnam accepted it and credited transportation, maintenance, IT and school staff for emergency response and restoration after a flood, saying the district returned to operations in 11 days.
The Haywood County Schools Board of Education recognized Dr. Putnam with the 2025 Raymond Sarbaugh leadership award and heard his account of district emergency response efforts following recent flood damage.
Dr. Putnam accepted the award at the board meeting and emphasized that the honor reflected the work of many staff members across the district. He singled out transportation staff, including Bobby Messer and Stephen Sharp, for their roles in fueling and staffing emergency response stations; Kim Jackson and IT staff for rapidly restoring operations; Jenny Wood for coordinating donations and follow-up; and Liana Moody for payroll and benefits work to support employees affected by the event.
Dr. Putnam said the district was able to return to operational status 11 days after the event. He also praised principals at Jonathan Valley and Bethel Elementary for organizing food distribution sites. “I was the guy at the conference so it got handed to me,” Dr. Putnam said, adding that the work was a team effort.
Chairman Francis and other board members thanked staff for their response and for keeping schools and the community functioning during the emergency. No formal action was required; the presentation served as recognition of staff contributions during a district recovery effort.
