THINK SCHOOLS, and you immediately picture students in class, heads bent over computers and notebooks, and teachers at the front of the room leading lessons. You see the principal walking the halls and the cafeteria lines moving. You hear the bell tones signaling the end of another day of learning. But what you don’t see are dedicated souls working behind the scenes to ensure the doors lock properly, the playgrounds are neatly mowed, and there are paper towels and toilet paper for the restrooms.
Bedford County Board of Education’s maintenance department handles this and much more. Work orders, invoices, payroll information, inventory updates, and a constant stream of data flow through the careful oversight of Debbie Lawson, the department’s secretary. Every school lawn mowed, every playground swing repaired, and every propane tank filled traces back to Lawson and the maintenance department team.
Lawson applied for the job more than 18 years ago because its hours enabled her to focus on her top priority — her children. Like parenting, it turned out to be more challenging than she imagined, with benefits that exceeded anything in the job description.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it without so many good people who have taught, guided, and supported me through the years. There are new challenges all the time. We can’t possibly have all the answers for everything, so it’s important to know who to go to for guidance to get the job done correctly,” said Lawson.
Getting the job done correctly is her top job-related priority. She’s as committed to doing things right as she is to her family at home and work. Not doing things right has far-reaching consequences. Because of her dedication to details and the standard of work to which she holds herself, she’s often known as the maintenance shop’s “mother.”
She said, “I’ve been known to scold our maintenance and grounds crew for forgetting to turn in an invoice, not using their safety glasses, or leaving things on the floor that could cause a tripping hazard. We all work hard and try our best to work in a safe manner and look out for each other. But I hope my coworkers see me as someone trustworthy they can go to for advice, help, or to listen if they need someone to talk to.”
You’ll find Lawson surrounded by boxes, checking packing slips to make sure everything is received correctly. Comparing the quoted price to the prices on the invoices before sending them to the finance department for payment is something she does on autopilot. Ensuring an insurance company has everything it needs to process a claim is routine. The thought of overlooking a critical detail wakes her up at night.
“I wake up in the night thinking about what I need to get done, and sometimes I send myself an email reminder so I can let it go, and I can rest. During the winter, I worry about our propane levels getting too low and a school not having heat. I do my best to make sure we don’t run out of fuel for our vehicles and mowers,” Lawson said.
“I order toilet paper, paper towels, and trash bags for our schools. It’s important to me that our vendors are paid in a timely manner and that our accounts are in good standing. Our employees work hard, and I try to make sure payroll is turned in correctly and that their sick, vacation, and comp time is accurate.”
Work orders and workers move in and out of Lawson’s office calmly on some days and like a whirlwind on others. She’s wired for details, balancing her caring and nurturing spirit with her no-nonsense management, forever concerned with not letting anything or anyone fall through the cracks.
Director of Maintenance Daniel Kleindienst said, “Debbie takes care of our facility employees. She initiates food drives for anyone in need and sends sympathy cards to families who have lost loved ones.”
Lawson and her coworkers are a team and family, there for each other as much as they are there to support and maintain the school system’s facilities.
She said, “My work family are some of the kindest, most talented, and most hard-working people I’ve ever known. We all work hard, but we also laugh and have fun. Most importantly, we care about one another and pray together and for each other. We’re all happy for each other’s successes, and when one person is hurting, we all hurt. I’m proud to be a part of such an amazing group.”
She’s part of another amazing group — her family. Lawson and her husband, Tim, have been married for 31 years. Their son, Andy, and his wife, Julia, live in Christiana, and the Lawsons’ daughter, Abby, and her fiancé, Josh Hanson, live in Shelbyville. They are all strong supporters of the Shelbyville Bedford County Humane Association and opened their hearts and homes to dogs and cats adopted from the association.
The same love and compassion spill over into Debbie’s work. Though unseen, her meticulous work forms an invisible framework of Bedford County’s schools. Every child who learns, every teacher who teaches, and every parent who finds comfort in a safe and clean environment does so thanks to the maintenance department team.
“They have the hearts of servants,” Debbie said. “I love my work family, and I have the utmost respect for what they do.” GN
