The Gary Griffith Excellence in Workplace Safety Winner for FY2024
Winnett - The Heartbeat and Pride of the Community!
This year’s Gary Griffth Award for Excellence in workplace safety winner hails from a county spanning a massive 1,655.60 square miles or 1,064,950 acres – larger than Rhode Island - and is the heartbeat and pride of the community. This K-12 school district takes great lengths “in conjunction with [the] greater rural community, [to] provide a quality education for all in a safe and challenging environment.”
Being in the center of a rich agricultural community that boasts endless hunting opportunities, safety is a part of everyday life. In fact, when asked about safety in the district, a common response is, “There are so few of us, we have to do our jobs safely and look out for one another.” This is reflected in their ten-year workers’ compensation performance. The district has averaged an impressive 10.5% loss ratio, and all claims were reported to the MSGIA in less than 48 hours.
The school district and community recognize the importance of being good stewards of the buildings and grounds, maintaining what they have, not only to ensure the longevity of the property but also to sustain a safe and welcoming learning and working environment. This is evident when entering the school; the cleanliness, exceptional care for the facility, and fun learning vibe are immediately apparent.
All employees at the district believe in their collective responsibility to create a safe environment for themselves, each other, the students, and the community. To set the tone of the importance of workplace safety, the superintendent has a standing weekly staff agenda item dedicated to sharing safety information (often from the monthly MSGIA safety notices) and an open forum for discussion about any safety concerns or issues that arise. This open dialogue is extended to the work of the active district safety committee, where the commitment to finding solutions to safety concerns and embedding a culture of safety in their rich traditions of excellence is at the forefront. An example of the safety culture is reflected daily during the winter months. The clearing of snow and de-icing sidewalks is a priority, before school, during the day and before dismissal, and for athletic events. While everyone jokes that snow and ice removal alone is a full-time job for the custodian, this effective proactive approach reduces the number of slips, trips, and falls, which in turn minimizes the cost of claims and, more importantly, protects employees, students, and visitors. Finally, the district believes in investing in its employees through professional development. Staff regularly attend MSGIA professional development offerings, such as maintenance safety trainings and safety webinars.
Like many districts, there has been some staff turnover, but the core employees have been with the district for many years. One such employee is Melissa Bohn, the Business Manager/District Clerk. In her 13th year with the district, she coordinates building inspections, completes registrations for trainings, ensures any workplace injuries are immediately reported, reassures the employee that their well-being is a priority, and handles everything else related to communication with the MSGIA. Everything she does leads the way in maintaining the district’s safety culture and environment – during every minute of every day. Importantly, Melissa is surrounded by a team of committed educators and staff, all doing their part to make the school an amazing place to learn and work.
Please join me in congratulating the Winnett Public Schools, this year’s Gary Griffith Excellence in Workplace Safety Winner.