Katy ISD’s District Risk Management Director Lance Nauman has earned the 2021 Texas Association of School Board's Risk Management Fund Excellence Award in recognition for efforts he and his department put forth in facing challenges related to COVID-19, according to a KISD press release.

“The driving force behind this program was to mitigate COVID-19 and provide medical care that was effective,” Nauman said. “The most gratifying aspect of this effort was that lives were saved through this process.”

After the district had decided to resume in-person learning during the 2021-22 school year, Nauman’s department focused on the goal of establishing a safe return to campuses with four goals in mind:

1. KISD students must continue to learn despite COVID-19 obstacles.
2. Health and safety of students must be protected.
3. Cost savings through utilization of virtual medicine, stand-alone emergency rooms and other lower-cost, lower-exposure options were prioritized.
4. Quickly evaluating and clearing staff who were COVID-19 negative was vital to managing substitute personnel costs.

Up to 10 TASB members are recognized with a $1,000 honorarium which their districts can use toward continued safety and risk mitigation efforts. Entries were evaluated on effectiveness, efficiency, impact and innovation.