The Washington County School Board used its meeting to publicly recognize several employees for quick action and excellence in instruction.

Superintendent Dr. Perrigan told the board that Cody Eads, a fifth-grade teacher at High Point Elementary, "jumped across the table before anybody even saw that it was happening and administered the Heimlich maneuver and saved that child's life." The board honored Eads as a "hometown hero" and invited him forward for photos.

The board also recognized Adam Glasscock, a custodian at High Point Elementary, for taking on extra shifts for more than a year to keep the building clean and safe while staffing challenges persisted. Members repeatedly praised his work ethic and the condition of the school.

At Abingdon High School, Lisa Ford was presented as the Foreign Language Association of Virginia teacher of the year. The superintendent described Ford's invitation to serve as a panelist at the Global Virginia Summit and her work creating a dual-enrollment Spanish course tied to the division's health-education program.

Board members publicly thanked each honoree and noted the benefits of retaining and recognizing high-performing staff.