Troy Schools' Haggerty earns statewide recognition

In recognition of his exemplary service to his community and school district, Keith Haggerty will represent Montana as the state’s nominee for the U.S. Department of Education’s Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) award.

Gov. Steve Bullock nominated Haggerty for the national award, which honors paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodians and other classified school employees. Each state may submit two school staff members for consideration. The Department of Education will announce a winner by spring of 2021.

As Maintenance and Transportation Director for Troy Public Schools, Haggerty has led what Troy Superintendent Jake Francom termed a “total facilities facelift.”

Since assuming his position in 2013, Haggerty has overseen landscaping on school grounds, remodeling in schools buildings, and the installation of a playground, security systems and roofs around the district. Moreover, he has managed the district’s fleet of buses, supervised custodial work and coached school softball and football teams.

To tackle such wide-ranging responsibilities, Haggerty regularly begins work at 5 a.m. and often stays late into evenings and comes in on weekends.

“He is a true servant leader,” Francom wrote in his nomination.

Haggerty said his parents instilled a strong work ethic in him. It was bolstered during the years he spent running the Yaak Mercantile, coaching baseball and working as a hunter safety instructor.

“Having a small business means if someone calls in sick, you fill in,” he said. “If something breaks you have to fix it.”

As humble as he is dedicated, Haggerty attributed much of the work he’s overseen for the district to the teams of the staff and student-workers he’s partnered with. When tackling a project, Haggerty said he tries to create an atmosphere where those working under him can feel a sense of ownership over a certain portion of the task.

A diligent listener, Haggerty said he always values feedback from those he works with. Rather than diluting good ideas through compromise, he strives to follow whichever solution is best fit to address an issue.

“I take a lot of input from students,” he said. “Sometimes their ideas are better than what we were planning to do.”

Haggerty commended the skills of student-workers, like Isabel Ramirez, who he said took an interest in carpentry and learned to do anything he showed her. During one renovation project, Haggerty said he showed Ramirez how to install a toilet before leaving for a school faculty meeting. While at the meeting Ramirez messaged him asking she could try to install a toilet on her own.

“When I said ‘yes’, she responded ‘good because I’ve already done it,” Haggerty said. “If adults worked like this they would be superstars.”

To supplement the efforts of student-workers and staff, Haggerty has partnered with county and municipal employees on projects. When he needed a backhoe for landscaping, he went to the City of Troy. When installing a playground, he worked with a county crew. By sharing equipment with public entities in the area, Haggerty said he was able to shorten the timeline on projects while saving taxpayer dollars.

In his RISE award nomination, Francom praised Haggerty’s ability to channel his determined spirit, his positive influence on students and his collaborative nature for the good of the Troy Schools and the greater community.

“He works hard and greatly contributes to our positive school culture in our district and community,” Francom wrote. “He is willing to take on any new task and his mission is to create the best learning environment for all students.”