PORTSMOUTH, Va. — So often, it's the students, parents and teachers who get the spotlight entering a new school year. But in Portsmouth, one woman's above-and-beyond work behind the scenes makes all the difference.

Katrina Downey is an associate within Portsmouth Public Schools' Department of Auxiliary Services. A fancy way of saying...she holds it all together.

“She’s the face of operations. Answering all calls, she works with both internal and external partners. She actually pays all the bills," said Dr. Jerry Simmons, the school division's Chief Operations Officer.

It's a job that becomes most critical in the lead-up to the new school year, which is why when asked who best fits the description of the News 3 Everyday Hero award, Simmons suggested Downey.

This is how the district desc

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