Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Terrace Elementary School Counselor Elena Vavasour received the SBISD Council of PTAs School Bell Award during the annual Founders’ Day Celebration on Thursday, Feb. 15 at Nottingham Elementary School. A multitude of individuals were recognized for receiving the Texas PTA Honorary Life Membership Awards and Extended Service Awards.

The School Bell Award is the Council’s annual top recognition. Vavasour was among over 20 outstanding educators nominated for the School Bell Award. SBISD Board of Trustees member Minda Caesar was honored with an Extended Service Award by the SBISD Council of PTAs, along with Suzanne Stiles. Jeanette Sears was also awarded an Honorary Life Membership for chairing the PTA Reflections contest for ten years.

(View all nominees, new Life Membership and Extended Service Award Honorees below.)

Sponsored by the Spring Branch ISD Council of PTAs, the annual Founders’ Day dinner honors and recognizes parent volunteers who serve on campus or district PTA organizations, parents who have served campus PTAs for many years and local educators and staff nominated for a prestigious School Bell Award.

Locally, the SBISD Council of PTAs represents thousands of parents and families. It is an active grassroots group supporting the ongoing vitality and strength of SBISD schools.

Founders’ Day is celebrated in memory of a February 1897 meeting held in Washington, D.C., the first-ever meeting of the Parent Teacher Association in the United States.

The Feb. 15 dinner included a brief greeting by SBISD Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Blaine. The program also included remarks by some of the SBISD Council of PTAs leaders.

2023-24 School Bell Award Nominees
School Bell Award nominees represent outstanding SBISD staff members who promote the purposes of the PTA and advocate for all children.

Buffalo Creek - Lan Dang, 3rd Grade Teacher
Bunker Hill - Christine Englund, 5th Grade Teacher
Cedar Brook - Sylvia Guerra, Front Desk Administrator and Secretary
Edgewood - Maria Ochoa-Chalico, Counselor
Frostwood - Michelle Perkins, Counselor
Hunters Creek - Katy Mueller, 5th Grade Teacher
Meadow Wood - Elizabeth Robinson, 5th Grade Teacher
Memorial Drive - Megan Wooten, Kindergarten Teacher
Nottingham - Catherine Janda, Health Fitness Teacher
Pine Shadows - Joseph Klapesky, Health Fitness Teacher
Rummel Creek - Abigail Pena, Foreman
Sherwood - Makayla Schenkel, Librarian
Terrace - Eleana Vavasour, Counselor
Valley Oaks - Susan Coffman, 1st Grade Teacher
Wilchester - Anne Daily - Health Fitness Teacher
Cornerstone - Sendy Belmontes, Support Specialist
Memorial MS - Deziree Green, Assistant Campus Athletic Director, Coach, Health & Fitness Teacher
Spring Branch Middle - Kate Waldorf, 6th and 7th Grade Math Teacher
Spring Forest Middle - Darlene Reed , Support Specialist
Spring Oaks Middle - Myron Crawford, Coach
Westchester Academy of International Studies (WAIS) - Shikonya Cureton, 7th Grade math teacher
Memorial HS - Maria Martinez, Admin Support Specialist
Spring Woods HS - Josh Ault, Journalism Teacher
Stratford HS - Crystal Arrington, Counselor

2023-24 Texas PTA Honorary Life Membership and Extended Service Award Recipients
Bunker Hill Elementary
Christine Englund
Arielle Lawson-Ho
Donna Marshall
Katie Mattingly
Lauren Murphy
*Emily Paulson
Theresa Stahan
Shannon Strickler
*Karen Teegarden

Cornerstone Academy
Mandy Barrow
Jaime Coffey
Caroline Dougher
Carrie McCluskey

Frostwood Elementary
Marcia Edmonds
*Ellen Halper
Tracy Muras
Allison Powers
Melissa Wilmoth

Hunters Creek Elementary
Jill Bell
Brooke Marquart
Jennifer Steeg
Shannon Werme

Meadow Wood Elementary
Heather Craig
Kathy Lane
Jaime Vendetti
Melanie White
Kelly Williams

Memorial Drive Elementary
Jamie Burns
Stacey Johnson
Lynn Ludeke
Candace Mullervy
Kim Murphy
*Jeanette Muecke
Wes Murphy
Liz Swain
*Lara Marie Thielhorn
*Holly West

Memorial High School
*Jennifer Espey

Mèmorial Middle School
Heather Bonner
*Shanda Fraser
Kristin Hopper
Linda Hui

Nottingham Elementary
Courie Anderson
Cynthia Arocha
Peter DallePezze
Marie Gonzalez
Natalie Marshall
Molly Murphy

Spring Branch Middle School
*Steven Berry
Leslie Cornett
Allison Donaldson
*Sheri Engelman
Whitney Janke
*Gia Manguno
Deanna Mauritzen

Spring Forest Middle School
Katrina Briggins-Stanfill
Kristen Carlson
Mary Hoffman
Brandi Paullo
Carrie Picott
Rosalia Razo

Stratford High School
Raymorris Barnes
Valerie Johnson
Tracey Reap
Karen Ross
Janet Spann
Anna Thielemann

Terrace Elementary
Teresa Dolan

Westchester Academy
Melissa Endicott
Jennifer Klingbeil

Wilchester Elementary
Kimmer Chao
Kimberly DeLaat
Alex Luton

*Extended Service Award

SBISD Council of PTAs Executive Officers: 
President, Linda Dang
Vice President - Programs, Heather Bonner
Vice President - Leadership, Dominique Harvey
Vice President - Membership, Heather Morse
Secretary, Allison Melnar
Treasurer, Chris Gonzalez
Parliamentarian, Kelly Siblik
Advocacy, Minda Caesar
Awards, Leslie Valentine
Communications, Natalie Marshall
Mentoring, Pam Ferworn & Jen Perroni
Sister Schools, Gina Keith

SBISD Council of PTAs Committee Chairs: 
Founders Day, Elena Mischon
Reflections, Jenette Sears

Thank you to all the speakers for your remarks and presentations!
Greeting
Elena Mischon, Founders' Day Chair

Welcome
Linda Dang, Council of PTAs President

Guest Speaker
Dr. Jennifer Blaine, SBISD Superintendent

Recognition of Texas PTA Honorary Life Membership and Extended Service Awards
Leslie Valentine, Council of PTAs Awards Chair

Presentation of SBISD Council of PTAs Honorary Life Membership Awards
Linda Dang, Council of PTAs President

Presentation of School Bell Nominees
Leslie Valentine, Council of PTAs Awards Chair

Closing Remarks
Elena Mischon, Founders' Day Chair

Photos by Gina Keith

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