Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Stratford teacher Sara Russo and the School Bell award.

A bright light during some of West Houston’s darkest days – that’s Stratford teacher Sara Russo, winner of the 2017-18 School Bell award, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Russo, who teaches AP macroeconomics and AP U.S. government, was presented the award at this year’s Founder’s Day Dinner, hosted by the Spring Branch Council of PTAs and held Feb. 22 at the cafeteria at Cornerstone Academy.

Nominated along with 29 SBISD employees who consistently go above and beyond, Russo’s work during the Harvey crisis earned her the coveted School Bell.

How? Within three days of Harvey hitting, she had rallied the PTSA to provide meals for six weeks to the 16 Stratford teachers directly affected by the storm. She called principal Chad Crowson to ask if she and a few other teachers could hold a college-writing essay workshop at one of their homes. (She was worried about seniors not getting they might need.) Their workshop was attended by 38 students.

Need more? Russo set up an Amazon gift list for supplies for Stratford staff and families in need.  She received hundreds of boxes of supplies donated from all over. She organized more than 60 Stratford students to help “muck out” houses for more than 50 Stratford staff and families.

Her nomination reminds us that she was ever the teacher throughout the entire ordeal.

“The entire support system she set in place was a complete team effort and really taught the students how to lead and support a community in need,” reads the nomination.

Russo, a graduate of Northbrook High School and the University of Houston, taught for nine years at Northbrook and has taught at Stratford for five years. Her husband, Shane, is an English teacher at Spring Woods High School.

Presented with Texas PTA Honorary Life Membership were Janet Spann and Francine Todes.
 

Nominees for the 2017-18 School Bell (alpha by school):

Stephanie Chambers                      Bendwood Elementary
Rebecca Marr                                    Buffalo Creek Elementary
Angelina Rojas                                  Bunker Hill Elementary
Danielle Trump                                 Cedar Brook Elementary
Whitney Laidlaw                               Cornerstone Academy
Alicia Drake                                         Edgewood Elementary
Heather Bothe                                  Frostwood Elementary
Carmelo Pastrana                            Housman Elementary
Rosie Cantu-Vargas                         Hunters Creek Elementary
Natalie Waggenspack                     Meadow Wood Elementary
Stephanie Briles                              Memorial Drive Elementary
Terri McLaughlin                               Memorial High School
Hillary Hiler                                         Memorial Middle School
Minga Herrera Fernandez                  Northbrook Middle School
Kelly Borally                                        Nottingham Elementary
Lucy Rainey                                        Pine Shadows Elementary
Donna Gilbert                                    Rummel Creek Elementary
Carlos Ortiz                                         Shadow Oaks Elementary
Kelly Schuler                                      Sherwood Elementary
Mary Ellen Culver                             Spring Branch Elementary
Jessica Pena                                       Spring Branch Middle School
Darlene Reed                                    Spring Forest Middle
Cynthia Gardner                               Spring Shadows Elementary
Ryan Beeler                                        Spring Woods High School
Sara Russo                                          Stratford High School
Rosie Jones                                        Terrace Elementary
Rebecca Shin                                     Valley Oaks Elementary
Valerie Haralson     Westchester Academy for International Studies
Sara Marquez                                    Wilchester Elementary
Martha Montoya Sanchez                 Woodview Elementary

The Founders’ Day Dinner is presented and hosted by the Spring Branch ISD Council of PTAs as a way of honoring PTA’s long history of volunteering, serving and advocating in our community. Founded almost 120 years ago, in February 1897, the Parent-Teacher Association’s mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

The Spring Branch Council of PTAs celebrates this heritage by honoring the district’s outstanding volunteers and educators. Lifetime Membership awardees are chosen by the school PTAs because they are outstanding volunteer or educator members who give generously of their time, expertise and enthusiasm.

The Council of PTAs Honorary Life Member awards are given to outstanding volunteers who work to improve the lives of all students throughout SBISD through their involvement in the Council.

School Bell nominees are outstanding SBISD staff members who promote the purposes of the PTA and advocate for all the children.