Bosses Night Funds Five Student Scholarships

As a top highlight of the evening program, Tera Harris and Finance Dept. staff danced and sang during a performance of the Bruno Mars hit, “Uptown Funk."

More than 200 district employees attended a recent Bosses Night celebration sponsored by the Spring Branch Educational Support Association (SBESA). The dinner program’s fund-raising efforts resulted in thousands of dollars for student scholarship awards. SBESA’s Boss of the Year announcement was also made.

A silent auction held during the Feb. 9 dinner and event program at Frostwood Elementary School raised $2,310 for five high school scholarships, to be made later this month. Raffle winner Julie Hodson, district grants director, donated a large sum back to the association – $215 – when her ticket number was called.

During the celebration, Community Relations Officer Linda Buchman received the well-deserved Boss of the Year award.

Community Relations Officer Linda Buchman was named Boss of the Year, an overdue honor in the view of many Community Relations and Communications team members. “Linda is our guiding star, and we could not be more proud to be part of her ‘amazing team’,” her team nomination states in one section.

“Our team works many long hours to make connections with partners, engage community volunteers, communicate with our internal and external customers, support the District leadership and make sure our employees feel valued. Linda is right there in the trenches with us, and never asks us to do anything she would not do herself . . . At the end of every event, before our tired bodies even hit the pillow, we have a ‘Thank You!’ text from Linda, telling us, ‘You are the greatest team!’ This kind of praise makes us hungry for more and keeps us working hard,” the nomination also stated.

Staff teams nominated eight separate administrators for this top recognition, an internal sign of the district’s strong leadership and team values.

Others nominated for the Boss of the Year award this year were Kathy Menotti, Westchester Academy for International Studies assistant director; Ellen Green, Frostwood Elementary principal; Tera Harris, district director of accounting; Barbara Robillard, district director of purchasing; LaWanda Coffee, district director of external funding & compliance; Julie Hodson, district director of grants.

Bill Burger from Cornerstone Academy was Bosses Night emcee. In addition to a dinner from Maggiano’s Italian Grill, eight district staff members performed for a welcoming and appreciative audience.

Staff who performed included Ibn Walker, Chris Doyle and Annissa McDonald, all with the Transportation Dept. (Transportation); Scott Keairns (Northbrook High); Bill Kirkland (Westchester Academy), Jose Cavazos (PEIMS Dept.), TJ Lampart (SBESA) and Tera Reid (Finance Dept). 

Talent show winner was Bill Kirkland, who dazzled with his rendition of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me!”

A top highlight of the evening program was Tera Reid and Finance Dept. staff’s dance and song performance of the Bruno Mars hit, “Uptown Funk,” to close out the Bosses Night celebration.
Five scholarships, one from each high school, will be awarded at the end of March at the SBESA Installation Dinner for new 2017-18 school year officers.

Transportation Dept.’s Matt Riely was Bosses Night photographer. Twelve student volunteers from The Guthrie Center helped serve dinner for service hours credit.

Report submitted by Jan Lampart, Bosses Night Chairman; SBISD Communications Dept. edited the initial report and added supporting material.