Barb Bossu Awards Celebrate Volunteer

Spirit, Dedication to Lakota

About Barb Bossu Volunteer Spirit Awards
Barb Bossu was as enthusiastic parent volunteer and the Union Elementary PTA president at the
time of her death. The Volunteer Spirit Award was established in 1990 to commemorate her very
special dedication to public education by honoring annually a volunteer at the district level and then
one from every Lakota school.

Based on nominations, each school selects its own award recipient, and all of these special
volunteers are honored at a district-wide ceremony at the end of the school year. The district
honoree is selected by the DPC.

Creekside Early Childhood School: Laura Sites

The 2011- 2012 Barb Bossu recipient for Creekside Early Childhood School is Mrs. Laura
Sites. Mrs. Sites has served as a teacher over the past 20+ years including a variety of
capacities at Creekside as well as the former Lakota Early Childhood Center. Any principal or
PTO president knows that the true cornerstones of any successful school are the individuals
that focus on the success, safety, and well-being of every family in that particular school's
community. Mrs. Sites has proven to be a true contributor to the success of Creekside Early
Childhood School as well as the Lakota Early Childhood Program as a whole. She has not
only accomplished this as a teacher but as a true volunteer.
As all of you know, over the past two years we have had various alternative transportation
plans that require a lot of planning and re-planning. Like most buildings, we find ourselves
scrambling in the month of August to get the busing information correct and packaged in a
nice little tag for the first day of school. As easy as that may sound, we all know the endless
hours it takes to make that a successful process. Over the past three years in the month of
August, out of the clear blue sky, Mrs. Sites has appeared announcing to everyone, I am
here to help. Just point me in the right direction. Equipped with her personal iPad, she
enters the Central Intelligence Agency of Bus Tag Operations. Please know this is not for one
day or for a few hours, this has been as long as two full weeks. Keep in mind, this is on her
time with no compensation.
Laura Site's volunteerism has not been limited to just busing assistance. Just this year she
assisted the PTO after hours in the development of Kindergarten Book Buddies. The
program has truly been a positive experience for all students and the parents involved.
Many parents have come to me stating that they learned so much from Mrs. Sites and plan
to use this information at home with their own child. She worked with Creekside parents in
the selection of books relevant to the ages and interest level of Creekside students. It is
rare not to see Laura in attendance at our building-wide, family events to lend a helping
hand. Laura Sites is also a reoccurring volunteer presenter at most of the Creekside PTO
Curriculum Night Programs. In our opinion, she is a true representative of a selfless
volunteer and superb educator. We are very fortunate to have her within the Creekside
Community and, furthermore, the Lakota School District.
2017 Lakota Local Schools