Burnet CISD’s Sharon Schwartz retiring after three decades
Sharon Schwartz, administrative assistant to the superintendent for the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District, will retire on June 30 after 31 years with the district. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton
For 31 years, Sharon Schwartz has helped keep Burnet Consolidated Independent School District moving along, typically from behind the scenes. On June 30, she’ll step aside and into retirement.
“It’s just time,” she said. “I’ve been blessed to be part of this district, and it’s been a great place to work.”
Schwartz started out with BCISD in purchasing and accounts payable before taking over the role as business manager secretary. Twenty-two years ago, she became the administrative assistant to the superintendent, a spot she’s cherished ever since.
BCISD Superintendent Keith McBurnett is the fifth superintendent Schwartz has assisted. The job has been anything but mundane, Schwartz said.
“I do a lot of different things and have multiple roles,” she explained.
That includes handling the superintendent’s schedule, assisting with school board meetings, helping with school board elections, and just about anything else that comes along.
Even answering phone calls for the superintendent, while rather routine on the surface, is an important aspect of her job. She makes sure each caller receives the attention and information they seek. Sometimes, it’s a matter of helping them find the right person to talk to about their issue. Although they’ve called the superintendent’s office, that is not always who they need.
“I listen to them,” Schwartz said. “People sometimes just want someone to listen to them. I try to help them and get them in the right direction or to the right person, but sometimes it’s just as important to listen to them.”
Over her 30-plus years, Schwartz has worked to promote the district, campuses, staff, and students, even outside of her Central Office role. As a member of the Burnet High School Athletic Booster Club several years ago, she worked to get the championship banners hung in the high school. It meant tracking down championships and verifying the student-athletes and all other pertinent details. It’s one of the many projects that makes her proud.
“I want to make sure the kids get recognized,” even those who have already graduated, Schwartz said. “I think everyone likes to see those banners, and they want to see their names and the other names.”
For a number of years, Schwartz could be found at just about any school event documenting the action with her camera and sharing the photos on the district’s websites and social media. She also kept local media and other organizations abreast of the district’s functions and activities.
Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed outside of BCISD. Masonic Valley Lodge No. 175 in Burnet recently presented her with the Mirabeau B. Lamar Award of Excellence, which recognizes a student or staff member for their hard work and dedication. Lamar is called the “Father of Texas Education.”
Despite 31 years with the district and 22 years in the superintendent’s office, Schwartz still looks forward to every day at work.
“There’s really not a part of my job I don’t like,” she said. “I love my job. I think that if you don’t like your job and don’t look forward to every day of it, then you shouldn’t be in it.”
For Schwartz, the time has come to retire. As for future endeavors, she and her sister have a catering business, Two Peas in a Pot, that she’ll be able to focus on a bit more. She has tossed around the idea of substitute teaching and volunteering as well as other things.
“There’s a lot of things I could do,” Schwartz said. “I don’t know yet. There are projects I want to do. Yeah, it’s tough for me to leave my job. It’s been half of my life. I’ll miss it. I’ll definitely miss the people.”