Sandy was raised in a small farm town in Eastern Iowa, in an Independent School District with just 350 students in 7th through 12th grade. She was afforded the unique opportunity to be able to participate in nearly all the extra-curricular activities offered at that time.
She earned 16 Varsity letters in Basketball, Softball, Bowling, Cheerleading and Golf. In addition, she earned 20 letters in Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Stage Chorus, and Theatre setting the stage for her to be a perfect fit to assist a Director of Student Activities.
When she met and married Manassas native Scott Crow in Texas in 1992, little did she know that in just a few short years she would land the job of Administrative Assistant to the DSA at OPHS. Ironically, this was the same school where her Father-In-Law Al Crow had been the original Athletic Director for 16 years.
Sandy was hired at OP in 1995 as a Special Education Teacher Assistant. In 2000, she made the transition to the position in the Activities Department.
Having been a Consumer Banker, as well as a Trainer of Consumer Bankers and Branch Managers throughout the state of Texas at Bank of America for 20 years prior, she had limited secretarial skills, but somehow convinced Dan Evans she’d be an asset to him.
She enthusiastically jumped in with both feet and soon was responsible for monitoring all Field trips school-wide, all fundraising, and coordinating all transportation for athletic practices and games. She also coordinated and managed all ticket sellers for home games, often working the games and accounting for all ticket sales afterward. She issued and inventoried the school’s new All Sports Passes and worked very closely with the coaching staff, Transportation, and the Athletic Booster Club. One of her biggest duties was planning Sports Awards Ceremonies, preparing all the certificates and awards
presented to the student athletes. Some of her favorite duties fell outside the realm of Administrative Assistant, especially on the days of home Football games. She often found herself helping to set up the field and even helping to paint Buzz on the center of the field.
Her most rewarding personal accomplishments were the relationships she built with her two bosses Dan Evans and Keith Laine, thousands of educators, coaches, OP student athletes and having the privilege of being one of their biggest fans. While employed at OP, she was honored by being awarded the Classified Employee of the Year twice.
Early retirement was never a consideration for Sandy, but in 2014, twenty-five years of spinal deterioration caught up with her. She was given the news any athlete hates to hear: It’s time to be placed on the Permanent Disabled List.
Sandy had been given so many activity-related shirts from coaches and directors during her 14-year tenure that upon retiring she embarked on a new hobby: making T-Shirt blankets. She sewed and gifted over 15 people with OPHS blankets with the very shirts they had gifted her.
Sandy and Scott spend their days enjoying as many cruises as possible, traveling around the area, trying new recipes, planting their deck garden, caring for their six rescued cats, and enjoying every precious moment they spend with their granddaughter Collins.