Lubbock ISD announces names for 2 new elementary schools - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

From Lubbock ISD:

At their board meeting today, the Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees announced the selection of names for the two new elementary schools being constructed with funding from the 2010 Bond. In announcing their choices, board members voiced a desire to name the buildings after community members no longer living, but whose contributions to education are recognized by their contemporaries in the community.

Currently under construction is a new school which will consolidate the existing Wheatley and Iles Elementary Schools. It will be the "Joan Y. Ervin Elementary School," named after the first African-American elected to public office in Lubbock. Ervin, a Lubbock native who passed away in September 2012, served on the LISD Board of Trustees from 1970 – 1978. She was also the first African-American woman hired by IBM in Lubbock, where she worked as a service representative. She was a passionate advocate for public education.

Construction will begin in the summer of 2013 on a new building on the current site of Murfee Elementary, which will consolidate the existing Haynes and Murfee Elementary Schools into a new building. The new school will be the "Jayne Ann Miller Elementary School," named after the former Lubbock ISD teacher, community volunteer and wife of former Lubbock mayor David Miller.  Miller, who passed away in the fall of 2012, earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in education from Texas Tech University. She taught special education at Wheatley Elementary and was a homebound teacher for students with special needs. She served as president of the Waters Elementary, Evans Junior High and Monterey High School PTA programs. Miller was an active community volunteer in numerous civic organizations, and she was a recipient of a Life Membership in the Texas State PTA, in recognition of her many years of PTA service.

The former Alderson Middle School, which is being remodeled to serve as an elementary school, will consolidate the current Bozeman and Parkway Elementary Schools in the fall of 2013. The renovated building will now be "Alderson Elementary School." The school was originally named after W. E. Alderson, a car dealer and member of the Board of Trustees from 1939 – 1946. The Alderson family is still active in the community, operating car dealerships and providing leadership in many community organizations.

Principals for the consolidated campuses were also named at the board meeting. Superintendent Karen Garza said, "The transition teams for the new campuses, comprised of parents and teachers, expressed a strong desire to know the names the new schools as soon as possible. Our primary goal is to ensure that these transitions are positive for our students, faculty and parents. So, we felt it best to identify the leadership now, so that they can be very involved in all aspects of the transition," Garza added.

The new principal at Joan Y. Ervin Elementary will be Margaret Randle, currently the principal at Wheatley Elementary. Randle will continue in her duties at Wheatley Elementary while supporting the transition to the new campus.

The new principal at Jayne Ann Miller Elementary will be Kevin Booe, currently the principal at Williams Elementary. Booe will begin his duties later this month. Retired LISD Principal Joe Williams will serve as principal at Williams Elementary for the remainder of the school year. A process to select the next principal for Williams Elementary will begin in the spring.

Parkway Elementary Principal Kevin Word will be the principal at Alderson Elementary when it opens in the fall of 2013. Bringing his skills as a very successful, experienced administrator, Word came to Lubbock ISD from Amarillo ISD in the fall of 2012. He will continue his responsibilities at Parkway Elementary and will spearhead the transition activities this spring, leading to the opening of Alderson Elementary in August of 2013.