WISD-Waller ISD Faculty
and Staff gathered in
the Waller High School
Auditorium on the
afternoon of January 5th
to celebrate “Welcome
Back to the Start of
2009”. Waller ISD
Superintendent of
Schools, Richard
McReavy, held the event
to welcome back the 700+
school district
employees from the
holiday break.
McReavy announced the
Waller ISD 2008
achievements that
occurred over the first
semester of the school
year. Waller ISD was
awarded 15 Texas
Education Agency (TEA)
Gold Performance Awards
and 5 of the 7 campuses
were named “Recognized”
by TEA. Wayne C.
Schultz Middle School
was named a “Recognized”
campus in its history
and a groundbreaking
event was held earlier
in the year to kick of
bond construction
renovations. The
groundbreaking event was
complete with a pep
rally, giant scoreboard,
cheerleaders, and 900 in
attendance that included
students and community
members. McReavy
reinforced to the crowd
that the instructional
focus for Waller ISD
this Spring was for
Waller ISD and all of
its campuses to be named
“Recognized” or
“Exemplary”. McReavy
announced that the new
Waller ISD Elementary #5
was named Evelyn
Turlington Elementary
and asked Ms. Turlington
to stand up as the crowd
cheered and applauded.
Ms. Turlington is
working on her 52nd
year with Waller ISD and
has taught three
generations of Waller
ISD students. Mindy
Peper, currently I.T.
Holleman Elementary
Asst. Principal, is
named the Turlington
Elementary Principal
beginning in the
2009-2010 school year.
Also announced were
former Waller High
School students that
played in College
Football Bowl Games over
the holidays.
Superintendent McReavy
stirred up the crowd by
asking people to stand
as he asked many
questions. He asked “Who
traveled the greatest
distance over the
holiday?” “Who had the
most people for
Christmas Dinner?” “Who
had a White Christmas?”
“Who went to the beach?”
Who went hunting?” “Who
added new family
members?” “Who got
married?” “Who got
engaged?”
McReavy updated the
crowd on current bond
construction and
transition status on
Turlington Elementary,
Wayne C. Schultz Middle
School Renovations, the
Stadium, Waller Jr. High
Renovations, and other
projects. McReavy then
introduced Jim
Bloodworth, Former
Houston Livestock Show &
Rodeo President and
Chairman of the Board.
Bloodworth read by
memory cowboy poetry to
the crowd that unified
the “Ride for the Brand”
motto that the school
district displayed
during the current
school year.
Dr. Mike Moses, Former
Texas Commissioner of
Education and Keynote
Speaker for the event,
was introduced. Moses
opened up his
presentation with a DVD
about a World Geographic
Photographer’s journey
around the world as he
passionately
photographed a wide
array of people and
topics. The
photographer explained
how he learned to gather
a vision and ride the
wave of possibilities.
He focused on what is
right instead of looking
at what is wrong. Moses
elaborated on the DVD
and reminded all to have
a vision and to see the
positive in the
students. He
congratulated
Superintendent McReavy
on the school districts’
positive tone and the
many successes the
district has
accomplished since he
last visited. Moses
described McReavy as
“the Champion of Waller
ISD”. Moses discussed
Texas Education growth
statistics, school
accountability changes,
rigorous testing, and
“Raise Your Hand
Texas”. He ended his
speech with goals to
focus on in 2009. He
said “Have fun, enjoy
what you do, learn to
balance your life.”
”Persevere, and don’t
give up.” “When you
leave this profession,
people will remember how
great of a teammate you
were, not on how many
A’s you gave” and “Don’t
let today be your best
day, make tomorrow your
best.” The event ended
with a grand applause
from the crowd. Many
gathered at the front of
the stage to meet and
speak to the
presenters.
