Former district officials, family members and friends say Hisle was a kind-hearted, dedicated leader whose service left a lasting impact on the LISD community.
“He had an impact on the school district that’s almost immeasurable,” former LISD Superintendent Tom Glenn said. “I cannot think of a person more deserving of having a school named after them than Don Hisle.”
The big picture
Donald Lewis Hisle Elementary will open to over 550 students in August at the intersection of San Gabriel Parkway and North Bagdad Road. The board of trustees voted to name its 30th elementary campus after Hisle at a March 28 meeting four months after his passing in November.
Hisle stepped down from the board in 2018 following 23 years of service to the district, making him the longest-serving board member in LISD, according to Texas Association of School Boards records since 1986.
During his time on the board, Hisle oversaw the passage of multiple bonds and construction of many new campuses, said Glenn, who worked with Hisle during many of his 20 years as superintendent. Hisle helped the district navigate its rapid growth from less than 10,000 students and eight campuses in 1995 to around 40,000 students with 42 campuses in 2018, according to district information.
Following his 30-year career at IBM, Hisle contributed to building a culture of continuous improvement by using data to improve school systems, and creating the district’s guiding documents, including “The Leander Way,” Glenn said.
A committee of residents and students unanimously recommended naming the new school after Hisle after reviewing over 600 submissions, including 74 unique name nominations from community members, according to district documents.
What they’re saying
Naming Committee Chair Jennifer Gross said the committee could feel Hisle's impact in the district despite never meeting him.
“It was evident that he was selfless in his time and his commitments,” Gross said. “The Leander way is Mr. Hisle. We only hope that his legacy continues through [Elementary School No. 30].”
Charley Rouse, former Leander High School principal and Rouse High School namesake, said Hisle was a community-minded leader who had a heart for students and teachers.
“He loved teachers and students,” Rouse said. “He wanted what was best for them.”
Hisle was constantly volunteering at campuses, helping raise money for the Leander Educational Excellence Foundation and attending as many district events as he could, said Hisle's wife, Ruth Hisle. The couple moved to the district in 1974 and raised their two daughters and several grandchildren there, she said.
“It was all about the students, [and] what were the goals that would make every student in Leander succeed?” Ruth Hisle said. “I know he’d want every child to have the chance to succeed.”
Why it matters
Hisle’s daughter Nicole Hisle said she hopes Donald Lewis Hisle Elementary becomes a highly rated, successful school where students can take pride in their namesake.
“I hope that the kids will know that they attended a school that's named after someone who had such an impact on the growth,” Nicole Hisle said. “He never wanted accolades. He just wanted to do the best he could for the community, and that's all that mattered to him.”
