Each Cy-Fair ISD elementary and middle school bears a name honoring a former district employee or leader. With CFISD adding new schools almost every year, the school naming process has become an annual occurrence. The following is a description of each school’s namesake, some with photos of the people and families who had a school named for them.
Source: Cy-Fair ISD/Community Impact Newspaper
1955 Dean MS Berta Dean came to Fairbanks in 1932 and taught in the district for 25 years before retiring in 1957.
1956 Arnold MS Mary and Forrest Arnold served a combined 84 years in CFISD at Cy-Fair High School and numerous other positions.
1960 Post ES Ernest Stephen Post served on the board of trustees for 26 years. He moved to Fairbanks in 1917.
1965 Matzke ES Before the consolidation of CFISD, Ernestine Matzke was responsible for helping rural schools join the Cypress district.
1967 Holbrook ES Lillie Holbrook came to Fairbanks in 1932 and went on to work for the district for 32 years.
1970 Lamkin ES The elementary school was renamed after G.A. Lamkin, who was the district’s superintendent in the 1940s.
1972 Adam ES Community leader B.F. Adam served 24 years on the board of trustees and raised four sons who attended CFISD schools.
1972 Bane ES J.F. Bane served on the board of trustees for 25 years and was one of the key players in consolidating the Cypress and Fairbanks school systems.
1973 Bleyl MS Karl Bleyl worked as a teacher, principal, coordinator and consultant for 20 years in CFISD.
1973 Hancock ES T.S. Hancock was superintendent of CFISD from 1955-67. He was known for innovative practices, such as open-concept schools.
1975 Yeager ES The Yeagers began teaching in CFISD in 1949 and taught for nearly 50 years combined in the district.
1976 Millsap ES E.A. Millsap was CFISD’s first superintendent and played a key role in the consolidation of the Cypress and Fairbanks districts.
1977 Lieder ES Herman Lieder was born where Cy-Fair HS stands, and his wife, Marie, was born in the former Neudorf District.
1978 Campbell MS Bud Campbell served on the board of trustees for 13 years and was a charter member of the Cy-Fair Educational Foundation.
1978 Francone ES Frank Francone started as a district mechanic in 1950, and his brother John was a custodian at Fairbanks Elementary.
1978 Horne ES Magdalene Horne served as a teacher for 36 years in CFISD.
1979 Moore ES Les Moore was the first director of guidance and announced football games. His wife, Bettie, taught at Bane ES.
1981 Lowery ES M.O. Lowery and his family moved to Cy-Fair in 1929. He served on the board of trustees and other civic organizations.
1982 Frazier ES Lucile Frazier was the former secretary for Superintendent Allen Labay and the board of trustees.
1982 Watkins MS Carlos Watkins was the principal of Cy-Fair HS. He retired from the district in 1989.
1983 Owens ES Carl was principal of Post ES, and his wife, Eleanor, taught in the Humble area. The two taught for 85 combined years.
1983 Wilson ES Peggy Wilson was secretary at Cy-Fair High School and secretary to the superintendent.
1984 Labay MS Allen F. Labay served as superintendent during a period of rapid growth in the district. He worked for CFISD for 27 years.
1985 Emmott ES Jack Emmott served on the CFISD board of trustees for 21 years. His wife was a district employee for 21 years.
1985 Holmsley ES Tom J. Holmsley served on the board of trustees for 18 years. He was also an active volunteer in the community.
1986 Cook MS Charles B. Cook served on the board of trustees and as a Texas Ranger.
1986 Jowell ES Wanda McCain Jowell graduated from Cy-Fair HS and served on the board of trustees for 21 years.
1989 Fiest ES Bernice Fiest served as a teacher, coach, librarian and principal and was certified by the state in seven areas of education.
1990 Bang ES Ramona Schmidt Bang was a secretary before she was promoted to a supervisor role in the business department.
1990 Hamilton ES Fred was the science department chairman at Cy-Fair HS and his wife, Louise, was a social studies chairwoman.
1990 Metcalf ES June and Roy Metcalf served a combined 65 years in CFISD as teachers and administrators.
1990 Truitt MS Ronnie Truitt coached the Cy-Fair HS basketball team before becoming a principal at several campuses.
1991 Hairgrove ES Jewel Roper Hairgrove served as a counselor, dean of students, grade-level principal, and director of guidance and counseling. She began at CFISD in 1966.
1991 Reed ES Dolores was a librarian, and her husband, Raymond, was the first maintenance and transportation director.
1992 Copeland ES William C. Copeland served as the district’s tax assessor and collector for nearly 30 years. He retired in 1992.
1992 Hamilton MS Opal Hamilton worked as a vocational adjustment coordinator, director of special education and assistant superintendent.
1992 Sheridan ES Robbie Hunt Sheridan served as principal at Matzke, Holbrook and Lieder along with her namesake campus when it originally opened.
1992 Willbern ES T.A. “Bubba” Willbern served as a coach, teacher and administrator for 40 years in CFISD.
1993 Thornton MS Donald O. Thornton served as a teacher, coach, associate superintendent and superintendent in 28 years in CFISD.
1994 Ault ES Norma Sanders Ault retired from CFISD in 1995. She helped open Hancock, Emmott and Bang elementaries and served as a principal for 22 years.
2000 Farney ES Jane Farney spent 20 years in the district and retired in 1999 after serving as principal of Lowery and Hamilton elementary schools.
2000 Gleason ES Margaret Moore Gleason was a principal in CFISD for 26 years before retiring in 1998. She also served as a teacher at Post and Bane elementaries.
2000 Kirk ES Shirley Kirk spent 28 years teaching home economics and life science in CFISD before she retired in 1994.
2000 Walker ES Sandra Bales Walker served as a secretary in the district for 25 years and worked with three superintendents until she retired in 1997.
2001 Goodson MS Charles M. Goodson worked as a teacher, coach, counselor, principal and associate superintendent over the course of 26 years in CFISD.
2001 Aragon MS Jan. H. Aragon taught at Cy-Fair HS and served as an assistant principal and principal at several campuses.
2002 Sampson ES Nancy Marsh Sampson worked in the district for 32 years and opened Adam, Horne and Hairgrove elementaries.
2003 Birkes ES Barbara Warren Birkes taught at Bane and Lamkin elementaries and served as a principal at Post and Jowell elementaries before retiring in 1994.
2003 A. Robison ES Arlene Robison served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal in CFISD and helped open Francone and Willbern elementaries.
2003 Tipps ES Jane Maloy Tipps served as a counselor and principal in the district before opening Ault ES and serving as principal until 2002.
2004 Duryea ES Peggy Duryea served in a number of different roles, including teacher, counselor, principal and associate superintendent.
2004 Keith ES Gwen Keith served as a teacher, elementary science coordinator, assistant principal, team leader and principal at several schools in CFISD. She retired in 2002.
2005 Danish ES Thomas M. Danish served as a principal in the district for 17 years at Post and Lamkin elementaries. His first assignment was as a teacher at Matzke ES.
2005 Kahla MS Julia Williams Kahla taught English and served as a director of instruction, associate principal and assistant principal in 32 years in CFISD.
2005 Lee ES LaFaye Johnson Lee worked for 35 years in the district as a teacher, counselor, coordinator and director of academic achievement. She retired in 2003.
2005 Spillane MS Carolyn Stamm Spillane served as teacher, associate principal, director of secondary education and assistant superintendent in CFISD.
2006 Andre’ ES Woodie Coker Andre’ retired in 2004 after spending more than 25 years working for the district. She worked as a teacher and principal in the district.
2006 Black ES Royce Black worked at Cy-Fair HS for 33 years, serving as a social studies teacher, team leader and department chairman before retiring in 2005.
2006 Berry Center Richard E. Berry served as superintendent from 1992-2004.
2006 Postma ES Joan Postma taught math and computer literacy. She was promoted to director of technology support services.
2007 Hopper MS George E. Hopper was a teacher, coach and assistant principal at Jersey Village High School.
2007 McFee ES Patti Becker McFee worked in the district for 28 years as a paraprofessional and in human resources.
2007 Warner ES Couple Bob and Bobbie Warner were teachers, swim coaches and principals during their 66 combined years at CFISD.
2008 Hemmenway ES John Edward Hemmenway served as the district’s first middle school choir director for 31 years.
2008 M. Robinson ES Marie Williams Robinson worked as a school nurse in the district and was promoted to director of health services in 1974.
2008 Smith MS Jodie Blair Smith began as a teacher in CFISD and served as an assistant principal and principal. She also served as an assistant superintendent before retiring in 2003.
2009 Swenke ES Deanna Swenke served as associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction until retiring in 2008. She worked in CFISD for 38 years.
2010 Emery ES Debbie Emery came to CFISD in 1978. She worked as a teacher, librarian, principal and an associate superintendent.
2010 Rennell ES Betty Cody Rennell served as a principal and district administrator in CFISD before retiring from an assistant superintendent position.
2010 Salyards MS Cheryl Salyards served CFISD for 36 years. She was an associate superintendent before retiring.
2013 Pope ES Margie Sue Pope served as a teacher, administrator and principal for more than 18 years with CFISD.
2014 Anthony MS David Anthony served as superintendent for seven years in CFISD. He also worked as a principal, teacher and superintendent in other districts across Texas.
2015 Woodard ES Sadie Woodard retired in 2008 after serving as a teacher, counselor, principal, senior director of counseling and guidance, and assistant superintendent of guidance and counseling in CFISD.
