Each month leading up to The Woodlands 50th Anniversary celebration, content is created to honor the past, present and future of our community. During August, education will be featured.
By Annierose Donnelly
The Woodlands’ public schools are consistently ranked among the best in the state of Texas. Many of these schools are named after notable individuals and important members of the community who can serve as role models for kids.
The stories behind the school names and how many of them honor people who’ve made a lasting impact in The Woodlands are not just educational. They reveal plenty about this pioneering master planned community that will celebrate its 50th anniversary on October 19th.
The Naming Process
The decision on naming the schools gets made by the Conroe Independent School District’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Ann Snyder, who served for 15 years on the Conroe ISD board, remembers the process well.
“When I served on the board, it was something that we took great pride in,” Snyder says. “We identified individuals with a commitment to education. It could also be individuals who had an impact locally, statewide, or nationally.”
Local school Synder Elementary is named in honor of Dr. Snyder and is a testament to her years of dedication to the community and education in The Woodlands.
The First Schools in The Woodlands
Lamar Elementary became the first school to open in what’s currently The Woodlands. That happened in 1971, three years before The Woodlands officially opened by founder George Mitchell. The school was named after Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, the second president of the Republic of Texas, and widely considered the father of public education in Texas.
McCullough High School was The Woodlands first high school which opened in 1976 and served the community until the arrival of The Woodlands High School in 1996. McCullough HS then became McCullough Junior High. The school was named in honor of former Conroe ISD superintendent J.L McCullough.
Before these schools, the public education in the area was almost non-existent. “The folks who gave their time to public education deserve special appreciation for making public education what it is today,” says Tim Welbes, the former co-president of The Woodlands Development Corporation and Howard Hughes.
George Mitchell’s vision included a community centered around a strong education system. There are now three school districts, 23 public schools and 10 private schools serving The Woodlands.
The High Schools
High schools in The Woodlands area are named after their geographical location, allowing for quick recognition in the community and beyond.
The naming of The Woodlands High School in 1996 was a choice that the Conroe ISD board had full confidence in, Snyder reveals. “We’re proud of The Woodlands,” she says. “They wanted to put it on the map.”
A handful of other schools, including College Park High School, Glen Loch Elementary and Oak Ridge Elementary, are also named after their specific locations.
Notable Namesakes
Sally K. Ride Elementary
The first American female astronaut to fly in space, Sally K. Ride joined NASA in 1978 and flew aboard the STS-7 in 1983. Ride committed much of her time in her post-NASA years to education, and she was passionate about encouraging young women and girls to pursue careers in science and engineering. There are several schools named after her in the United States, including this one in Panther Creek.
George P. Mitchell Intermediate School
The Mitchell Intermediate School in Alden Bridge recognizes the contribution of the visionary founder of The Woodlands, George P. Mitchell. Alongside his successful and steadfast development of this pioneering master planned community, Mitchell was a great philanthropist. He strongly believed in the value of public and private education, ensuring there were topnotch schools in both categories in The Woodlands.
Roger Galatas Elementary
Roger Galatas served as president of The Woodlands Development Corporation, working closely with George Mitchell on The Woodlands’ master plan, including the formation of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. A passionate figure in the community, Galatas also served on the Conroe ISD Board for many years.
Barbara Bush Elementary
The First Lady and wife of President George H.W Bush is the name behind Bush Elementary in Alden Bridge. A strong advocate for literacy throughout her life, Barbara Bush was honored to have the school named after her and she visited The Woodlands for its opening in 1996.
David Elementary
David Elementary School is named after a young boy called David Vetter. He was born with a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and passed away at the age of 12. Depicted as “David, the bubble boy” in the media, he lived in a sterile chamber for most of his life. The school named after Vetter continues to raise money that goes to Texas Children’s Hospital in his memory.
Gerald D. Irons Sr. Junior High School
Although just outside The Woodlands, Irons Jr. High was named after the late Gerald D. Irons Sr., a longtime community leader, Conroe ISD board member and former NFL player. Irons and his family served to the community, with a commitment to education as well as the founding of Impact Church in The Woodlands.
With The Woodlands’ schools ranked among the best in Texas, they certainly live up to their names.
———
Many thanks to The Woodlands 50th Anniversary Sponsors:
FOUNDING – Howard Hughes
PRODUCER – The Woodlands Township
LEGACY – Woodforest National Bank
HERITAGE – Waste Connections Inc.
GOLD – Entergy Texas, Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
SILVER – SVN/JBeard Real Estate, The John Cooper School