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Pasadena ISD honors community heroes, recognizes PLC schools and CTE achievements
Summary
Trustees honored civilians, staff and law enforcement for their response to an incident at Pasadena Memorial High School and recognized several campuses and programs for state and community awards.
Pasadena Independent School District trustees opened the evening’s reconvened meeting with special recognitions honoring bystanders and staff who helped secure a suspect after a January incident at Pasadena Memorial High School and with presentations recognizing district academic and career-technical achievements.
Board President Casey Phelan welcomed the group and led public recognition of multiple civilians and staff whose rapid response the district said helped preserve lives. Phelan invited several people to the front, including Juan Lopez and Corey Veasey, described by the board as instrumental in restraining the suspect; four fathers from Pearland ISD — Abram Trevino, Joe Sanchez, Polo Castillo and Adam Cuero — who assisted on scene; and staff and students who assisted an injured band consultant as they evacuated students. The board also invited law enforcement partners for recognition, naming Chief Jerry Wright and Chief Bill McMahon among others in attendance.
Mayor Jeff Wagner presented a proclamation recognizing the civilians and staff and said, “As mayor of this great city, today, each one of y’all, we’re gonna name it y’all’s day here in Pasadena.” In remarks thanking those honored, Phelan said the district and board remain grateful and added, “don’t mess with band dads,” a comment the audience received with laughter and applause.
The board then recognized schools and staff for awards and honors. The Laura Bush Elementary music ensemble and its teachers, Amy Ingalls and Audra Smith, were celebrated for a state-level music performance invitation. Pasadena ISD also accepted recognition from Solution Tree: Parkview Intermediate, Pasadena High School and Sam Rayburn High School were named Model Professional Learning Community (PLC) campuses; Darren Grissom of Solution Tree presented the awards.
Tanya Hager, Pasadena ISD’s executive director of Career and Technical Education, delivered a CTE spotlight. She said the district had been named a Career and Technical Education District of Distinction by the Career and Technical Association of Texas and reported nearly 11,500 students participating districtwide in CTE programs taught by about 170 teachers. Hager said CTE students earned a record 5,918 industry certifications last year, with notable increases in Adobe Premiere Pro, electrical, Autodesk Inventor and automotive certifications; welding students had already earned over 100 American Welding Society certifications in the current school year.
Later in the recognitions segment, Kirk Lewis, chairman of the McDonald’s Texas Invitational steering committee, presented a check from the tournament to the Pasadena ISD Education Foundation. Lewis said the tournament’s proceeds have funded teacher mini-grants and that this year’s check to the Pasadena ISD Education Foundation totaled $223,938. He also presented the Darla Haygood Volunteer Award to the district’s culinary arts program for its role feeding tournament participants.
The recognitions portion ran for more than an hour and included a planned VIP reception for those honored.
No formal board action was taken as part of the recognitions beyond the presentations and proclamations.
