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Laredo ISD board votes to rename Dennis Y. Cantu Early College High School for educator Esther Buckley
Summary
Trustees voted to rename Dr. Dennis Y. Cantu Early College High School to Esther Buckley Early College High School in recognition of Buckley’s decades of service; several trustees spoke in favor and shared personal accounts of her contributions to science and STEM programming.
LAREDO, Texas — The Laredo ISD Board of Trustees voted Thursday to rename Dr. Dennis Y. Cantu Early College High School to Esther Buckley Early College High School.
Board President Juan Ramirez Jr. introduced the motion, saying the renaming honors Buckley’s long service as a teacher and leader in the district. “Not only did Miss Esther Buckley…was a dedicated teacher,” Ramirez said during his motion presentation.
Trustees offered multiple personal remembrances and examples of Buckley’s contributions. Trustee Alfredo G. Perez described Buckley as “one of the best physics teachers in the state,” noting she helped start the district’s physics events and regional science and engineering outreach, including what trustees called the “Physics Olympics” and the SMART Conference that brought students together for STEM competitions.
Trustee Rodolfo Morales, who seconded the motion, read a submitted biography and noted Buckley dedicated more than 40 years to teaching. Trustee Veronica Ordono, who worked with Buckley as a master teacher, said Buckley “always did it for the kids” and described her leadership and influence on other teachers.
The motion passed on a voice vote; the board did not record a detailed roll‑call tally in the audio transcript. Administrators did not provide a timetable in the hearing for when the signage and official name change would appear on district materials, but trustees indicated the change will be reflected in district publications and campus signage plans.
What happens next
District staff will handle the administrative steps needed to update school references in district materials and will provide timing and budget implications for signage and branding changes at a future meeting.
