A Message From the Superintendent

Disponible en: Español

Dear Aldine ISD Community,

Her name was Kathleen Bradford, and I wanted to be just like her. She dressed nicely, treated others with kindness and respect, and I knew she cared about me.

You see, she was my 4th-grade teacher and one of the most influential women in my life. Some will say teaching is noble — and it is — but it’s more than that. It’s life-shaping and life-changing. I am a testament to that.

So when I attend events like the SHINE Commencement Ceremony, I don’t take it lightly that the teachers in the room have almost completed their first year of teaching. I want them to know what all teachers know — it’s the most rewarding and difficult profession there is. But without a doubt, you will touch lives just like mine. Ms. Bradford taught for 41 years at Coldspring-Oakhurst ISD. Think of all the thousands of students she inspired. She, too, had a first year. Teachers have to start somewhere, just like our students who attended the Future Teacher Signing Ceremony. These 150 students made the commitment in high school to touch lives just like Ms. Bradford did.

First, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of congratulations following my appointment as AASA President-Elect. I am humbled and honored to represent Texas and our Aldine ISD family on the national stage. This recognition is not just mine — it belongs to all of us who believe in the power of public education to change lives.

With the STAAR testing season underway, our teachers have done an outstanding job ensuring our students are prepared and ready to succeed. Speaking of STAAR tests, on Thursday, April 24, 2025, the TEA will release school and district ratings for the 2022–23 school year. These scores, however, do not reflect the current growth our students are experiencing this year due to the hard work of our teachers and staff. The ratings are based on performance on the STAAR test; graduation rates; and college, career, and military readiness outcomes. The ratings examine student achievement, school progress, and whether districts and campuses are closing achievement gaps among various student groups. The ratings in 2023 were the first under the new accountability system and are considered a baseline moving forward. I’m so proud of the work being done this school year and look forward to seeing that growth on the 2024-25 ratings this summer. Click here for a letter to parents explaining the newly released ratings.

From high schools’ top graduates preparing to soar to the inspiring young musicians who lit up the Strings Festival stage to the 773 scholars earning dual credit cords through UT OnRamps — Aldine ISD students are paving the way for a brighter tomorrow. We celebrated our unified track and field team from Nimitz advancing to state. We admired the Nimitz Lady Cougars for winning the District 14-6A Varsity Track and Field Championship. We cheered on our athletes headed to the UIL Region II 6A Championships. We also celebrated our CTE students who competed at the SkillsUSA State Conference in Corpus Christi — the future is bright, and it’s happening now.

We also launched the Lighthouse Mentorship Project this school year, a new initiative to guide and support our students through meaningful connections.

All means all in Adine when we talk about preparing students for their future. I encourage families of high school seniors receiving special education services to take part in our upcoming Liftoff to Lone Star College event. Thank you to the families that joined us at our PreK Expo & Enrollment Fair earlier this month. If you didn’t get a chance to go, there is still time to register your eligible 3- and 4-year-old for prekindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year!

I encourage you to cheer on our student-athletes, attend the upcoming Creative Pursuit art show, or our Festival de Primavera — know that you are part of something special.

We are Aldine. We are educators like Grace Lewis, head director of orchestras at Carver High School. Grace recently received the Houston Symphony’s Spec’s Charitable Foundation Award for Excellence in Music Education. We are students like the group from Aldine High School like the group from Aldine High School recognized by the Mexican Consulate in Houston for their hard work in civic academics and engagement. We are novice teachers who dedicate their Saturdays to professional growth, highlighting their passion for education and their dedication to our students. And we are staff like Shelby Bobb and Crystal Martínez who work their campus front lines, becoming known as the face of the schools and a trusted contact for families.