Aldine ISD opened two new schools when the 2010-2011 school year began on August 23. Rayford Road Intermediate School is the district’s 11th intermediate school and is located at 21919 Rayford Road. Robert Graham, formerly the principal at Carter Academy, is serving as the school’s first principal. The campus has a projected enrollment of 700 students.
Vernon and Kathy Lewis Middle School is the district’s 10th middle school and is located at 21255 West Hardy Road. Cassandra Cosby, formerly the principal at Oleson Elementary School, is the school’s first principal and the school has a projected enrollment of 750 students.
Lewis Middle School is named after Vernon and Kathy Lewis, two long-time educators who served Aldine ISD for close to 80years.
Vernon began his career in Aldine ISD as a teacher at Aldin High School in 1969 and over the next 37 years, he served as an assistant principal at Eisenhower High School, principal at Teague Middle School and Aldine High School, executive director of secondary schools, the Nimitz area superintendent and finally as an assistant superintendent of administration. He retired in December of 2006.
Kathy also began her career in Aldine ISD in 1969 and over the next 38 years she served as a teacher at MacArthur High School and Nimitz High School, and as a special education counselor and regular education counselor at Teague Middle School from 1983 until her retirement in 2007.
The Aldine ISD Board of Education unanimously voted to name the district’s 10th middle school in honor of the couple at the December 2009 Board meeting.
It was an honor that caught Vernon and Kathy totally off guard.
“This was such a surprise for both of us to be honored like this,” Vernon said. “It’s hard to express our gratitude and how overwhelmed we are with this honor. We’re just two ordinary people who were commited to the children of Aldine ISD.”