Fran Rhodes, Namesake

Northside Independent School District has a policy of naming elementary schools after the neighborhoods in which the school is located or in honor of individuals who have made a significant contribution to education.

The Northside ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name this school for Fran Rhodes. According to Superintendent Ed Rawlinson, "One of the greatest tributes we can make to educators who have devoted their lives to children is to name a school in their honor. There are literally thousands and thousands of children whose lives have been positively influenced by Fran Rhodes."

Fran Rhodes, served as the Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Administration prior to her retirement in 2000. Her career spanned 32 years, 28 of which have been serving the children of Northside ISD. She has also served as a teacher and principal. Rhodes was principal at Oak Hills Terrace and Fernandez Elementary Schools before becoming assistant superintendent.

Rawlinson adds, "Rhodes is loved and respected by teachers, principals, parents, and students in her various roles. She will be a positive role model for many more children in her new role as the school's namesake."

Early Years:

Born October 29, 1936, in Leona, Texas.
Parents - Rev. Henry Milton Lewis and Rosa Virginia Wester Lewis
Older (and only) Sister - Doris Lee Lewis Moorhouse
Elementary School days - Oklahoma City (K-1 and 4), Madisonville, TX (2-3),
Texas City, TX (5)
Junior High School - Texas City, TX (6 - 8)
High School - Texas City, TX (9-12)

Favorite Activities :

playing jacks, roller skating, attending summer church camp, playing school and tea parties with my Teddy Bear.
Note: Teddy was given to me by my father upon his deployment to Germany at the height of World War II.

School Memories and Treasures :
. Penmanship certificates every year (Grades 1 - 4) for outstanding penmanship.
. Debate Team - made it to the State level as 8th graders one year
. 1st chair French Horn in the Texas City High School Band
. Lettered in volleyball, basket ball, soft ball throughout high school
. Received the Outstanding Female Athlete Award on graduation night
. Awarded the Pan American Most Outstanding Student Award at graduation

Family Memories :
. Trips to the Texas valley to visit grandparents
. Piano lessons with mom as my teacher - she gave me no slack!
. Church activities every Wednesday and Sunday - and all in between.

College and Early Adult Years:
1954-1955 - Freshman year at Baylor University in Waco, Texas
. September - Met Milton L. Rhodes at a church activity for college
students
. June - August -Student Summer Missionary (10 weeks) for the Texas
Baptist Mission Board.

1955 -1956 - Sophomore year - declared Education as my major.
. August - Accepted Milton's proposal of marriage. We were engaged!
. June 2 - Married at the Calvary Baptist Church in Texas City

1956-1957 - Junior year - work, school, church

1957-1958 - Senior year - work, school, church
. Graduated with both Elementary and Secondary certifications. My minor
field was Physical Education.

Note: As you can imagine, these were busy years for us. In addition to carrying a full load at school, I worked as the secretary to the Purchasing Agent at Providence Hospital in Waco. Milton also carried a full load at Baylor while serving as Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Abbott, TX. working at a local service station on week nights and Town Services Moving Company on Saturdays and holidays. We made it! We graduated together in June of 1958.

Certifications:
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Reading Specialist (all levels)
Supervision (all levels)
Midmanagement (all levels)

1958-1959 - First Teaching position - 2nd grade - Louise Blanton Elementary School,
Arlington, TX. Milton enrolled in seminary and we continued our work in
Abbott with the church.

1959-1965 - Stay-at-home mom. Served as a substitute teacher every where we lived
during these years - Abbott and Denton, TX.
Dec. 1959 - First daughter was born (Sharon Gayle)
Dec. 1962 - Second daughter was born (Cynthia J'Lane)

1965-1967 - Kindergarten teacher at Eisenhower Baptist Church School in San
Antonio, TX

1967-1970 - 3rd grade teacher at Windcrest E.S. in North East ISD. ( I began this year as the P.E. teacher. There was no gym and all classes were held outside or in the cafeteria. My skin did not tolerate the constant wind and sun. A 3rd grade position became available at mid-term and I requested and got that position.)

1970-1972 - Graduate School at Our Lady of the Lake University. Received an M.Ed with a major in Curriculum and Instruction.

1972-1973 - 5th/6th grade teacher at Howsman E.S. (Called Shenandoah E.S.at that time. Shenandoah served as a model open-concept school .)

1973-1976 - Reading Specialist position - Opened Boone E.S. with a split assignment between Boone and the old Locke Hill E.S. In the year '75-'76, I served as the full-time Reading Specialist at Boone E.S.

1976-1982 - Region 20 Consultant and Director of the Professional Development Center for Individualized Instruction. This was the time that the first state mandated test was implemented. As a reading specialist, I had the awesome task of conducting training sessions for smaller districts in preparation of the TABS testing.

1982-1984 - Reading Specialist position at Rudder Middle School. I taught 7th and 8th grade students both years. Rudder opened in the fall of 1982 and I was privileged to be a member of that first faculty group.

1984-1985 - Vice Principal at Ed Cody E.S.

1985-1990 - Principal at Oak Hills Terrace Elementary School

1990- Jan. of 1996 - Principal at Raul B. Fernandez Elementary School. What an experience! Opening a new school as a teacher is exciting - and I opened two (Boone and Rudder). Opening a new school as a principal is another story. I loved it! What an exciting and exhausting experience! What great memories!

1996-2000 - Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Administration, Northside ISD.
Working with these outstanding administrators was the highlight of my career! I missed the hugs of the children and the joy of watching them grow, but seeing the dedication and commitment of these fellow principals was a true blessing for me.

Family

June 2, 2006 - Milton and I celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.
All members of our family will join us for a celebration in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, from June 17-23, 2006. Those members include:

Sister and Brother-in-law - Doris and Tom Moorhouse

Sharon Rhodes Morris and Bert - oldest daughter and husband
Lauren and Andrew Eickstead - oldest granddaughter and husband
Landrie Marie Morris - 15
Roxy Bryan Morris - 13

Cynthia Rhodes Langford and Paul - youngest daughter and husband
Zack Langford - 21
Darren Langford - 16
Adam Langford - 13
Kayla Frances Langford - 4