The Temple Independent School District Board of Trustees has been named as an Honor School Board by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) as part of the organization's 2025 School Board Awards, the district has announced.
According to the district, Temple ISD is one of only five districts throughout the state of Texas to be selected for the honor, which is reportedly meant to "recognize outstanding Texas school boards for commitment and service that has made a positive impact on Texas public school students."
The five Honor Boards selected for the recognition were selected by a committee of school superintendents from Texas, Temple ISD said. The committee's decisions were reportedly based on criteria like support for educational performance, support for educational improvement projects, commitment to a code of ethics and maintenance of harmonious and supportive relationships among board members.
The other districts to receive the honor are Colorado ISD, Galena Park ISD, Memphis ISD, and Plano ISD, according to Temple.
According to TISD, in the announcement of the Honor Boards, TASA said Temple's Board of Trustees impressed the School Board Awards Committee with their focus on things like data-informed leadership, student-centered priorities, ethical governance, community engagement and support for the superintendent.
“In working through a series of high-level decisions that have elevated and continued to unify the community at-large, this Board has fulfilled their role with the highest degree of responsibility, compassion and diligence,” said Dr. Bobby Ott, Superintendent of Schools for Temple ISD. “This is a Board of diverse perspectives, varying backgrounds and mutual respect for one another, with a singular focus on doing what is right for all students and staff of Temple ISD. The progress made in the last 36 months is directly tied to the leadership, direction and support of this School Board.”
The Temple ISD Board of Trustees is made up of seven members: Dan Posey – President (District 3), Ronnie Gaines – Vice President (District 4), Virginia Suarez – Secretary (District 1), Bre’Layshia Alexander (District 2), Dawn Cook (District 5), Shannon Gowan (District 6), and Shannon Myers (District 7).
Each trustee serves a three-year term representing a single-member district, according to TISD, meant to ensure "equitable representation for all neighborhoods, businesses and families."
The TISD School Board was also named Region 12 School Board of the Year in June to become a regional nominee for Outstanding School Board, the district said.
“It is a tremendous honor for Temple ISD to be recognized as a state honor board, and I am extremely proud of the work our Board does to represent the students, families, staff and stakeholders of the district,” Posey said. “Our Board is composed of unique individuals with different backgrounds, but we all serve on the Board for one reason – doing what is best for our students, families and staff members. Once we reach a Board decision, we stand by it and the administration. The needs of our students and TISD personnel always come first for our Board members and our superintendent.”
The five Honor Boards are now reportedly finalists for the program's highest honor, the title of 2025 Outstanding School Board. Next, the boards will be interviewed in September at txEDCON25, the TASA/TASB State Convention in Houston, where one of the boards will be named Outstanding School Board on Sept. 13, according to Temple ISD.
