New Permian principal

Roy Garcia sat in the back of the audience at Tuesday's Ector County Independent School District trustees meeting wearing Permian High colors.

It was as if the 16-year ECISD educator knew what was about to happen.

Garcia, 51, wore a white, gray and black tie and grinned as ECISD superintendent Hector Mendez named Garcia as the sole recommendation to the top administrative spot at Permian.

Trustees unanimously approved Garcia - the Ector Junior High principal of three years - as the new Permian principal, filling the position vacated by former principal Bruce Davis in June.

"I'm ready," Garcia, a former Permian assistant principal, said following the vote. "I want to make a difference."

Also following the vote, Glenn DeMoss, president of the local chapter of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association, was heard saying "thank you" aloud as others clapped and smiled in Garcia's direction.

In addition, many ECISD employees and community members shook hands or hugged Garcia in congratulations.

Trustees also unanimously approved three other administrative hires Tuesday.

Trustees named Hood Junior High assistant principal Shawn Almond as the new principal of that campus, Cavazos Elementary assistant principal Lisa Anaya as the new Burleson Elementary principal and ECISD retired educator and former Bonham Junior High principal Bill Garcia as the new Travis Magnet Elementary principal.

Principals formerly in those positions either retired or were moved to the ECISD Administration Building toward the end of the 2007-'08 school year.

As for Roy Garcia, he said overseeing a high school campus differs from any other administrative position in the district, and the Odessa native said his time at Ector has helped him prepare for Permian.

While at Ector for three years, the administrator worked with about 1,600 students each school year.

He now prepares for a student body of about 2,200, he said.

Mendez said he recommended Roy Garcia because the administrator's been successful in all his other responsibilities throughout the years.

"I believe he's the best fit for the position," Mendez said.

The new Permian principal said he plans to encourage his students to take more rigorous classes at school.

"I want our kids to be able to go to college and not have to take remediation classes," he said.

In addition, he said he would treat each student with respect and honesty with the idea that they treat him equally.

He also plans to provide stability to the administrative position, noting he'd like to remain in the position for at least a decade.

"I'm ready to go," he said. "I hope I'm there for a long time."

ON THE AGENDA

In addition to the hires, school trustees honored Odessa High and Permian gymnastics and track and field students and food service employee Martha Leon, who recently earned her U.S. citizenship.