GOOD NEWS: Principal earns his World Class Leader in Education

Scott Houston, assistant principal at Ireland Elementary School, has been named World Class Leader in Education for January by the Ector County Independent School District.

Each month, ECISD recognizes and rewards employees who help develop world ready, life-long learners; who foster a standard of excellence; who serve as advocate and steward for all students; who ensure relevant teaching, engaged learning and dynamic innovation; and who maximize available resources.

Houston is in his sixth year with ECISD and began as a teacher and assistant coach at Odessa High School. He has helped coach volleyball, soccer and softball at various times and, as part of being a coach, he became trained as a first responder for the school, learning CPR and other emergency procedures. This year he began a new job, that of assistant principal at Ireland Elementary, and once again volunteered to be trained as one of the school’s first responders. During lunch duty during the first week of January 10-year old Manual Ramos approached Houston but was unable to speak or breathe — he was choking. Houston delivered a series of back blows on Manual, but it didn’t help; he then applied the Heimlich maneuver and out popped a nacho chip.

Houston took the action in stride saying, ‘That’s why we do the training; that’s why we learn CPR.’ But we know it is a bigger deal than that, and so does Manual. ‘I couldn’t breathe. It was very scary,’ he said. ‘I was thinking, ‘Is this the end of me? Am I going to die young?’ When the ordeal was over Manual said he was thinking, ‘Yay, he saved me!’

From left: Superintendent of Schools Hector Mendez, Houston, Manual Ramos, and School Board President Tom Pace.