HIGHLAND PARK — Highland Park ISD received a $10 million grant Tuesday — the largest donation in the district's 104-year history — to support the long-term needs of its teachers.
The Clements Foundation, named for the late former Texas Gov. Bill Clements, awarded the gift to the Highland Park Education Foundation, which raises private funds that cannot be diverted through state recapture legislation.
"Whether seen or unseen, our teachers are our heroes for our students day in and day out," HPISD Superintendent Tom Trigg said at a news conference Tuesday. "They serve our community so well and are so deserving of any honor that we can give them."
The money will be invested in the foundation's Tartan Fund, said Lauren Holloway, the education fund's director of major gifts. Interest from that fund will be used to help district teachers for several years to come, she said.
Trigg said he didn't know specifics on how the the money would be used. District and foundation officials plan to meet next month to discuss the best options, he said.
Clements, who served as governor in 1979-83 and 1987-91, graduated from Highland Park High School in 1934. Since then, all of his grandchildren and most of his great-grandchildren have attended district schools.
#HighlandPark Education Foundation Prez Ann Fielder announced today the ed foundation was getting a $10 million grant by the Clements Foundation. This is the largest in the HPISD’s 104-year history. pic.twitter.com/mvzFoK5yeH— Elvia Limón (@elvialimon) May 22, 2018
Clements' granddaughter Pauline Neuhoff, the foundation's president, said Tuesday that the grant was gifted in honor of the late state leader's love for the town and its schools.
"My grandfather once said: 'Highland Park is a wonderful place, second only next to heaven," Neuhoff said. "This gift to the Highland Park Education Foundation is a perfect fit for the Clements Foundation, because it combines my grandfather's great respect for teachers with his love for the Highland Park schools and community."
Clements' daughter Nancy Seay and granddaughter Margaret Napier were also present for the grant's announcement Tuesday afternoon.
Yvette Cardenas, a special education and transition coordinator at Highland Park High School, said she was pleasantly taken aback by the grant's announcement.
"It's an exciting surprise," she said. "I've only worked in this district for five years, and I feel like they really value you here."
Roseanne Leediker, the high school's science department chair, said she, too, was pleased by the gift. Leediker, a 19-year district veteran, said she hopes the money is used to attract and recruit more talented teachers.
"I've been here for a long time, so I need someone great to come after me once I'm gone," she said.