HPISD Multi-Use Building Named For William P. Clements Jr.
The Highland Park ISD board of trustees recently approved naming the district’s new multi-use building the William P. Clements Jr. Leadership Center in honor of alumnus and former governor William P. Clements Jr.
The naming of the building, which houses meeting space, a display of HPISD and alumni memorabilia, a natatorium, athletic offices, a locker room, and a training facility, recognizes Clements for his lifetime achievements and service, as well as his family, who, in 2018, provided an unprecedented $10 million gift from the Clements Foundation to establish the William P. Clements, Jr. Fund. The gift is still the largest in the history of the Highland Park Education Foundation and is designated to support, develop, reward and retain HPISD teachers and staff.
“Bill Clements truly exemplified what it means to ‘Go Forth to Serve,'” HPISD Board President Tom Sharpe said. “In addition to serving as Governor of Texas two times, Clements was the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for four years.”
Before being elected in 1978 as the first Republican Governor of Texas in more than 100 years, Clements founded SEDCO, which went on to become the largest offshore drilling company in the world. He was also a supporter of SMU.
“We are truly grateful that this beautiful facility is being named the William P. Clements Jr. Leadership Center,” said Pauline Neuhoff, president of the Clements Foundation and granddaughter of Gov. Bill Clements. “Thank you to the HPISD Trustees and the Highland Park Education Foundation for honoring his life and legacy in this meaningful way.”
In other news:
- The Highland Park ISD board of trustees approved a resolution supporting the city of University Park’s request to change the city’s boundary with Dallas to bring the Boone Elementary campus into University Park city limits. For more information about that request, read our story here.
- The district is hosting open houses from 2-4 p.m. April 3 at Boone Elementary, and April 10 for Hyer Elementary. A dedication ceremony at each campus on the respective days of the open houses will be held at 2:15 p.m.
- The district is having a bad weather makeup day April 18.
