Roy Gardner
2nd Vice President

Roy Gardner began his educational journey in Marshall, where he attended school from first through seventh grade and served on the student council. He graduated from Angleton High School in 1972 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Southern University in 1976. He later received a Master of Education in Administration from Prairie View A&M University. To help continue the family business, Mr. Gardner also attended Commonwealth College of Mortuary Science, where he earned his licenses as a funeral director and embalmer.

In 1978, Mr. Gardner began his career as a social studies teacher with North Forest Independent School District (ISD). He played an instrumental role in helping students realize their dreams of graduating from high school, pursuing college or advanced training, and preparing for successful, rewarding careers.

Mr. Gardner eventually returned to his hometown of Angleton to teach with Angleton ISD. As a member of the Social Studies Department, he taught government, economics, U.S. history, and world history. His engaging teaching style brought lessons to life and helped students meet the academic standards required for graduation. Even today, former students continue to recall his interesting and memorable lessons.

When an administrative position became available at Angleton High School, Mr. Gardner was selected to serve as assistant principal. Having worked with students at every level, from elementary through high school, he understood the importance of supporting students throughout their educational journey. In his ninth-grade assignment, he focused on students during this critical stage of development. He introduced academic teams that encouraged students to compete, strive for excellence, and earn recognition for their performance.

Mr. Gardner’s commitment to academic achievement led to further leadership opportunities. He became principal of Frontier Elementary, a school facing significant challenges with state assessment scores and student social needs. Within two years, the school’s performance improved dramatically, becoming one of the strongest schools in the district and at the state level.

Mr. Gardner was later asked to help turn around Angleton Junior High. Each morning, he posed a familiar question to students: “Why do we come to school?” The students responded, “We come to school to learn!” Under his leadership, state assessment scores rose, and students developed greater confidence as they prepared for high school.

Once again, Mr. Gardner was called upon to take on a new challenge, this time as the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director. In this role, he played an instrumental part in developing a new CTE Center where students could explore career pathways aligned with their interests and goals. The center offered more than 14 career pathways, helping students discover work they would be passionate about. His vision was to help students find a career they loved so much that going to work would feel like pursuing a hobby.

More recently, Angleton ISD’s CTE program was recognized as a CTE District with Distinction by CTAT, reflecting the district’s commitment to career and technical education.