John W. and Margie Stipes Elementary School
opened August 2006

Irving ISD’s 20th elementary school is named after two of the district’s most ardent supporters – John and Margie Stipes. The school is formally called John W. & Margie Stipes Elementary School.

The late John Stipes was a parent, booster, trustee, and volunteer in Irving ISD for many years. He received Texas and National Life Membership Awards from the Irving City Council of PTAs. He was elected to the IISD Board of Trustees in 1970 and served 15 years including two terms as president. From 1977 to 1985, he was director of the Texas Association of School Boards. Stipes received the Golden Apple for outstanding volunteer service to IISD in 1998. He was a deacon at First Baptist Church of Irving for 43 years. While serving as an IISD trustee, he and Assistant Superintendent James Day met with parents from Davis School and leading citizens in the black community (among them Jackie Townsell, another IISD elementary namesake) to help bring desegregation to IISD. Stipes served as president of the Irving Schools Foundation for two terms. After his death, the foundation established the John W. Stipes Motivational Scholarship for students who have overcome hardships in their school years.

John’s widow, Margie Stipes, has also been an active supporter of Irving schools. She has been president of the Nimitz High School Booster Club numerous times, and she received a National PTA Life Membership from the Irving City Council of PTAs. She, like her husband, has received the Golden Apple Award for volunteerism. She also received the High Spirited Citizen Award from the Irving City Council. Margie is active in Keep Irving Beautiful, First Baptist Church, and the Irving Schools Foundation.

John and Margie’s children – Larry, Randy and Stacie Stipes – all attended IISD schools. Randy Stipes currently serves on the IISD Board of Trustees.

Click on small photos to view full-size image.
Click on the gray arrows on sides of the top row of pictures to move through the entire slideshow.
 

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2008

2005-2008

Principals

Jackie Gorena became the lead stallion in 2008.  Mrs. Gorena was born in Rhome, New York.  She grew up in San Antonio and met her husband when they were seniors in high school. She has two sons who attend Irving schools.

She graduated from Texas State University and taught grades 2-5 from 1991 to 2001.  After receiving her master's degree in Educational Adminstration from East Central Oklahoma, she joined Irving ISD in 2001. She has served as an assistant principal at Paul Keyes Elementary and at J.O. Davis Elementary.

Mrs. Gorena served as the principal at Otis Brown Elementary from 2004-2008. She is proud to be a resident of Irving and the Stipes' neighborhood and is committed to success for all students.
 

Marty French opened Stipes Elementary.  She was selected as the Principal prior to the 2005-2006 school year to dedicate her time to the setup of the school.  Prior to this time, she served as a Principal, Vice Principal, and 1st grade teacher at Townley Elementary.  Her remaining educational experience includes being a 1st grade teacher at Good Elementary.  Mrs. French ended her Stipes' tenure with her move to South Carolina where she continued as a principal of an elementary school.

Writers and composers of our school song

Music teacher, Linda Hoffman, and her husband Jeff, wrote the lyrics and the words for our school song, "We Are the Stallions.".  Click to hear our song.

"We are the Stallions.
We strive to achieve.
Our friends and our teachers,
In us believe.
We are the Stallions.
We aim to succeed.
For Stipes is the place where
Great minds roam free."
 

First grade teachers, Andrea Keller and Shannon Brown, were inspired to suggest that our school mascot be the Stipes Stallions and that our motto be "Stipes Elementary...where great minds roam". 

Mascot:  Stipes Stallions

Colors:  Blue and Green
Blue to represent the sky and
the expanse of learning and ideas.
Green to represent the prairie,
the roots of learning,
and being grounded in
thought, basic knowledge, and moral character.

In the Beginning...

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