Superintendent's Vision
Crosby ISD selected for Holdsworth Leadership Collaborative to build a bench of outstanding principals for Crosby ISD schools
The Holdsworth Center, an Austin-based nonprofit focused on leadership in public education, has selected Crosby ISD to join the Holdsworth Leadership Collaborative, an 18-month program that will help Crosby ISD build a strong bench of aspiring principals who are ready to step into school leadership positions when they arise.
Crosby ISD is among 17 districts across the state chosen for Holdsworth’s world-class leadership development program.
“Crosby ISD demonstrated a strong commitment to developing principals and a growth mindset around learning new concepts,” said Dr. Lindsay Whorton, president of The Holdsworth Center. “Great leaders draw out the best in people and inspire them to achieve the unimaginable. Every student in Crosby ISD deserves a strong principal at the helm of their school.”
As part of the Collaborative, a team of three – Superintendent, Mrs. Paula Patterson, and two district leaders, Assistant Superintendent of Administration, Ms. Jewel Whitfield, and Executive Director of Human Resources, Ms. Christy CoVan – work with Holdsworth staff to define what great leadership looks like in Crosby ISD. The team of three will use this definition to design systems and structures to strengthen the principal pipeline.
Research shows that effective principals can significantly impact student outcomes by creating the conditions for teachers to thrive. Because principals influence the working conditions and skill level of every teacher in the building, their impact is outsized.
“We don’t believe there are any quick fixes in education. Investing in the skill and capacity of the people working in our schools is the only way we will see true transformation,” Whorton said.
Since its founding in 2017, Holdsworth has served 1,371 educators across 50 districts in more than 200 schools in Texas.
In surveys, 100 percent of superintendents surveyed rate their leadership pipeline as stronger after partnering with Holdsworth for at least three years.
Click here for more impact stories and data.
Superintendent Patterson graduates leadership program
Crosby ISD is excited to announce Superintendent Paula Patterson has been selected for the prestigious Superintendent Leadership Program with The Holdsworth Center in Austin. Superintendent Patterson is among the first group of leaders chosen for the 18-month program and will work with fellow superintendents across Texas. The Superintendent Leadership Program is designed to deepen everyday leadership skills in service of Crosby ISD's students, staff and community.
As the leader of Crosby ISD, Superintendent Patterson plays a key role in helping staff, students and community members forge a new path. The training and mentoring help craft a vision, perfect communication and build a high-performing executive team. Superintendent Patterson is committed to growing and learning to best serve the students, staff, and communities of Crosby ISD.
The Holdsworth Center's program helps Crosby ISD create systems to ensure we have a strong pool of leaders who will grow and lead the district in the future. This is a critical moment for public education in Texas, with historic challenges that will take extraordinary leadership. Navigating recovery and seizing opportunities for transformative change will be critical and necessary for stronger and more innovative schools.
The Holdsworth Center was created by Charles Butt, the chairman of HEB, in 2017 near Lake Austin. He named the nonprofit organization for his mother, a former schoolteacher and lifelong advocate for social justice. The Holdsworth Center is dedicated to Excellence in Education Leadership.
For these inaugural programs, The Holdsworth Center will cover the costs of programming, thanks to the generosity of its founder and other philanthropic supporters. The center’s mission is to improve the quality of public education by supporting and developing educational leaders. The Austin-based nonprofit works with partner districts for five years and makes a deep investment in leaders at both the district and campus levels.
You can read more about the program here: https://holdsworthcenter.org/blog/two-new-programs-launch/ and www.holdsworthcenter.org
A Love Letter to Crosby ISD
A Love Letter to Crosby ISD
Dr. Patterson shared her journey to leadership with the The Schools of Thought blog run by the American Association of School Superintendents (AASA). Read her blog post here.
Dr. Patterson receives Bravo Award
Dr. Patterson received the Bravo Award from the Texas Council of Women School Executives (TCWSE) on January 26, 2025.
The Bravo Awards are presented at the TCWSE Annual Conference for exemplary practitioners, innovative programs, and initiatives that promote community and parental involvement. Congratulations, Superintendent Dr. Patterson. Read more here.
Committed to Students
Superintendent Patterson's Story
Superintendent Patterson shares her Crosby story
In August 2021, Superintendent Paula Patterson sat down with ABC13 anchor Melanie Lawson to talk about her Crosby roots. Superintendent Patterson also discussed her vision for the future of Crosby ISD. The story debuted on the first day of school for the 2021-2022 school year.
Watch story here
Watch full interview here
Portrait of a Graduate
Superintendent Patterson's 2024 Commencement Address
Superintendent Patterson's 2023 Commencement Address
Superintendent Patterson's 2022 Commencement Address
Superintendent Patterson's bi-monthly newspaper column
Every other week, Superintendent Patterson updates the Crosby/Barrett Station communities on what's happening in Crosby ISD.
Hello East Harris County and Crosby ISD Families,
The beginning of the new school year is officially here and we could not be more excited. On Thursday, August 7, we opened the doors to all of our cougars… those who are new to us and those who are returning. From new playground equipment to safer vestibules in our front offices, Crosby ISD has been hard at work over the summer making improvements all across the district. Leading up to the big first day, we hosted several events for our staff members, students, and parents.
We held Meet the Teacher Nights on every campus. Students were able to meet their teachers and get their first peek at their classrooms… the place they’ll call home each day. For the fifth year, we hosted a Back to School Bash. It has become a huge event where we not only celebrate the beginning of the school year, but we also prepare our students for the year. We gave away hundreds of backpacks, provided free haircuts donated by Xtreme Cutz Barbershop, and had district representatives on hand to help with last minute registration and transportation questions.
Crosby ISD rolled out the red carpet for all of its employees and staff members for Convocation and Cougar Con. At Convocation, I shared a story of Crosby ISD with the staff and a message about keeping a positive perspective on life. Following convocation, staff members attended professional development sessions to build their toolkits of instructional strategies to provide the best educational experiences to our students.
We are excited about this school year and are looking forward to working alongside our community every step of the way. Our goals for this new school year are to increase communication and collaboration between our students, our staff, and our community. We will be moving into the next phase of planning the newest addition to Crosby ISD, with the upcoming sixth grade campus on the horizon.
Everyone on the Crosby ISD team is working hard to ensure that our students remain at the heart of everything we do. Our theme for this school year reflects that commitment and reminds us why we show up every single day. Committed to Students is more than just a phrase—it’s a belief that drives our work. We are dedicated to providing our students with the highest quality education while nurturing their growth as whole individuals. Education goes beyond textbooks. At Crosby ISD, our mission is to develop kind, compassionate, and emotionally intelligent members of our community who will grow into productive citizens of the world. Here’s to an amazing school year.
Dr. Paula Patterson
Superintendent of Schools
Crosby ISD
Superintendent Patterson on what it takes to lead
July 2021 appearance on a leadership podcast streamed worldwide.
Women in Leadership
January 2022 appearance on the Education Leadership Podcast. Superintendent Patterson was a special guest on the Educational Leadership Podcast in January 2022. This edition of the program with Gary Dennis and Corinne French focused on Women in Leadership. Superintendent Patterson shared her background and roots in Crosby ISD as well has her vision for the district.