We have to wear photo IDs, and some of the students would look at my badge, and then me, and say, ‘You’re Cindy Haskett.’ I would say yes, and that was neat.”

Cindy Haskett, Bill and Cindy Haskett Junior High School namesake

In September 2020, Bill and Cindy Haskett were returning home from a funeral. They were thinking about their friend, the late long-time Stratford football coach Oscar Cripps, and had noticed how many of his former players came to the service.

“We were thinking about legacies,” Cindy said.

But it was also during that ride home when they received a call from Katy Superintendent Ken Gregorski. He had good news.

Katy’s newest junior high school, at 25737 Clay Road, would be named in their honor.

The school opened for students last fall, and district officials dedicated it Feb. 22. The festive ceremony brought family, friends, and colleagues to celebrate the Hasketts’ legacy of service to the district.

Cindy is a long-time math teacher. She taught at Katy Junior High School from 1980-2005, when she retired. Previously, she taught in the Richardson and Spring Branch school districts.

Cindy said at the ceremony that some friends traveled all the way from California for the ceremony. She encouraged the students to be the best they could be every day.

“You don’t have to be excellent to start, but you have to start to be excellent,” Cindy said.

Bill is a Katy High School graduate who later served as its principal.

Bill began his education career in 1967 in the Spring Branch Independent School District. He returned to Katy in 1978 as assistant principal at Katy High School. He became principal in 1981 and continued in that role 1996. He later served as director of community involvement and special projects, where he took on a number of duties. He retired from the district in 2005.

Bill said they were overwhelmed by the honor. He thanked the many people who supported the idea of naming the school in their honor.

At the ceremony, Bill quoted Hall of Fame football coach Jimmy Johnson, who said that the difference between “extraordinary” and “ordinary” was the “extra.”

The school is the district’s 17^th junior high school and is unique in that it has a solar farm that powers the campus. The district said the campus has 44 traditional classrooms and is designed for an enrollment of about 1,400 students.

Haskett Junior High is the home of the Huskies. The story of how the school nickname came about is one of happy coincidence to the family.

Cindy said when the district plans to open a school, it surveys the local community to seek feedback on a mascot. It turns out that the Hasketts’ daughter, Kristen, owns a husky. Bill and Cindy have been keeping the dog while Kristen has been living in Asia with her own family. Cindy said nobody knew what the mascot would be until it was actually decided.

Bill said they were happy to have a mascot named after a pet they have at home.

Both Hasketts remain active in the district. Fans attending Katy Tigers football games hear Bill’s voice on the public address system. He also announced the Katy ISD Rodeo Parade from 2008-19. Cindy continues to serve as a substitute teacher.

“I’ve substituted at various campuses,” Cindy said, adding that lately she has been substituting at Seven Lakes High School.

Cindy has also substituted at Haskett Junior High.

“I have substituted there several times last fall,” Cindy said. “I enjoyed it very much. I hope to get to know the teachers better and some of the students.”

Did she tell the students that was her and her husband’s name on the school? Cindy laughed.

“I let them figure it out,” Cindy said. “We have to wear photo IDs, and some of the students would look at my badge, and then me, and say, ‘You’re Cindy Haskett.’ I would say yes, and that was neat.”