Paul Booher

Former superintendent James Martin hired Paul Booher to teach at Ousley Junior High in 1956. In 1960, he moved to Arlington High School, where he taught vocational classes. During summer vacations, Paul crafted classroom furniture. When the open concept was piloted at Roark and Wimbish Elementary Schools in the early 1970s, he built moveable bookcases. In 1964, Booher was named the Director of Maintenance and Operations, and he and his crew built the Food Services Department’s first walk-in freezer and cooler.

When Booher took over the AISD maintenance and operations department, the district had 13 schools, an administration building and the service center on Colorado Lane. The service center consisted of a two-by bus repair shop, sheltered parking for 18 buses and a warehouse.

Booher oversaw the construction of 39 new schools between 1964 and 1990. AISD’s maintenance and operations crews handled landscaping; its carpenters built library bookshelves and storage.

One of Booher’s biggest construction challenges was the opening of five new schools in 1970: Little, Pope and Roquemore Elementary schools, Lamar High School and the new Sam Houston High School.

As the number of schools grew, summer renovation jobs increased, too. Over a five-year period in the early 1970s, all the schools were air-conditioned. Bailey Junior High was the first school to be totally air-conditioned. In the late 1970s, all of the district’s schools received carpeting. Beginning in 1983, asbestos removal was a challenge for Booher. The asbestos removal process continued at 19 sites until 1990.

Under Booher’s leadership, the maintenance and operation crews became specialized. In the 1980s, computerization came to the service center’s maintenance and operations offices as well as its warehouse, food services and transportation departments. By 1990, a radio system links the security, transportation and maintenance and operations vehicles and departments.

Booher spent 34 years working in the AISD, 26 years at the helm of the maintenance and operations department.

The Paul Booher Service Center located at 1201 Colorado Lane is now named in his honor.