Polly Ann McRoberts

Polly Ann McRoberts taught English and language arts in the Katy Independent School District for 26 years until her death on Sept.10, 1993. During her career, she earned the respect of students and co-workers, who described her as a super teacher who loved the students entrusted to her care and inspired them to achieve.

Born to a family of educators in the Shaw's Bend community near Columbus, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and History from Sam Houston State University. She taught language arts in the East Bernard school district for two years before being hired as a Katy Junior High language arts teacher in 1967. While teaching, she continued her education and received her Master of Arts degree. In1974, she transferred to Katy High School, where she taught 9th grade honors English and creative writing.

Her long-time principal, Bill Haskett, said that Polly didn't just touch the lives of her students, but affected all who were around her. "She was a champion of students and a hero for a lot of kids. She taught them writing skills that enabled them to become successful lifetime writers."

During her years at Katy High School, Mrs. McRoberts served on the high school writing and liaison committees and was the National Honor Society sponsor. She spent her summers sequencing books for language arts, taking workshops, and going to school. She was married to Mike McRoberts, and her son Ashby was born in 1983.

Although she battled cancer for the last eight years of her life, she hardly missed a day of work in spite of her many surgeries and treatments. On the days that she did stay home, she would insist on grading her students' assignments. Her fellow teachers called her the Duracell battery bunny. Mrs. McRoberts liked the comparison. She said, "All English teachers like good analogies. I appreciate the comparison and the sentiment. It inspires me to bang that drum a little longer."

In her honor, the Board of Trustees voted to name Katy ISD's 17th elementary school in her honor. Polly Ann McRoberts Elementary School opened on Aug. 11, 1997.