Tomball Talk

VISION

Tomball ISD students will lead in creating the future.

MISSION

Tomball ISD empowers students to become impactful, contributing citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous and personally valuable educational experiences while partnering with the community.

Pictured: (Back Row, L-R) Coco White, John E. McStravick, Mark Lewandowksi, Dr. Michael Pratt

(Front Row, L-R) Jennifer Kratky, Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora, Amanda Bass, Tina Salem

Pictured: (L-R) Dr. Steven Gutierrez, Chief Operating Officer; Dr. Michael Webb, Chief Academic Officer; Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora, Superintendent; Dr. Amy Schindewolf, Chief of Staff & School Leadership; Zack Boles, Chief Financial Officer; Holly Sherman, Legal Counsel

January is School Board Recognition Month, and Tomball ISD is honoring its Trustees for their dedication and commitment to the District and its students.

The theme this year is “leadership for tomorrow’s Texas,” which exemplifies the critical role our School Board Trustees have in shaping the future of our communities. These elected and invaluable community members help connect educational opportunities for our students and the state’s future workforce.

Read more about the impact our School Board makes in Tomball.

Parent University is designed to empower parents with knowledge and tools to become effective advocates for their children. There are a variety of sessions from Pre-K through High School Senior content delivered through cross-district collaboration.

Lisa Covington, Tomball High School, 1992

Director of Tax for US Silica, Tomball City Council

Tomball is a special place, and for Tomball High School alumna Lisa Covington - it’s home.

Covington, a successful tax accountant and Director of Tax for US Silica and a member of the Tomball City Council, is a 1992 graduate of THS. She attended Beckendorf Junior High for 7th and 8th grade, the ninth-grade campus on Main Street, and the current Tomball High School for grades 10th-12th.

Her drive and motivation led her to fulfill a very successful high school career. Involved in Student Council, National Honor Society, drama, Spanish Club, Do-It Interrelations Committee and tennis, Covington stayed busy and developed lifelong memories through her experiences.

Talented at tennis, Covington was a four-year varsity letter winner, serving as the team’s No. 1 player all four years of her career. In fact, she placed second in women’s singles at the District Championship - making her the first girl from THS to qualify for the State Tennis Tournament in singles.

“While being on the tennis team was fun and very rewarding, what I appreciate most about being a THS alumna is that I was gifted with the most incredible teachers and administrators who challenged me, taught me how to learn, instilled in me a lifelong love for learning, highlighted the importance of thinking and analyzing my way through every problem, taught me how to write well-developed research papers, build confidence in my academic abilities and cemented a belief that I can accomplish anything and achieve all my goals,” Covington said.

From Tomball High School, Covington found her way to Baylor University. Her path to Baylor was quite unique. In Mrs. Harrington’s sophomore English class, she was asked to write a letter requesting a viewbook to a college that was randomly provided to her. The writing assignment turned into a life-changing experience for Covington as she learned more about Baylor and what it could offer her as a student.

“Baylor University is an incredible university that was perfect for me,” Covington said. “It was small enough to receive individual instruction but large enough to grow into who I am today.”

It was at Baylor that Covington discovered accounting. She graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration and earned a graduate degree in Taxation.

From there, Covington spent eight years with Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers), in the firm’s international tax consulting group in Dallas.

“There, I enjoyed great successes, being assigned to very exciting projects, traveling all over the world, and gaining an enormous amount of knowledge and experience,” she recalls.

In 2005, she moved back to Tomball where she worked for several large oilfield services companies around Houston as an international tax professional. In 2019, she joined US Silica Company, a Katy-based sand and industrial products company as the Director of Tax. In this role, Covington did not have an international presence and was able to remain close to Tomball.

Since returning home to Tomball in 2019, Covington has found her niche and shared passion for giving back to her community.

“Tomball is my home, and I want to do everything I can to make this wonderful city the best place it can be for all residents now and in the future.”

Her newest endeavor - an elected official serving on the Tomball City Council.

Growing up, Covington was inspired by her father who served as the city attorney and judge. Little did she know at the time, her experiences accompanying him to countless city functions as well as learning how cities function and work at such a young age, would lead her to a similar role serving her hometown.

“I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to serve this great city as a councilman, and I commit to always being prepared, consider all viewpoints, be fair, think long term, and do my very best to address the needs of the entire city,” she noted.

In 2022, the Tomball City Council appointed Covington to the Tomball Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors. She has continued in this role as the Vice President and Council Liaison, where she is also able to contribute to the growth, development, and beautification of Tomball.

“It seems everyone wants to move to Tomball,” she said. “This growth creates a different set of demands and challenges for the City, and I want to be part of the team that guides and navigates the City through this growth.”

Covington’s strong ties to Tomball, her passion for her hometown, and her love for preserving and cherishing what makes this place and her past experiences so special, drive her decisions and empower her to play a significant role as a Tomball resident and TISD graduate.