Fisher Elementary School

Under a hot August sun in 1963, a group gathered for the cornerstone laying ceremony of the new Fisher Elementary School at 2200 Gruenwald Street. The school earned its name from Harley W. Fisher, who was a member of the Board of Trustees from 1945-1957. The principal at the time of the school’s opening was Burns Richardson. He and the school secretary, Janelle Sitton stocked the bookroom as workmen were still completing the hallways. The enrollment grew steadily from about 640 students at the opening of the campus, to more than 1150 students in 1968. In 1968, fifth-grade students were temporarily moved to Park View Intermediate School and later they attended class in five portable classrooms on Fisher’s campus. The following year, many Fisher students transferred to the newly opened Jensen Elementary school to help with overcrowding. Throughout its history, Fisher Elementary has had many special programs. Classes for the blind and partially sighted were held from 1963-1966. Pre-K programs that were funded through the federal government and conducted by the Houston Speech and Hearing Center, were held at Fisher for three years beginning in September of 1963. Special Education classes began at the campus in 1973. In 1976, the enrollment was 750 students. 

Several years later in 1995, the library and atrium flooded after a pipe burst. In 1998, Fisher added a new front office on the Watters Road side of the building. That same year, a new clinic, office workroom, teachers’ lounge, teachers’ workroom, four offices and three faculty restrooms were built. In recent years, Fisher’s enrollment averaged around 750 students until Mae Smythe Elementary was built in 2018. Since that time, the enrollment has remained around 660 students. The campus currently has 19 portable classrooms, along with various specialized positions and programs including a speech pathologist, licensed specialized psychologist, two ABLE units, one SUCCESS program and one early childhood special education class. 

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pasadena ISD closed schools March 23, 2020 and reopened for remote virtual teaching on March 30, 2020 to May 29, 2020. Summer school was also taught remotely. From August 18, 2020 to September 4, 2020 all students and teachers participated in virtual instruction. After September 8, students were able to choose if they wished to continue virtual education or come back to the campus for face-to-face instruction. During this time, teachers were teaching face to face students and virtual students at home, simultaneously.