Bob & Felice Bryant

Robert “Bob” and Felice Bryant have been dedicated educators for a combined total of over 70 years, serving a combined 55 years in Katy Independent School District.

Upon graduation from Texas Tech University, Felice and Bob Bryant began their teaching careers in Sudan, Texas; Bob as band director in 1974 and Felice in 1976, as the Kindergarten teacher. The Bryants moved to Lamesa, Texas, in 1977. During this time, they began their family. Felice gladly found her place teaching students in Kindergarten, while Bob served as the Lamesa High School Band Director for six years.

In 1983 Bob became the head band director at Katy High School, also serving as Fine Arts Department Chair, before being promoted to Executive Director of Fine Arts for Katy ISD in 2000. During his tenure, the Katy HS band reached annual enrollment numbers of over 400 students while earning top honors at numerous UIL and Music Festival competitions.  

Felice devoted 29 years teaching kindergarten and first grade students, 25 of those in Katy ISD. During her Katy ISD tenure, Felice served as a Kindergarten teacher under Principal Diane Winborn at Williamsburg Settlement Elementary School (now Diane Winborn Elementary School) from 1983 through 1987. After the birth of their third child, Felice taught Kindergarten and First Grade at Katy Elementary School under principals, Nancy Stiles and Leslie Smuts. During this time she served on various campus and district committees developing reading and writing curriculum and teaching strategies. Felice also served as Kindergarten Team Leader and as First Grade Team Leader while at Katy Elementary. She was named the Katy Elementary Teacher of the Year in 1997. She continues to positively impact students after her retirement through the tutoring of students and mentorship of young teachers.

Bob was named the 2006 Texas Tech University Distinguished Music Educator, the 2007-2008 Texas Music Administrator of the Year, the recipient of the 2015 Jacob L. and Sophia Meyer Farb School Bell Award for Lifetime Achievement in Music Education from the Houston Symphony, and also the recipient of the 2015 Texas Bandmasters Association Lifetime Administrator Achievement Award. Bob now serves as the Music Director of the Lone Star Symphonic Band, based in Katy, and works as a consultant in fine arts education with Fine Arts Solutions of Texas, LLC. 

In the summer of 2016 Felice and Bob served as presenters for a professional development session at the annual Texas Bandmasters Association conference. Later that same year, the Bryants served as invited keynote speakers for the Texas Tech University College of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Music "Celebrate Success!" event, recognizing and celebrating their numerous scholarship donors and recipients.

Felice and Bob both continue to serve Katy ISD as Keep Encouraging Youth toward Success (KEYS) Mentors, each with three students at three different campuses (6 campuses, 6 students). They actively serve in their local church ministries and with several non-profit organizations benefitting fine arts education/access for students as well as Christian benevolence organizations in the greater Houston area. They are also very involved in the Katy Area Retired Educators organization, serving in support of teachers, students and benefitting local Katy ISD graduates through KARE scholarships.

Together, the Bryants have dedicated over 70 years as public school educators in Texas. They are overwhelmed and humbled at being chosen as "Namesakes" in Katy ISD. They realize that their careers and their family (3 married children and 7 grandchildren) are incredible blessings. They are excited about the many possibilities and adventures that await for the students, teachers, staff and community of Bryant Elementary!