Who is Jesse McGowen, Jr.?

About Our School Namesake

Mr. Jesse McGowen grew up in McKinney, graduated from Doty High School, and returned to teach and live his life in McKinney after graduating from Tyler Junior College and East Texas State University. He began his teaching career in McKinney ISD in 1963. Mr. McGowen held several teaching positions in McKinney ISD in the field of Social Studies. He was a long-time coach at Doty High School and coached football, basketball, and track and field. He also served as a bus driver, and spent countless hours well into the night delivering students home from athletic events when they had no other form of transportation. Mr. McGowen, became a guidance counselor at McKinney High School in 1973, and spent more than 20 years in the position before moving to the LINC Center as a counselor working with at-risk students.

Holding a special place in his heart for the GED program, Mr. McGowen served as the District’s chief GED examiner for many years. He retired in May of 2000 with 37 years of dedicated service to students in McKinney. He is still working with the GED testing program part-time and he says he believes in the GED program so strongly because of the second chance it provides so many students.

His fellow colleagues have described him as a gentle-giant with a sincere love of the children he teaches and counsels. His long tenure is a testament to his devotion to his profession and to McKinney ISD.

We are so proud to be named after such an amazing man.  Mr. McGowen is a Maverick in every sense of the word and we hope to make him proud by “Standing Apart From The Start!”