As the school year comes to a close, Danny Jones Principal Travis Moore will be getting ready to move to Coble Middle School.

Moore will end his 13-year tenure as Danny Jones Middle School principal this summer.

Since his arrival to Danny Jones in 2007, Moore has witnessed many changes in the school. There were many challenges he faced, but the most difficult one was planning for the growth ahead.

“When I first came to Danny Jones in 2007, we had 575 kids total in the whole building,” he said.  “Last year’s eighth-grade class was like 560, so we had almost 1,200 kids.”

Moore joined Danny Jones as an assistant principal, and became principal after Danny Jones’ first principal, T. Lamar Goree, left to work for Summit High School.

Moore said he’s stayed at Danny Jones for so long because it was a great experience.

“Thirteen years is a long time,” he said. “I’ve met a lot of great people over the years, a lot of families. I’ve gotten a chance to see two or three kids from the same family come through here. It’s a great school community.”

Michele Drake was first brought into Danny Jones three years ago as an assistant principal to aid Moore in his work.

“He truly cares about his staff,” Drake said. “We would laugh and joke sometimes, and he was easy to work with and had great teamwork.”

According to Drake, Moore allowed her to improvise and use her creativity to overcome any challenge at hand.

“He allowed me to try the ideas that he may not have always agreed with, but gave me the freedom to try those out and see how they work,” she said.

Moore said he’ll still be around for Danny Jones-Coble rivalry game days, even if he’s wearing a Coble shirt.

“I’m going to be like Tom Brady going to Tampa Bay,” he said. “It’s going to be really, really weird. I’m really excited to be going to Coble, even though it’s going to be really weird coming back.”

One of Moore’s most remarkable things about the school was how it’s reputation has grown during his time here.

“I’m very proud of what Danny Jones has become and the reputation that it has as one of the top middle schools in the nation,” Moore said.

In a letter to parents, Moore thanked parents for letting him teach their children at Danny Jones Middle School.

“In closing, thank you,” he wrote, “for entrusting me with educating your most precious gift(s) and leading this great school.” 

Below is the letter Travis Moore sent to parents.

Dear Danny Jones Family:
It’s hard to believe that another school year is coming to a close. These are unprecedented times; but overall,
virtual learning is going well, considering the circumstances. I thank you for your patience and diligence, and I
hope that everyone is at least enjoying their families and staying safe.
We will get through this together.
I first entered the doors of Danny Jones Middle School in July of 2007. Since then, I have watched the
community grow. I’ve seen DJMS move from the smallest middle school with 575 students to the largest
middle of almost 1,200 students.
I’ve watched some of our former students come back to DJMS as staff members, mentors and leaders in their
chosen field of study. I have been glad to see so many familiar faces as younger siblings of students from our
past walked through our school doors. I have been proud, honored and humbled to lead this awesome school
community for the last 12 years.
That is why I have mixed emotions about recently being named the new principal of James Coble Middle
School. I am excited for my new assignment and look forward to working with the JCMS staff, students and
parents. At the same time, I am very saddened at the thought of leaving such a great school community. I value
the relationships with the families of DJMS tremendously.
When I look back on my time as the second principal of DJMS, I am proud of what we have accomplished.
The academic excellence at DJMS will continue in various ways. We have always done our best to get ahead
of the growth while offering a wide range of instructional programs for your students—all while earning and
maintaining an “A” rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
DJMS will always continue to provide the students with the academic support systems necessary to meet the
needs of all students. We won district athletic championships in various sports. We had one-third of our
eighth-graders take pre-AP Algebra I with a 100% passing rate (and 7 out of 10 students are enrolled in pre-AP
classes). We finished strong with our band and choirs in local and regional competitions. In addition, we
continuously show our generosity with the amount of toys donated to the MISD Toys for Tots campaign.
Those are just to name a few.
As the school continues into the next decade of service with a new leader, DJMS will continue the stride of
excellence to maintain strong gains in the area of state testing and accountability while offering a well-rounded
education to students on all academic levels.
Last summer in Washington D.C., it was a highlight of my professional career to represent DJMS as the school
was recognized as a Texas School to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform.
DJMS has also been ranked by certain educational entities in the top 5% of all U.S. public schools
academically. Kudos to the parents, students and staff!
In closing, thank you for entrusting me with educating your most precious gift(s) and leading this great school.
No one person is greater than the organization itself. The people make the organization. DJMS is in a good
place, and I know you all will be in good hands. I’m just glad to be a part of the distinguished history of Danny
Jones Middle School. Until we meet again…
Sincerely,
Travis K. Moore, M.S., M.A.
“Rapport, Respect, Responsibility”