Alvin ISD Superintendent Carol Nelson will be retiring, AISD Chief Communications Director Renae Rives said in an email Jan. 26.

The details: The board of trustees held a special meeting at 2 p.m. Jan. 26 to discuss a superintendent search during a closed session. No action or public discussion was held at the meeting.

The district has not released a timeline or additional details regarding Nelson’s retirement or the superintendent search process.

The background: Nelson, who became superintendent in 2019, has served AISD in a number of roles for more than three decades.

Prior to assuming the role, she worked as a classroom teacher, campus librarian, assistant principal, principal and associate superintendent at AISD. She also served as an adjunct instructor for Alvin College.

Pearland's first-ever Harmony Public Schools campus is slated to open for the 2027-28 school year amid a groundbreaking, which will be held on Jan. 28, according to a Jan. 21 news release from the school.

The details: The elementary school will be 32-acres, and is part of a long-term plan that includes an adjacent middle and high school campus, the news release notes.

The school will serve 650 students in pre-K through fifth grade with a market space, lab and playground.

Quote of note: “We’re excited to bring our first campus to the Pearland community,” Ramazan Coskuner, south-west district superintendent for Harmony Public Schools said in the news release. “This new space will support hands-on learning through dedicated STEM labs, which are central to Harmony’s educational approach.”

• 2523 Reid Road, Pearland

• Aldine ISD
• Alvin College
• Alvin ISD
• Clear Creek ISD
• College of the Mainland
• Conroe ISD
• Cy-Fair ISD
• Friendswood ISD
• Fort Bend ISD
• Harmony Public Schools
• Houston City College
• Houston ISD
• Humble ISD
• Katy ISD
• Klein ISD
• Lamar CISD
• Lone Star College
• Magnolia ISD
• Montgomery ISD
• New Caney ISD
• Pearland ISD
• San Jacinto College
• Splendora ISD
• Spring ISD
• Tomball ISD
• University of Houston
• Willis ISD

Six Republican candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge.

The six candidates filed to run for a seat that had been occupied by a Republican until Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo defeated incumbent Republican Ed Emmett in 2018.

The setup: The candidates are Patrick “Marty” Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association; former Houston City Council member Orlando Sanchez; Air Force veteran Warren Howell; Piney Point Village Mayor Aliza Dutt; retired member of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Oscar Gonzalez; and Spring Branch business owner and resident George Harry Zoes.

Zooming out: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo formally announced in September that she will not seek reelection for a third term as judge of Texas’ largest county.

Candidates responded to six questions, including:

• Why are you running for Harris County judge?
• What are your top three priorities for constituents in Harris County, and why?
• What is your approach to collaborating with other commissioners to reach consensus on policy and budget decisions?

Three Democratic candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the March primaries.

The big picture: Harris County voters will be able to cast their ballots in the Democratic primary in March for former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, former Houston City Council member Letitia Plummer or local entrepreneur Matt Salazar.

Zooming out: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo formally announced in September she will not seek re-election for a third term as judge of Texas’ largest county. Hidalgo has served as county judge since 2019 and was re-elected after winning the county seat during the November 2022 general election. Her current four-year term ends Dec. 31, 2026.

What residents should know: Early voting runs from Feb. 17-27. Election day is March 3.

Candidates responded to six questions including:

• Why are you running for Harris County judge?
• What are your top three priorities for constituents in Harris County, and why?
• What is your approach to collaborating with other commissioners to reach consensus on policy and budget decisions?