Alma Mater

As we gaze up-on your por-tals, stat-tely wide and high,

Loud-ly we pro-claim your prai-ses 'til they reach the sky.

Hail, all hail our al-ma ma-ter. Hear the e-choes ring.

Hail, all hail our al-ma ma-ter, Hear the ec-hoes ring,

Oh! Hail to thee our al-ma ma-ter, Hail all hail we sing

PROUD-LY BUS-SEY

School colors

Bussey Middle School was originally Garland Junior High on the Avenue D campus of Garland High School. Our mascot, the owlet, and our school colors, black and gold, were proudly handed down from Garland High School.

History

Bussey is the oldest middle school in Garland, but our building is the second oldest, being built in 1959. (Memorial Preparatory was first occupied in 1958.)

Renovations

Bussey has been renovated several times resulting in the modern facility we enjoy today. Air conditioning was first installed in the early 1970's. Another major update occurred in the late 1980's. The main hallway or breezeway was once entirely open-very cold in the winter; very wet when it rained! At one time it was carpeted with recycled Astro-Turf from Williams Stadium. Ron Fulmer was head coach then, and often found the turf in the breezeway a great place for his team to run laps. Another major renovation was in the early 1990's when the fourth wing, library, band and choir areas, competition gym, science labs, and offices were added. Over the last two years Bussey has gone through yet another renovation - this time expanding the choir and band hall, and replacing the floor and roofing of the entire building. 

School name

Bussey Middle School was named for E. D. Bussey, whose portrait hangs in the front entryway. Mr. Bussey was superintendent of the Garland Schools in the 1930's-the early 1940's. Since Bussey moved to its current location in 1959, there have been seven principals.

Principals

The first was Jerry Sellers, whose namesake is Sellers Middle School. Mr. Sellers was a "Garland boy" and a great athlete at Garland High School. He was the first football player from Garland to play in the Cotton Bowl Classic and something of a local celebrity. As principal, he made his own rules; a former teacher who worked for Mr. Sellers described him as "fearless".

Ken Gossett became principal when Mr. Sellers passed away in 1971. Dr. Lem Nichols came to Bussey in 1978 and served as principal until 1998. It was under Dr. Nichols's leadership that we became known as the "Bussey Bunch."

Steve Hammerle, a former Bussey student, was principal from 1998 until he left to become principal at Sachse High School, and Harry Farley (aka Austin Powers, aka Elvis) took over in 2001. Returning to Bussey, Mary Garcia led the Owlets from 2011-2017. 

Carol Goff served as principal at Bussey from 2017 - 2019.

Jeremiah Oliphant served as principal from 2019-2021.

The current leader of Bussey is Brandon Maxie.

Traditions

Through the years, Bussey has gained the reputation of being a great place to work and send your kids because of the dedicated, congenial staff and nurturing family atmosphere. Even substitute teachers in our building often comment on the manners of our students and the friendliness of our faculty. Hopefully, Bussey's traditions will endure through future generations of Owlets.

School colors

Black and Gold

School mascot

Owlets