Known for his service to others, long-time Academic and Behavior School (ABS) West educational aide and behavior coach Michael Rowe has been selected as Harris County Department of Education’s February Employee of the Month. In addition to his duties at ABS West, Rowe also serves as a staff member with the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids (CASE for Kids).  

His service includes riding a Fort Bend Independent School District bus to and from ABS West each day as he assists not only his designated student, but two others so no one feels left out. It includes driving to Alief Middle School after the bus trip to serve in an afterschool program teaching robotics and leading other STEM-related activities.

His day begins before 5 a.m. and usually doesn’t end until around 9 p.m.

When discussing his motivation each day, Rowe explained, “Because my dad would have done it and I’m just following in those footsteps,” stopping himself in near mid-sentence.

The message was simple. The emotion that followed was powerful.

Both eyes started to tear as Rowe put his hand up to his face. One beat of silence becomes two.

“I miss him,” he continued, only to look off, closing his eyes and collecting his thoughts.

John Rowe passed away Apr. 30, 2023.

“He gave his everything until his last breath,” Michael Rowe said of his father. “That’s just the way that man was. He donated blood. He served as a Big Brother. That’s how he was and it was nonstop. So that’s all I knew growing up – be a hard worker for others.”

That’s who Rowe became. Before she even asked, Rowe made plans and has since moved back into his parents’ home to help take care of his mother, Laura Rowe.

“Mike Rowe goes out of his way to serve,” said CASE for Kids Senior Director Lisa Caruthers, Ph.D.

Caruthers nominated Rowe for Employee of the Month after he stepped up multiple times to help the division, first on an interim basis and now as a staff member with an afterschool program in Alief ISD.

The son of a geophysicist and attorney, Rowe grew up spending time with family at church, but also at museums, parks and eating together at restaurants. He was inquisitive, at times disassembling household items – like the phone – to see how they worked.

Through encouragement from his father, Rowe joined the U.S. Navy after graduating to find a trade and career path. He served four years as an avionics technician. That led him to a job at Lucid Technology, Inc., where he worked in communications.

Rowe transitioned into the medical field working with behavioral health patients, but it was his love of communication that allowed him to continue making an impact – and opened a door to teaching.

“I could talk to anybody,” said Rowe, a trait he inherited from his mother. “And if you ran into an issue, I didn’t have a problem trying to help solve it for you. I was always trying to figure how things worked, including people.”

Rowe began teaching nursing staff on behavioral and crisis management at the clinical level. His role expanded to multiple sites but plateaued in terms of a career path.

His sister, a teacher herself, encouraged him to find a way into education.

“That’s when I met Dr. (Victor) Keys,” Rowe said of the former ABS West principal he met in 2016 through a friend who taught at the campus. “I interviewed with him right before the school year started and I don’t think I got more than a block and a half away when he called and asked, ‘So when can you start?’”

Rowe provides support for students and staff across the entire campus. There is administrative work and data collection. He also helps with assessments of students from their first day to when they transition back to their home school.

“The kids trust him and know that he’s fair,” ABS West Principal Jatata Hutton said. “He’s stern but he’s fair and very consistent. The kids understand that if they go to Mr. Rowe with level-system issues, he’s going to explain to them why they may be leveled down or up and he’s just consistent across the board with the practices. That’s a good person to have on campus.”

Added Rowe: “I’m not here to judge. I’m not here to talk about anything that might belittle you. I’m here to encourage you, so I’ll find one little thing that gives you encouragement, take it and run with it. Whatever it is, because that’s what my dad would have done for me.”

Rowe connected with CASE for Kids through the All-Earth Ecobot Challenge and his background in robotics. He helped the program specifically at ABS West until last year, where he wrote curriculum for the challenge and provided additional input, which included a challenge on campus.

With a coordinator position open, Rowe was asked to fill the need. He and Caruthers helped put together the All-Earth Ecobot Summer Camp event in July. Rowe handled the robotics and Caruthers the curriculum and logistics. Within a week, students participated in a successful and fun-filled challenge.

“Mike was so impressive because no matter what barrier we came up against, he just calmly took care of it,” Caruthers said. “It was great to just stand next to a man who patiently moved forward. It gave me the resolve that we could get it done, we were a team and we were going to make it happen.”

Rowe was brought on to work with CASE for Kids until school started. When more staff turnover prompted another need in Alief, Rowe was again asked to help.

“Not only does this man have a full-time job at our ABS West campus, but he also has a part-time job with CASE,” Caruthers said. “He’s always there and you’re able to count on him.”

It’s who Rowe is and all he’s known.

His father gave him an example of being a servant leader. It’s the ability to find a diamond in the rough and let it shine. It’s guiding someone to that ‘ah ha’ moment, Rowe said.

It’s even finding joy. Talking about his father brought tears to his eyes, but Rowe smiled within seconds, knowing he’s continuing a legacy.

“He gave me so many gifts and I use them to the best of my ability,” Rowe said. “You’ll never see me without a smile on my face. Even to this day. I always have a smile on my face because that’s how I grew up and I want people to feed off that.”