Legends Jim and Judy Cole reflect on new performing arts center in their honor

• Construction for the new Jim and Judy Cole Performing Arts Center in PAISD started in August.
• Jim and Judy Cole taught a combined 100 years of music, art, drama and band in PAISD.
• They are honored to have the new performing arts center in their name.
• It will consist of a central dining area, a band hall, a theater classroom, a black box theater, dressing rooms, and an auditorium.
• Construction on the Jim and Judy Cole Performing Arts Center is expected to be completed in October 2025.

As of August, construction is underway for the new performing arts center for all Port Aransas Independent School District (PAISD) students. It's named after Jim and Judy Cole; two locals who some refer to as legends in the PAISD community.

"Jim and Judy Cole are legends in Port Aransas. Combined, they worked at Port Aransas ISD for over one hundred years. Jim Cole was the band director for many, many years. Judy Cole helped with band, but also taught pretty much everything at some point in Port Aransas ISD," Port Arasas ISD Superintendent of Schools Sharon McKinney said.

The Coles said that they were shocked, but they feel honored that the new performing arts center is named after them.

“We just really consider it an honor. I mean neither one of us ever imagined that that would happen. You know, it’s a real honor," Jim Cole said.

The performing arts center has been in the planning phases for several years. The Port Aransas voters voted on a bond election in May 2023 that is funding the performing arts center project. A board of community members voted on the name, and it was a unanimous decision.

The Jim and Judy Cole Performing Arts Center will have many amenities for students to use.

"There will be a central kitchen and dining area, we're calling it the Marlin Cafe, that will feed all of our students, every day, from all three schools. It will also have a brand new band hall, a brand new theater classroom. The theater classroom will also be a little black box theater for small performances. It'll have dressing rooms, all of those amenities, as well as an 800-seat auditorium for us to be able to host band concerts, and graduation, and theater plays, and Veteran's Day ceremonies and such like that," Superintendent McKinney said.

The Coles said that two of the things they value are music and Marlin pride. They said that Port Aransas is a special place and that they are thankful to have spent so much time there.

“Almost everybody knows everybody else. And I think that’s one of the main things that makes it really unique," Jim Cole said.

The performing arts mean a lot to the Coles, and to others in Port Aransas as well.

“Our community is a big supporter of the arts here in Port Aransas. There’s no other place like this in Port Aransas that will host that many performers, as well as audience members for performances, competitions, and such like that," Superintendent McKinney said.

While the Coles say that they are humbled by this honor, they say it's still all about the students.

“You can’t be an effective teacher—you gotta love them—unless you really love the kids," Jim and Judy Cole said.

Construction on the Jim and Judy Cole Performing Arts Center is expected to be complete in October 2025, and is expected to be used on a daily basis by PAISD students in January 2026.

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