A Special meeting was hosted by Devine School Board members on Monday, June 6, 2022 to consider and hire a New Athletic Director, along with approving the Instruction Materials Allotment and TEKS Certification for 2022-23 School Year presented by Todd Grandjean. A 4-0 vote was passed by Henry Moreno, Keri James, Ali Buvinghausen, and Nancy Pepper to name Jim Sessions as the New AD.
Jim Sessions’ professional career spans from a secondary math teacher 1997-2003 to his present position as a technology applications teacher at Devine High School 2003-Present.
He has been an assistant coach in volleyball, cross country, track, golf, basketball, and softball. He was also the head softball coach in 2000-2004 and presently the Head Girls Basketball coach since 2003. Jim hit 400 wins this past year in basketball.
Sessions also has been the Technology/Hudl Specialists for Athletics from 2003 to present.
Sessions has been a Finalist for the Dean Weese Coach of the Year Award given by TABC in 2022.
His 25 years has been spent here in Devine teaching and coaching since 1997.
He is a former Devine athlete, and he continues to show a passion for his hometown and has helped maintain the tradition of success for those at Devine ISD, just like his parents Don and Gayle Sessions and sister Neva who all devoted their time and careers to Devine ISD. When asked how excited he was about his new position “I am VERY VERY excited to be given this opportunity by Dr Grandjean and the school board members.”
Sessions takes over from Chad Quisenberry who announced in March his retirement after 28 years with Devine ISD (1994-2022). Session’s mother Gayle Sessions was the DISD Girls Athletic Director back when there were two athletic directors, one for the girls and one for the boys in the Devine ISD.
Jim Sessions will take over the reins of the Athletic Director position to oversee the girls and boys athletic programs.
“I am proud of him and I know he will do everything he can to keep the Devine Athletic program successful and respected by the Devine community and area schools and coaches,” said his mother Gayle Sessions. Gayle coached in Devine 34 years (3 in MS and 31 HS) and became girls Athletic Director around 1980. She later gave up her successful position to move to Tennessee so she and Don could take care of her elderly parents, like she promised she would do.
Jim’s Notable Achievements:
25 years in education.
5 years as head softball coach.
5 consecutive years in the playoffs for softball with multiple playoff wins and one State Tournament appearance (Runner Up 2000).
19 years as head girls’ basketball coach. His first win this past year was his #400 win!
19 consecutive years in the playoffs for girls’ basketball with multiple playoff wins and six appearances in the Regional Tournament.
Finalist for the Dean Weese Coach of the Year Award given by TABC (2022).
Certifications include PE PK-12, Health Education 6-12, Mathematics 6-12, Technology Applications 8-12 and Principal EC-12.
Education: UTSA Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (1997), University of North Texas Tech Apps Certification (2003) and Texas A&M Kingsville Masters of Science in Educational Administration (2013).